PRESS RELEASE
LANCASTER COUNTY, PA – The Scott Martin for State Senate campaign today released the results of a scientific survey of likely Republican Primary voters undertaken from January 15th through January 18th.
The survey was performed by FLS Connect, which is one of the nation’s most accomplished Republican survey and data collection firms. The survey review was prepared by Jason Ercole, a partner with Red Maverick Media out of Harrisburg; Ercole has consulted on numerous successful campaigns in Lancaster County, including the primary and general election victories of State Senator Ryan Aument in 2014, the re-election of Congressman Pitts in 2016, State Senator Lloyd Smucker’s 2008 primary and general election victories, and numerous other state legislative races.
The survey included the views of 473 likely Republican Primary voters (versus either general election or simply registered voters, both of which are less likely to participate in an April primary) and had a margin of error of +/- 4.4%. It tested name identification of the three announced candidates and a head-to-head ballot of the same. In each area tested, Martin was the clear favorite of Republican Primary voters in the 13th State Senate District.
Martin is known by 77% of the GOP primary electorate, and has a 7.5-to-1 favorable to unfavorable ratio; political benchmarks look for a base of 3-to-1 as positive.
Ethan Demme is known by 20% of the people but has a 1.375-to-1 favorable to unfavorable ratio, which is less than half the positive political benchmark.
Neal Rice is known by just 21% of the people, and is held in the least regard by GOP primary voters with a 1.33-to-1 favorable to unfavorable ratio, which means that of those voters who do know him, they are nearly equally split between positive and negative impressions of him.
On the political ballot test, Martin holds a commanding lead: Martin at 77%; Rice at 13%; and, Demme at 10%.
The results of the poll show that the Republican voters who committee members represent clearly favor you, and that you are absolutely in the strongest position to win this race as it moves from the committee stage to the public campaign stage,” says the survey review memo prepared by Ercole.
“I believe voters are reacting to my eight years of proven, conservative leadership. They know I am the only candidate who has an actual record, and it is a record of opposing tax increases, reducing debt, downsizing government, and making Lancaster County stronger,” Martin stated when responding to the survey results. “Lancaster County voters will look first at results before they fall for political platitudes.”
NOTE: The campaign is providing a copy of both the survey detail report and the survey review memo with this press release. Jason Ercole is available for comment at 610-213-7555.
