CT Governor Election Poll Results Show Strong Lead Candidate

HARTFORD, CT — The first polls are out on the Connecticut gubernatorial race and in both Democrat Ned Lamont is leading Republican Bob Stefanowski

The Quinnipiac University Poll found that Lamont led Stefanowski 46 to 33 percent among all candidates. In a head to head matchup Lamont leads Stefanowski 53 to 37 percent.

"Ned Lamont is leading Bob Stefanowski by double digits thanks to huge support among women and Connecticut's status as a true blue state. But there's a lot of time until Election Day, and a number of undecided voters up for grabs," said Quinnipiac University Poll Director Douglas Schwartz, PhD.

The Sacred Heart University poll found Lamont leading Stefanowski by a margin of 40.8 percent to 36.9 percent. Another 16.7 percent of voters were undecided and 5.6 percent said they wanted someone else.
Women support Lamont 49.8 percent to Stefanowski’s 30.1 percent while men support Stefanowski 43.9 percent to Lamont’s 41.4 percent in the Sacred Heart poll.

Both candidates can be expected to do well among their own bases, but unaffiliated voters are split evenly with 29.8 percent supporting Lamont and Stefanowski, according to the Sacred Heart poll. Quinnipiac found that unaffiliated voters supported Stefanowski 37 percent to Lamont’s 30 percent.

In terms of favorability Lamont got 29.3 percent in the Sacred Heart University Poll while Stefanowski got a 30.3 percent. 24.5 percent found Lamont unfavorable and 20.1 percent Stefanowski unfavorable. The rest said they either weren’t sure or haven’t heard enough yet to form an opinion.

Will It Be Ned Malloy Vs. Bob Trumpanowski?

Both Lamont and Stefanowski cast opening shots the day after the primary with Stefanowski calling Lamont “Ned Malloy” on Twitter and Lamont calling Stefanowski “Bob Trumpanowski.”

Only 15.9 percent of those polled by Sacred Heart University said they approve of the job Gov. Dannel Malloy is doing. More than two-thirds disapproved. Quinnipiac found that voters disapprove of Malloy 67 to 25 percent, but 63 percent of those polled said their opinion of Malloy won’t have a bearing on how they vote in this year’s governor matchup.

Quinnipiac found Trump had a 30 percent approval rating.

"President Donald Trump seems to loom more largely in the minds of Connecticut voters than Gov. Dannel Malloy. Voters both approve and disapprove more strongly of President Trump," Schwartz said.

State Issues

The high overall tax burden and state budget crisis were the top issues in the governor’s race.

Voters were split on the topic of electronic tolling with 25.9 percent strongly agreeing that tolls would be an effective way to pay for highway improvements in the Sacred Heart poll. 23.9 percent somewhat agreed, 11 percent somewhat disagreed and 35.1 percent strongly disagreed.

In the Quinnipiac poll voters opposed tolls 53 to 40 percent.

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