Fung campaign: Poll shows race with Raimondo a ‘dead heat’

Daniel Kittredge
Posted 9/18/14

Mayor Allan Fung’s gubernatorial campaign says internal polling shows a dead heat with General Treasurer Gina Raimondo and a “clear path to victory” for the Cranston Republican in …

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Fung campaign: Poll shows race with Raimondo a ‘dead heat’

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Mayor Allan Fung’s gubernatorial campaign says internal polling shows a dead heat with General Treasurer Gina Raimondo and a “clear path to victory” for the Cranston Republican in November.

According to the campaign, the survey – conducted Sept. 10 and Sept. 11 by the firm Public Opinion Strategies – found Fung and Raimondo each with 42 percent support among 500 likely Rhode Island voters, with the remainder undecided.

“The results of this survey demonstrate clearly that Mayor Fung begins the general election campaign in a very strong position based upon his leadership, record of results in the city of Cranston, and vision to bring jobs to Rhode Island,” Robert Coupe, a spokesman for the Fung campaign, states in a Sept. 15 media release outlining the internal polling numbers.

The Fung campaign earlier this year retained the services of Gene Ulm, a partner with Public Opinion Strategies. He has worked on state, regional and national Republican campaigns, including John Robitaille’s 2010 campaign for Rhode Island governor.

The Fung campaign did not release the entirety of the polling data, but included with its media release was a memorandum from Ulm dated Sept. 15.

The memo indicates the survey’s margin of error is plus or minus 4.38 percent, and that 25 percent of the completed calls were to cell phone-only households.

According to Ulm’s memo, the survey found Fung has 96 percent name identification among Rhode Island voters, with 64 having a favorable impression of the Cranston mayor and 21 having an unfavorable view. The memo further states that Fung’s high favorable numbers cut across the electorate, with a 77-12 percent split among Republicans, 64-19 percent split among independents and 60-25 percent split among Democrats.

The memo does not specify Raimondo’s name recognition – indicating only that it is “near-total,” like Fung’s – but indicates the survey found her favorable-unfavorable split is 54 percent to 35 percent.

Ulm in the memo states that based on the survey results, voters see Raimondo as “damaged goods” after a “bruising Democratic primary.”

Following the Fung campaign’s release, Raimondo spokeswoman Nicole Kayner issued the following statement:

“Since her overwhelming victory in last Tuesday’s primary, Gina has continued to get an enthusiastic response from across Rhode Island. The results last week showed that Rhode Islanders are ready for a governor who will get our state back to work, and Gina is the candidate with both the experience and a plan to create jobs.”

Raimondo on Sept. 9 bested Providence Mayor Angel Taveras and newcomer Clay Pell to win the Democratic nomination for governor. Fung faced a spirited challenge from Barrington businessman Ken Block in his bid for the GOP nod, but prevailed partly thanks to overwhelming support from Cranston voters in the Republican primary.

Block this week issued a statement thanking his supporters but did not mention Fung. While the primary campaign was often contentious, the two men had said repeatedly during debates they would support the other in the Nov. 4 general election, and Fung in his Sept. 9 victory speech reached out to Block and his supporters.

“As I told my kids, I am proud of what we accomplished in this race and the manner in which we ran it,” Block’s statement reads. “I am deeply disappointed in the result but will continue to advocate for doing what is right for Rhode Island.”

Two independent candidates – Leon Kayarian and Kate Fletcher – are also seeking the governor’s office. Robert Healey, who has previously run for lieutenant governor and governor under the Cool Moose Party banner, has also entered the race as the Moderate Party’s candidate, although the state GOP is challenging his eligibility.

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