NDP the narrow winner of debate, poll suggests

Respondents say Horgan performed best, even as favourability rating sees a drop

With no major flubs or knockout punches during the only televised leaders’ debate of the election campaign, B.C. residents say the NDP’s John Horgan won the night — but only by a slim margin.

A Mainstreet-Postmedia poll conducted immediately after the debate asked 1,074 residents who performed the best, regardless of which party the respondents support. Thirty-three per cent said Horgan, 29 per cent picked Green Leader Andrew Weaver and 28 per cent said Liberal Leader Christy Clark. Only 10 per cent were undecided. The poll’s margin of error is three per cent.

“We see here it is a very tight (three-way) race,” said David Valentin, vice-president of Mainstreet Research. “We are not seeing the result of any knockout punch in that debate.”

Horgan’s lead was higher in Metro Vancouver at 36 per cent, compared to roughly 28 per cent for both Weaver and Clark. Those results were largely the same on Vancouver Island. Clark had a better showing in the areas of B.C. outside Metro and the Island, but was polling only slightly ahead of her two rivals.

However, respondents gave a decent favourability rating only to Weaver — 50 per cent liked him. That compared to just over onethird for Clark and Horgan.

Valentin said those numbers indicate Clark made some friends in this debate, as her favourability ratings were lower before. Horgan lost ground, possibly because of repeated suggestions that he can be “mercurial,” Valentin said.

“(Perhaps) what triggered people were all the different references that painted Mr. Horgan as an angry man, whether it was fair or not,” Valentin said.

It was a very confrontational debate, but that sparring did not seem to stick to Weaver. Clark continually referred to the university professor as Dr. Weaver — possibly to portray him as aloof and out of touch, Valentin said.

“I think it might have had the opposite effect and reminded people he was not a career politician,” he added.

When asked who will win the election, respondents’ opinions differed largely from who they thought won the debate: Liberals (40 per cent), followed by NDP (35 per cent) and Green (six per cent).

When asked who they will vote for, results were tied for the Liberals and NDP (33 per cent), and lower for the Greens (20 per cent).

Valentin cautioned this poll did not survey the general population, but only those who watched the debate.

GERRY KAHRMANN A new poll suggests voters believe NDP Leader John Horgan, seen walking past NDP and Liberal supporters as he arrived for Wednesday’s televised leaders debate, had the night’s best performance.