Poll: Pennsylvania Public Split on Mayor Nutter’s Handling of Papal Visit

Pope Francis | neneo / Shutterstock.com. Mayor Nutter | Jeff Fusco

A plurality of Pennsylvanians approved Mayor Nutter’s handling of Pope Francis’ September visit to Philly, a new poll from Public Policy Polling reveals.

Forty-six percent of those surveyed approved of Nutter’s performance, compared to just 14 percent who disapproved. Another 39 percent were unsure.

The polling’s methodology may contribute to the seeming ambivalence: Roughly a thousand voters from across Pennsylvania were surveyed by PPP — it’s possible that people outside Philadelphia and its confines may not have had much opinion about the event.

In a related question, however, 66 percent of respondents said they approve of the pope, while 13 percent disapprove. Twenty percent were unsure.

Other highlights from the wide-ranging poll:

• Forty-five percent of Pennsylvanians think Attorney General Kathleen Kane should step down, while 25 percent think she should remain in office. Just 18 percent think she should run for re-election next year — compared to 56 percent who don’t.

• The most popular issue polled? Eighty-four percent said they favor a criminal background check for everyone who wants to buy a firearm. The remaining 16 percent of respondents were evenly split between disapproval and being unsure.

• Meanwhile, 45 percent of Pennsylvanians approve of cheesesteaks, while 8 percent had an unfavorable reaction. Forty-five percent of respondents were “unsure” how they felt about the delicacy.