MP Charlie Angus (NDP — Timmins-James Bay) is the front runner to become the next leader of Canada’s New Democratic Party, according to a Mainstreet Research poll.

Angus is several percentage points in the lead, ahead of Niki Ashton in the race to replace Tom Mulcair at the helm of the party.

Those two, according to the latest poll, are well ahead of everyone in the leadership race.

On July 5, Mainstreet polled NDP donors and individuals who were on the five past provincial membership lists and who are still active party members.

Of the 1,445 members reached, 22.6% supported Angus, 20.4% for Ashton, 7.5% for both Jagmeet Singh and Peter Julian, and 6.1% for Guy Caron; 35.9% said they were unsure about their first choice. Of decided voters, Angus has the support of 35.2%, with Ashton at 31.9%.

Since that poll was conducted, Julian has since dropped out of the race.

Angus says his hard work is paying off.

“We said from Day 1, we were going to work hard every day and people appreciate that. I have been travelling across the country and the support is growing.”

The deadline to qualify as an official candidate passed on July 3, meaning no one else can join the race. The remaining four candidates will face off in their next debate tonight in Saskatoon.

Online voting in the leadership race will begin on Sept. 18 and results will be announced in October after each round of balloting.

The NDP leadership race is strictly a one-member, one-vote process. You must have a membership to vote.

Membership deadline is Aug. 17.