PCs lead the pack, but regional cracks persist

And Milton melee

ABOVE THE FOLD

POLL WATCH — Fresh polling from Liaison Strategies suggests the Tories are sitting pretty — but regionally, cracks are starting to form.

The survey suggests Oppo parties, and the Liberals in particular, have a way in when it comes to regional battlegrounds.

By the numbers: The PCs are up slightly from Liaison’s last poll, backed by 39 per cent of decided and leaning voters. That’s a 10-point lead over the Grits at 29 per cent and the NDP at 21 per cent — both of those parties are down one point. The Greens are still hovering at 5 per cent support, ditto “other” parties at six per cent.

“It’s a strong 10 point lead [for the PCs] provincewide but regionally there are some very competitive battlegrounds,” said chief pollster DAVID VALENTIN.

Case in point: “In Northern Ontario the Liberals lead by one per cent over the PCs (34 per cent to 33 per cent) and in Southcentral Ontario, Hamilton and Niagara, the PCs are leading the NDP — but only by five per cent, within the regio…