Poll: Cheh on safe ground, Mendelson faces test
By: Michael Neibauer
Examiner Staff Writer
August 12, 2009
Ward 3 Councilwoman Mary Cheh fared the best according to the poll, conducted by Successful Capital Strategies on behalf of the National Capital Committee for Good Government. Of Ward 3 respondents, 53 percent said they would "definitely" vote to re-elect the first-term councilwoman, while 4 percent would not and 29 percent would consider someone else. Undecideds in Ward 3 were 14 percent.
"It's obviously good news, I guess," Cheh said Tuesday. "It's good to hear it."
Ward 1 Councilman Jim Graham earned the definite support of 43 percent of voters, while 22 percent would consider someone else for the job and 26 percent were undecided. In Ward 6, Councilman Tommy Wells has the support of 49 percent of registered Democrats.
Fewer than 30 percent of the voters polled believed that Graham, Cheh and Wells have "focused enough on creating jobs in our neighborhoods."
At-large Councilman Phil Mendelson has the toughest road ahead, if the poll numbers are to be believed. Mendelson, who soundly defeated lawyer A. Scott Bolden three years ago, had the definitive support of only 32 percent of those surveyed. Thirty-four percent would consider a challenger, 8 percent would oppose Mendelson and 25 percent were undecided.
Mendelson's favorable rating among those polled was 53 percent. He could not be reached for comment.
The poll of 1,835 respondents had a 3.9 percent margin of error.
