EXCLUSIVE: Poll shows former BC United/Liberals voters flocking to BC Conservatives

A poll recently conducted by Research Co. has found that the vast majority of those who voted for the BC Liberals in the 2020 election do not intend on doing so this year under Kevin Falcon and the United re-brand, says an exclusive poll obtained by the Western Standard.A full 50% of British Columbians who supported the party last time around said they will be voting for the BC Conservatives in October. According to the poll, BC United/Liberals are not the only party losing voters to John Rustad and his crew of newcomers. Among those who cast their ballots for the BC NDP and BC Green Party during the previous election, 17% and 21%, respectively, said they now intend to vote Conservative.Among decided voters, the numbers were even higher, with BC United/Liberals, the NDP, and the Greens losing an anticipated 18%, 53%, and 22%, respectively, to the Conservatives.Among the 804 respondents, 37% said they'd vote for the NDP if the election were held today. The Conservatives were just three points behind while BC United/Liberals were a distant third at just 10%. Over 60% said things were going "badly" in the province, while 66% said it was "time for change of government."The NDP were more popular in Metro Vancouver and Vancouver Island, as well as among those 55+ and those who make less than $100k per year. The Conservatives, on the other hand, were more popular in Northern BC and the Fraser Valley, as well as among 18-54 year olds and those making more than $100k per year.Among the issues cited by respondents as most important to them were housing, 41%, health care, 21%, and the economy/jobs 16%. Voters put their faith in the Conservatives to do the same as the NDP or better at handling health care, accountability, the environment, education, crime/public safety, and energy. Over 60% said they were dissatisfied with sentencing guidelines, parole eligibility, and the amount of vandalism affecting small businesses and retail stores, with Conservatives seen as more likely to be able to fix those issues than the NDP or BC United/Liberals. A further 71% and 76% said they were dissatisfied with drug use in public spaces, as well as the availability of affordable homes and the cost of rent and/or mortgage, respectively. While the Conservatives came out on top as the party best suited to fix the drug crisis, they were neck and neck with the NDP on housing issues.The poll was conducted between July 14 and 16, 2024. It has a margin of error of +/- 3.5%, 19 times out of 20."I think we are back to the way things usually go in this province: a dominant centre-left party and a dominant centre-right party," Research Co. president Mario Canseco told the Western Standard. "Many would have expected BC United to be the competitor, but the rise of the BC Conservatives has been striking. The challenge for the BC Conservatives is to make voters look at John Rustad as a 'premier in waiting.' Right now, the emotional connection of those who are upset with the status quo is strong with the Conservative brand, but not with Rustad himself.".The results are similar to those reported in a Leger poll conducted between August 2 and 5. Of the 1,001 respondents, 42% said the NDP had their support and 39% and 10% said they would vote for the Conservatives and BC United/Liberals, respectively. The NDP were down six points compared with the 2020 election, while BC United/Liberals fell 24 points. The Conservatives, on the other hand, jumped 37 points.