John Tory has a ten percent lead over Rob Ford and Olivia Chow has slipped slightly behind Mayor Ford in the latest Forum Research poll on the possible outcome of the October election. The results are published in the Toronto Star and put Tory at 35 per cent support, Ford at 27 per cent, and Chow at 25 per cent. David Soknacki is at five per cent, followed by Karen Stintz at four per cent. The early appeal of Ms. Chow among women as the object of sympathy for her status both as a recent widow and a hard-working naturalized citizen seems to have dissipated. Mr. Ford’s ranking is a contradiction frequently seen in election polls where his approval rating (35%) exceeds his support (27%). His emergence as the second place candidate however will no doubt encourage him in working his favorite issues — gravy, streetcars and subways. Tory has the highest overall approval rating at 65 per cent, while Chow’s approval rating is at 53 per cent. It’s a subtle bit of polling packdrill that often eludes most people. Will you vote for Mr. Ford? No. Do you approve of Mr. Ford? Yes. And while we don’t wish to rain on anybody’s parade, there is the spectacularly inaccurate poll created by Forum Research in the byelection in Brandon Souris last year. Some said this embarrassment was caused by dubious methods and the media’s undiscerning appetite for horse race numbers.
