

Chris Fox, CP24.com





PC Leader Tim Hudak has taken an early lead in the race to become premier, according to a new CP24/CTV Ipsos Reid poll.

The online poll of 821 Ontarians has found that Hudak’s Progessive Conservative party has the support of 37 per cent of respondents compared to 31 per cent for Kathleen Wynne’s Liberal party, 28 per cent for Andrea Horwath’s New Democrats and four per cent for Mike Schreiner’s Green Party.

A further 16 per cent of respondents said they were undecided.

The poll, which was conducted between May 6 to 8, mirrors the results of a similar survey released on April 27, in which the Tories led with 37 per cent support compared to 32 per cent for the Liberals and 27 per cent for the NDP.

PC supporters more likely to go to the polls

After months of speculation, the provincial election was officially called last week after both opposition parties vowed to vote against the Liberal budget.

Though the poll suggests that the June 12 election will likely be a tight one, a closer look at the commitment level of respondents does give Hudak an edge with 42 per cent of respondents saying that nothing short of an unforeseen emergency will stop them from getting to the polls intending to vote PC compared to 28 per cent for the Liberals and 27 per cent for the NDP.

The poll also gives the PC party an advantage in terms of the degree of certainty its supporters posses with 52 per cent of those who intend to vote Tory saying they are “absolutely certain” of their intention compared with 37 per cent for the Liberals and 34 per cent for the NDP.

Conversely, 23 per cent of NDP supporters said they were “not certain” of their decision compared to 16 per cent of Tory supporters and 13 per cent of Liberal supporters.

The poll is considered accurate to within four percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

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