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By comparison, 49 per cent of respondents to a Mainstreet Research poll commissioned last month by Postmedia said they supported Wotherspoon and the NDP, while 40 per cent said they supported Wall and the Sask. Party.

Smith said while the results differ, it is clear that support for the Sask. Party has fallen off sharply — which “not surprising” given the ongoing fallout from its latest provincial budget, he said, noting there are other trends, too.

“As far as I can tell from the two polls, the NDP is gaining back support in the cities, where it had previously lost it under the Sask. Party. over the previous decade.”

According to the Angus Reid poll, 50 per cent of Saskatoon respondents said they support the NDP compared to 39 per cent for the Sask. Party. In Regina, the NDP’s margin is even larger: 55 per cent compared to 35 per cent for the Sask. Party.

The situation is markedly different in the rest of the province, where 58 per cent said they support the Sask. Party. That gives Wall’s party — which has been in power for a decade — a 27-point advantage over the NDP.

NDP House Leader Warren McCall said the party has a lot of work to do, including electing a new leader who can achieve support across the province, strengthen its ability to organize in Sask. Party strongholds and come up with viable policies of its own.

At the same time, the effects of sweeping cuts introduced in the government’s 2017-18 budget are only starting to be felt across the province, and the Sask. Party’s situation “is only going to get worse,” McCall said.