Kevin O’Leary favoured for leader among card-carrying
Conservatives
Peter MacKay preferred by all Canadians
in total
TORONTO
April 6th, 2016 In a random sampling of public opinion taken by the
Forum Poll™ among 1455 Canadian voters, the plurality among those with a choice
for a leader see Peter MacKay as the best leader of the Conservative Party
(18%), followed by those who opt for TV personality Kevin O’Leary (14%), who is
in turn followed by current interim leader Rona Ambrose (10%). The list is
rounded out by Maxime Bernier (9%), Jason Kenney and Lisa Raitt (6% each) and
Dr. Kellie Leitch (2%). The largest single group thinks someone else not listed
would make the best leader for the Conservatives (35%).
Among
Conservative voters, however, Kevin O’Leary is very slightly preferred to
MacKay (24% to 22%) while Rona Ambrose is third (17%). Among Conservatives,
about one fifth prefer someone not listed (19%).
Finally,
among those who are card-carrying members of the Conservative Party (and
therefore will actually choose the leader), Kevin O’Leary is widely preferred
to MacKay (28% to 20%) and no other listed candidate breaks double digits in
preference. Among this select group, one quarter will support a candidate not
listed here (24%).
“Kevin
O’Leary’s star has been rising among Conservatives, and it’s happening in
lockstep with the increasing popularity of Donald Trump in the US.
Conservatives increasingly see a plain-talking populist as their saviour,” said Forum Research
President, Dr. Lorne Bozinoff.
Lorne Bozinoff, Ph.D. is the president and
founder of Forum Research. He can be reached at lbozinoff@forumresearch.com
or at (416) 960-9603.
