Governor Ed Rendell (D) has opened his biggest lead of the season over challenger and political newcomer Lynn Swann (R). After being neck-and-neck with Swann in the previous four Rasmussen Reports Pennsylvania election polls, Rendell now holds an 18-point advantage, 52% to 34%.

This is the first Rasmussen Reports Pennsylvania poll taken after the statewide primaries. Several longtime legislators including the Senate Majority Leader were ousted in the Primaries over a pay raise for lawmakers and other issues.

Rendell's favorables have increased significantly since April. Today, 27% of voters have a "very favorable" opinion of him while 13% hold a "very unfavorable" opinion. A month ago, those numbers were 18% very favorable and 20% very unfavorable.

Those with a "very favorable" opinion of Swann fell from 25% in April to 16% this month. In both surveys, just 10% of voters have a very unfavorable opinion of the former Pittsburgh Steelers receiver.

Swann's support has fallen to 59% among Republicans while Rendell now captures 76% of the vote from his own party.

Last month, before the Primary, Swann had a 3-point advantage over Rendell.

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Pennsylvania voters are evenly divided as to whether they trust Republicans or Democrats more on national security issues. Democrats have just a modest advantage among the state's voters on immigration.

However, when it comes to economic policy, energy policy, and the War in Iraq, Democrats are favored by a wide margin.

The rolling average of our last three Pennsylvania election polls now shows Rendell with a 6-point advantage, 46% to 40%. That matches the advantage Rendell had in our first three-poll rolling average (completed in February).

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