While Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton continue to compete against each other in Pennsylvania’s Presidential Primary, both Democrats have opened a lead over John McCain in the Keystone State.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in Pennsylvania finds Obama leading McCain 47% to 39% and Clinton with a 47% to 38% advantage. That’s a significant change from a month ago when McCain was essentially even with both Democrats.

It’s especially interesting to note that the Democrats have gained ground on McCain during their Pennsylvania Primary battle. Just the opposite happened in neighboring Ohio. McCain took the lead in the Buckeye State following the Democratic battle and has retained that lead over the past month. Democratic struggles in Michigan also appear to have benefitted McCain.

Perhaps the six-week pace of the Pennsylvania Primary has worked to benefit the Democrats’ general election prospects. Over the past month, favorable ratings for both Democrats have improved a bit. Obama is now viewed favorably by 57% of the state’s voters, Clinton by 53%. A month ago, those figures were 53% and 50% respectively. McCain is now viewed favorably by 50%, down from 55% in March.

Rasmussen Markets shows that Democrats are currently given a % chance of winning Pennsylvania’s twenty-one Electoral College Votes this fall. John Kerry won the state for the Democrats in 2004 by a narrow 51% to 48% margin. Four years earlier, Al Gore won the state by four percentage points. Immediately prior to release of this poll, Pennsylvania was rated as “Leans Democrat” in the Rasmussen Reports Balance of Power Calculator. Balance of Power projections indicate that the Electoral College scoreboard is a toss-up at this time.

In Pennsylvania, among all Likely Voters, 78% say relations between Black and White Americans have improved since the 1960s. Just 9% disagree. By a 62% to 16% margin, Pennsylvania voters believe they are continuing to improve. Still, 17% say they have personally witnessed acts of discrimination within the past week. Forty-five percent (45%) say that African-Americans face more discrimination than women. Twenty-eight percent (28%) take the opposite view and say women face more discrimination. Men overwhelmingly say that African-Americans face more discrimination. Women are more evenly divided.

Just 27% of Pennsylvania voters say that President Bush is doing a good or an excellent job. Most (54%) say he is doing a poor job.

Governor Ed Rendell, a strong Clinton supporter, earns better reviews—41% good or excellent and 25% poor.

Nationally, McCain is in a very close race with both Clinton and Obama. Results are constantly updated in the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll.

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