10 Questions for: Dr. G. Terry Madonna

Dr. G. Terry Madonna is the director of Center for Politics and Public Affairs and the Keystone Poll at Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, PA. WHYY's Dan Pohlig spoke with Dr. Madonna by phone about his findings in the first poll of the 2007 mayoral election.

Questions are close approximations of the original questions and have been edited for clarity. Click on the microphone icon to hear Dr. Madonna's responses.

1. Overall, what were some of the most interesting results from the poll?

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2. What qualifications are the residents of Philadelphia looking for in their next mayor?

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3. Are you surprised that crime received such a large percentage as the leading issue on the minds of Philadelphians and that other issues received so little support?

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4. What do the numbers in the head-to-head match up of the likely candidates for mayor tell us?

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5. With the recently enacted campaign finance regulations potentially limiting the amount of money available for the candidates to improve their name recognition, what can all of the candidates do to make themselves known to the voters?

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6. In 1995, the murder rate in Philadelphia was as bad or worse than it is now yet crime didn't crowd out all of the other issues as it is now. Is this because of the intense coverage of this issue by the media, putting it front and center in the minds of city residents or is there a sense among residents that compared to 1995, all of the other issues - schools, taxes, housing, etc. - are improving, making crime stick out that much more?

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7. Undoubtedly, many business groups and chamber of commerce folks will contend that taxes are a major issue in the 2007 race but with only 1% of respondents saying that taxes are the most important problem facing the city today, the poll would seem to indicate otherwise. Will taxes be a major issue?

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8. With crime such a big issue and clearly a major reason for the large percentage of Philadelphians who think the city is headed in the wrong direction (64%), would that number change dramatically if the violent crime rate were suddenly to drop in the next few months?

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9. If crime remains the dominant issue in the race and if "experience" continues to be the number one attribute that residents are looking for in their next mayor, do any of the likely candidates have an advantage because of their backgrounds?

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10: In general, personality and likeability seem to be a major factor in the outcome of campaigns. It seems that Philadelphians are a little more sophisticated when it comes to choosing their mayor and don't rely as heavily on the relative charisma of the candidates. Will personality play a major role when voters are choosing their next mayor?

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