Winnipeggers' reactions mixed on latest Selinger poll results
42% of 1,005 polled believe party's odds of winning 2016 election hurt with Selinger at the helm
New poll results out show a significant chunk of Manitobans think re-electing Premier Greg Selinger to lead the provincial NDP was a mistake that could cost the party the forthcoming provincial election.
The embattled premier squeaked out a win over rebel ex-cabinet minister and Seine River MLA Theresa Oswald March 8 to resume his role at the helm of the party.
A total of 1,005 Manitobans were surveyed over the phone by Probe Research Inc. between March 17 and April 1 and asked how they think the NDP will fare in the next provincial election with Selinger in charge.
Forty per cent of those polled said they think the party did the wrong thing by voting Selinger back into power. Forty-two per cent said the party's odds of winning the next election with Selinger as NDP leader have gone down.
Despite the fact that Manitobans in general think members of the NDP made a mistake voting Selinger back into power, 58 per cent of NDP-supporters in particular were on board with the party's decision.
Whereas just 11 per cent of Manitobans said they think the NDP is more likely to trounce the competition in the provincial PCs and Liberals in the 2016 election with Selinger around, that percentage goes up a bit for party faithful. Nineteen per cent of NDP-voters said they think their party is better off with Selinger at the controls.
Thirty-three per cent of card-carrying NDP voters indicated that the party is less likely to take the provincial election with Selinger as leader. Another 42 per cent think it doesn't really matter who is leading the party.
Winnipeggers react to results
People at The Forks were split on what the results mean and whether keeping Selinger in his position was a good idea.
"My MLA voted for him, my MLA supports him and my MLA knows more about my riding then I do," said Kayla Jory. "I usually base my vote more on who's in my riding and who will do the best for my riding and where I live, and if that happens to be NDP, than I will vote NDP. If that happens to be Conservative than I will vote Conservative."
A majority of both Liberal and PC voters polled said they think the party erred in re-electing Selinger. But Winnipegger Conrad Merasty said despite the poll's findings, he thinks Selinger's political experience will help the NDP win the next election.
"I think he's got a pretty good team," said Merasty. "With his track record I do think it will help them."
And while many Conservative voters are pining for a new day with Brian Pallister leading the province forward, Melinda Sears said she doesn't think the current cast of PCs is strong enough to oust the NDP in 2016.
"PCs [have] been out for a while now, and what they have for representatives, I don't know if they're strong enough, so unfortunately, yes, NDP will probably get back in," said Sears.
The poll results had a 95 per cent certainty rate within +/- 3.1 percentage points of what it would've been if every adult in Manitoba were surveyed. However the margin of error is higher within sub-groups, as the poll sample is smaller.
The poll was commissioned by the Winnipeg Free Press.