Prime Minister Gaston Browne says two separate opinion polls show his ruling Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) on course for victory in the next general election, with a commanding lead over the opposition United Progressive Party (UPP).
According to Antigua News Room, Browne made the claims during an appearance on Pointe FM, where he referenced a survey conducted by pollster Don Anderson. That poll, he said, places the ABLP at a support base of over 40%, compared to approximately 20% for the UPP.
Browne noted that a substantial portion of the electorate remains undecided, but argued that those currently backing the UPP are doing so out of party loyalty rather than confidence in the opposition's leadership or policies.
The Prime Minister also cited a second poll, conducted by Peter Wickham, which measured leadership approval ratings and voter preference in a key constituency. Browne said the survey shows him holding a 58% leadership approval rating, against just 14% for Opposition Leader Jamale Pringle.
The same poll reportedly found that 70% of respondents preferred Browne as Prime Minister. Pringle received 10% support in that measure, while former opposition leader Harold Lovell garnered 8%.
Browne also pointed to constituency-level findings, stating that a majority of voters in St. Mary's North and South viewed opposition candidates as ineffective. He further cited a result suggesting 57% support for ABLP candidate Maria Bird-Browne in one of those races.
The Prime Minister concluded that undecided voters historically tend to break in favour of the leading party, suggesting the ABLP could extend its advantage as the election draws closer.
