Premier's popularity drops; overall satisfaction stays high

Satisfaction with Newfoundland and Labradors Progressive Conservative government remains high while Premier Kathy Dunderdales personal popularity numbers suffered a double-digit drop.

Thats according to the results of the most recent quarterly poll by Halifax-based Corporate Research Associates.

Three-quarters of respondents were either completely or mostly satisfied with the governments performance (73 per cent, compared with 75 per cent in November), CRA found.

Despite that support, the number of decided voters backing the PC party is down six points, to 54 per cent (compared to Novembers 60 per cent).

But the biggest drop came in Dunderdales personal popularitydown 11 points to 48 per cent from 59 per cent.

Since this time last year, the PC party is down 19 points and Dunderdale has dropped 16 points.

The premier was unperturbed by the poll results.

"I certainly don't mind the position I'm in," Dunderdale told reporters Wednesday. "We have the support of the people of the province, and the majority of the people are very pleased with our government. I'm well out ahead of my nearest contender, and there are lots of my colleagues across the country who'd love to be in the spot I'm in."

Dunderdale said it's been a "contentious couple of months," with controversies in the fishery leaving people divided.

Despite the decline, the governing party still outpaces its opponents.

The NDP has reached an historic high level of support among decided voters at 28 per cent.

The Liberals have rebounded to 18 per cent from the party's previous level of 13 per cent.

NDP Leader Lorraine Michael is the choice of 22 per cent of respondents as preferred premier while the next leader of the Liberal party polls at 13 per cent.

The CRA survey was carried out from Feb. 13-29, and is based on a sample of 400 adult Newfoundland and Labrador residents.

Overall results are considered accurate to within plus or minus 4.9 percentage points, in 95 out of 100 samples.