July Poll Shows Inslee Leading in Gov. Race, But…

MyNorthwest.com released some results from a new Crosscut/Elway poll, showing Gov. Inslee would get 46% of the vote from those surveyed, followed by Republic WA Police Chief Loren Culp (GOP)  at 14%, and newcomer Dr. Raul Garcia (GOP) at 6%.  Garcia is a Tri-Cities area ER doctor, who also works and operates a small clinic in Yakima. He is a Cuban born immigrant who entered the race somewhat later than the other GOP candidates.

Joshua Freed, who has a ton of support from the WA State Republican Party and former Bothell Mayor, comes in at 5%, and initiative king Tim Eyman at 4%.

A whopping 24% said they were undecided.

However the poll was conducted among just 402 registered voters, of which 80 percent were in Western WA, while only 20 percent were from Eastern WA.  Of those 80, 30 percent were from King County.

MyNorthwest.com says in May a poll conducted by KING-5 TV in Seattle showed Eyman was the leading GOP contender (8 percent) followed by State Senator Phil Fortunato and Freed at 6 percent, and Culp at 4. However the KING poll was largely regarded as rather unscientific, and the sample rate was almost entirely on the West Side, King County.

Besides the lack of Eastern Washington input in the Crosscut poll, it does support the idea among many that the number of GOP candidates could dilute the effectiveness of unseating Inslee either in the August primary or the November general election.

Freed has the bulk of the financial support from the State GOP party, Culp has a strong backing with 2nd Amendment right supporters and crime advocates, while Eyman has support from those who favor reducing the size of government-taxes. Each candidate has their own strong core base; the key will be if the GOP can unite under one challenger (whomever survives the primary), and get out voters in large numbers to possibly deny Inslee a third term.

To see the poll for yourself, click on the button below.