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Calderón Has Two-Point Edge in Mexico
(Angus Reid Global Scan) - Felipe Calderón of the governing National Action Party (PAN) is now the top-rated candidate in Mexico's presidential race, according to a poll by GEA-ISA. 36 per cent of respondents would vote for the former energy secretary in this year's ballot.
Former Mexico City mayor Andrés Manuel López Obrador of the Democratic Revolution Party (PRD) is second with 34 per cent, followed by former Tabasco governor Roberto Madrazo of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) with 28 per cent. Roberto Campa of the New Alliance Party (PNA) and Patricia Mercado of the Social-Democratic and Peasant Alternative Party (PASC) are also contending.
Support for Calderón increased by four points since February, while backing for López Obrador fell by seven points. A GEA-ISA survey conducted in January had the PAN and PRD nominees toed with 35 per cent.
The PAN's Vicente Fox ended 71 years of uninterrupted rule by the PRI in the 2000 election, winning a six-year term with 42.5 per cent of the vote.
López Obrador had topped every national voting intention poll since the start of the year. PRD spokesman Gerardo Fernández Noroña criticized GEA-ISA, saying, "It's a shame that they have decided to endanger their prestige by serving the interests of the PAN candidate."
Calderón welcomed the numbers, declaring, "The poll shows a surprising trend for us, because we grew, but it also shows the PRD candidate lagging behind and this is great news."
The Mexican presidential election is scheduled for Jul. 2.
Polling Data
What candidate would you vote for in the 2006 presidential election?
(Decided Voters)
Mar. 2006 | Feb. 2006 | Jan. 2006 | |
Felipe Calderón (PAN) | 36% | 32% | 35% |
Andrés Manuel López Obrador (PRD) | 34% | 41% | 35% |
Roberto Madrazo (PRI) | 28% | 26% | 29% |
Source: GEA-ISA
Methodology: Face-to-face interviews with 1,440 Mexican adults, conducted from Mar. 18 to Mar. 21, 2006. Margin of error is 3.5 per cent.
