The survey also showed that Rep. Heinz S. Hofschneider was the top gubernatorial choice of 29 percent of the respondents, followed by former Sen. Juan T. Guerrero with 20 percent, the governor 15 percent and former Sen. Ramon S. Deleon Guerrero 7 percent.
22 percent remained undecided.
Jay Solly, the principal consultant of Marianas Consulting, a strategy, government and public affairs consulting firm based on Saipan, said his firm conducted an island-wide telephone survey from Oct. 29 to Nov. 4 through a random digit dial method.
The population that was sampled was 225 of the 13,308 registered voters on Saipan with a 5.5 percent margin of error.
“The lack of voter optimism mirrors the entire population sampled, with 52 percent believing the CNMI is heading in the wrong direction, with only 25 percent approving the job Governor Fitial is doing, 26 percent approving the job the Commonwealth Legislature is doing, and 23 percent approving the job Saipan Mayor Juan Tudela is doing,” said Solly in a statement.
Tudela has already served two terms and can no longer run for re-election.
Solly, who has 12 years of professional experience in political communications, public relations, marketing and government arenas at the territory, state, and national level, said his survey methodology was within the guidelines of the American Association of Public Opinion and was not commissioned by any campaign or party.
