Poll Shows Innis Best Alternative to Guinta: Campaign

PORTSMOUTH, NH - A new WMUR poll shows that Republican congressional candidate Dan Innis is in the best position to defeat U.S. Rep. Frank Guinta in the Republican primary, according to a press statement.

According to the poll data, Guinta’s unfavorable rating exceeds his favorable rating by 27 percentage points. The poll also shows that Dan Innis has the highest favorable rating of anyone running in the New Hampshire 1st.

“I’m glad to see my message of fiscal responsibility, leadership, and integrity is resonating with voters," Innis stated. “This poll shows my campaign has the message and momentum needed to win the Republican primary, win the general election, and help other New Hampshire Republican candidates to succeed this fall.”

While the poll does not identify why Guinta’s unfavorability is significantly higher than any other candidate mentioned, "his recent guilty verdict from Federal Election Commission certainly played a part," the campaign noted. Recently, Guinta was ordered to repay a $355,000 illegal campaign loan.

Pollster Andy Smith of the UNH Survey Center told WMUR-TV that the numbers were "amazingly bad and difficult for him to recover. Even among Republicans he (Guinta) has a negative favorability…it’s pretty amazing that Frank Guinta is even bothering to stay in this race."

Innis is running for Congress with a focus on fiscal responsibility, leadership, and integrity. He is a professor at the UNH and is the former Dean of the UNH College of Business and Economics. Dan also co-founded the Hotel Portsmouth and Ale House Inn of Portsmouth.

Another candidate, State Rep. Pam Tucker, R-Greenland, is also running for the Republican nomination in the first district.

Whoever wins the Republican primary will face off against the winner of the Democrat primary between former U.S. Rep. Carol Shea-Porter, D-NH, and Shawn O’Connor, in the general election.