Williams, PCs soaring in pre-election poll

Just four months before a general election, Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams and his Tories are enjoying a high level of public support, a new poll suggests.

Some 73 per cent of decided voters said they would vote for the Progressive Conservatives if an election were held now, according to a quarterly tracking poll by Halifax-based Corporate Research Associates.

That is about the same level of support that the PCs drew during the last poll, in February, and is largely consistent with results of CRA polls through the last year.

The Liberals polled about 19 per cent, while seven per cent of decided voters picked the New Democratic Party.

The CRA poll, conducted between May 11 and May 31, surveyed 404 adults. The results are considered accurate within 4.9 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

About 15 per cent of respondents identified themselves as undecided, said they did not intend to vote or refused to give their voting preferences.

Under fixed date legislation, the general election will be held Oct. 9.

The CRA poll again shows that the Tories' best asset appears to be Williams himself, who continues to score highly in terms of personal popularity.

When asked to pick which of the three main party leaders voters would prefer to see as premier, 74 per cent chose Williams.

Twelve per cent selected Liberal leader Gerry Reid, and six per cent picked NDP leader Lorraine Michael. The remaining eight per cent selected other choices or none of the three, or expressed no opinion.