Franklin & Marshall poll: Obama up 7

Barack Obama holds a 7-point advantage over John McCain in Pennsylvania largely because voters think he understands the concerns of ordinary Americans, according to a new Franklin & Marshall poll.

The poll surveyed 767 registered voters in Pennsylvania from Sept. 23 to Sept. 28 and had a margin of error of 3.5 percent.

The poll is consistent with others taken in Pennsylvania that show Obama's lead increasing in recent weeks in the Keystone State, which both campaigns consider critical to their hopes this fall. 

Sixty-one percent of voters said they thought Obama best understands the concerns of ordinary Americans, compared to just 28 percent for McCain, the poll reports. Voters also think Obama can better handle the economy compared to McCain, 46 percent to 37 percent, it finds.