The executive director of the Asisa Research Group polling company, Lilian Pagán says it is unlikely the ruling PLD party will find a third candidate who is able to consolidate the support of the two leaders of the PLD, President Danilo Medina and former President Leonel Fernandez, in time for the 2020 general election. Pagán says the heir has not been found. She said Dominicans are slow in transferring their support for political leadership.
When interviewed by Hector Herrera Cabral for D’Agenda TV show, Pagán said that an analysis of the results of the 17-19 March 2018 poll reveals that voters are consistent in their support for three PLD pre-candidates – President Medina, Fernández and Vice President Margarita Cedeño. Some 2,002 eligible voters were polled by Asisa.
Other aspirants, who are present or former high profile officers in PLD administrations, have received negligible support from the polled eligible voters that say they vote PLD. She mentioned that Santiago mayor Abel Martínez posts a 5%, Tourism Minister Francisco Javier García 1%, Education Minister Andres Navarro 0.7%, former Public Electricity Corporation Radhames Segura 0.5%, former Minister of Industry & Commerce Temístocles Montás 0.2%, Interior & Police Minister Carlos Amarante 0.2%, Public Works Minister Gonzalo Castillo 1.3%, National District senator Reynaldo Pared 1.1%, among others. In the same poll, former President Leonel Fernandez listed a 43.8% preference, followed by incumbent Danilo Medina with 31.8% and Vice President Cedeño with 17.7%.
Pagán explains that while the 2015 Constitution prohibits President Danilo Medina from seeking reelection, he is included because he was mentioned by the polled eligible voters. In the Dominican Republic, the usual is for heads of government to promote changes to the Constitution in order to remain in power.
In the leading opposition party, the same poll showed that former PRM presidential candidate, Luis Abinader, leads with 62%; former President Hipólito Mejía with 18%; and National District mayor David Collado with 16%.
According to the poll, if Abinader and Fernandez were to go to the election, Fernandez would win 46% to 36%.
The poll also revealed that 57% of Dominicans consider the country is headed in the wrong direction, 33.9% identify corruption as the main problem affecting the country, followed by insecurity and crime with 22.8%, and unemployment with 16.7%.
Read more in Spanish:
El Dia
Asisa Research
16 April 2018
