A recent Quinnipiac poll has Pennsylvania Gov. Shapiro leading State Treasurer Stacy Garrity by a wide margin.

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro holds an 18-point lead over Republican Stacy Garrity in Pennsylvania’s 2026 governor’s race, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday.

Of voters surveyed, 55% would back Shapiro if the election were held today, compared with 37% for Garrity. The numbers are little changed from the university’s October poll, the pollster said.

Democrats overwhelmingly support Shapiro, with 97% supporting him. On the GOP side, 82% of Republicans said they would back Garrity. Among independents, 51% support Shapiro and 34% support Garrity.

Shapiro’s overall job approval stands at 56%, with 29% disapproving of his tenure. That is slightly lower than in October, when 60% approved and 28% disapproved.


Shapiro in 2028?

While Shapiro leads comfortably in his re-election bid, voters are divided on whether he would make a good president. Forty percent said he would, while 43% said he would not and 16% did not offer an opinion.

“Shapiro maintains solid numbers as governor. Do Pennsylvanian voters think he’s up to the job in the Oval Office? Not exactly a ringing endorsement,” Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Tim Malloy said of the results.

Pennsylvania’s other elected official did not fare much better.

Sen. John Fetterman has a 46% approval rating, with 40% disapproving. Republicans largely approve of Fetterman’s job performance, 73% to 18%, while 62% of Democrats disapprove. Malloy said Fetterman is “bridging both parties on some issues” and “maintains the warm embrace of a healthy number of Republicans.”

Meanwhile, Sen. Dave McCormick’s approval rating stands at 37%, with 33% disapproving and 30% not offering an opinion.


Where do voters stand on the issues?

According to the poll, economic sentiment remains mixed. Twenty-eight percent of voters said the nation’s economy is getting better, 47% said it is getting worse and 23% said it is staying about the same

On immigration, 56% of respondents said they would prefer giving most undocumented immigrants a pathway to legal status, while 34% would prefer deportation. On whether the Trump administration is being too harsh in its treatment of immigrants, 56% said it is.

Voters expressed strong support for several state-level policy proposals. 

On the heels of calls from lawmakers for cellphone bans in schools, 71% surveyed supported K-12 bans during the school day, while 20% opposed it. Nearly two-thirds of parents with children in K-12 schools support the ban.

Two-thirds of voters, 66%, support raising Pennsylvania’s minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 an hour. 

The poll was conducted Feb. 19-23 and has a margin of error of ±4.7 percentage points.