Despite recent polls showing the Conservative Party of BC surging, some no-name polls showed them ahead of the BC NDP by a single point, a new Angus Reid poll says it isn’t the case as the party in power maintains a double digit lead going into this fall’s provincial election. The Pollster said BC Conservative leader John Rustad and BC United leader Kevin Falcon lack appeal, trust on top issues. BC United and BC Conservative supporters are divided over whether merger was a “missed opportunity,” Poll says. Fully 54 per cent of British Columbians have an unfavourable view of Falcon. For Rustad, it’s 44 per cent, twice the number who think well of him (22%). As it stands today, the New Democrats lead in vote intention at 41 per cent, representing an 11-point advantage over the Conservative Party of B.C. at 30 per cent. Opposition BC United are chosen by 16 per cent of would-be voters. This represents a 50 per cent loss from the party’s 2020 election popular vote.

By R. Paul Dhillon – Editor DESIBUZZCanada

VANCOUVER – Despite recent polls showing the Conservative Party of BC surging, some no-name polls showed them ahead of the BC NDP by a single point, a new Angus Reid poll says it isn’t the case as the party in power maintains a double digit lead going into this fall’s provincial election.

New public opinion data from the non-profit Angus Reid Institute reveals another challenge for both BC Conservative leader John Rustad and BC United leader Kevin Falcon: when respondents are aware of who both men are, perceptions of each are hardly enthusiastic, especially for the latter,” the pollster said in a news release.

Fully 54 per cent of British Columbians have an unfavourable view of Falcon. For Rustad, it’s 44 per cent, twice the number who think well of him (22%).

“Positive perceptions of leadership, good recognizability, and favourable views are crucial for both Falcon and Rustad, given the “swing factor” among right of centre voters. Each party stands to lose up to half of its current base to the other should supporters opt to switch in an effort to block the BC NDP under Premier David Eby from forming government,” news release said

As it stands today, the New Democrats lead in vote intention at 41 per cent, representing an 11-point advantage over the Conservative Party of B.C. at 30 per cent. Opposition BC United are chosen by 16 per cent of would-be voters. This represents a 50 per cent loss from the party’s 2020 election popular vote.

Angus Reid said in the latest iterative developments from the annals of “BC-politics-is-never-boring”, breathless speculation about the fate of two centre-right parties has dominated backroom and chattering class conversations for weeks.

But shifting political currents on the surface – from BC United to the Conservative Party of B.C. – belie the fluidity of each party’s vote. In the wake of a failed merger between the entities, each party leader must now attempt to differentiate themselves to a vote base largely open to either.

A significant problem for Rustad will be overcoming the “unknown” factor: when British Columbians are asked, unaided, to match an image of BC’s four main party leaders with the movements they lead, the majority (54%) cannot do so for Rustad.

See poll results here: www.angusreid.org/