Time to jump on the bandwagon or surf the orange wave?

Atlanta Roofing has left a new comment on your post, "Peeing on your political opponents' parade!"

But I thought on debate night how amazing Layton was and I sensed a certain je ne sais quoi about him. He seemed vibrant and strong and sharp. I thought then maybe there was going to be "something" big about him. He's my pick for winner of the election. Even if he only gets Opposition, he's still the winner. Grab a few more seats in Quebec, he's a winner. I've been amazed by him this campaign.
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Dear AR:

Thank you for writing. Read on.

Sincerely,
Clare L. Pieuk
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NDP makes 'astonishing' move ahead of Liberals: poll

PostmediaNews
April 25, 2011
By Kathleen Harris, iPolitics.ca

The NDP has steamrollered over the Liberal party to land in second place nationally behind the front-running Conservatives, results of a new poll suggest.

The EKOS-iPolitics.ca survey of more than 3,000 Canadians finds 28% of decided voters now support the NDP, compared with 23.7% who plan to vote Liberal. The Conservatives hold less than a six-point lead, sitting with 33.7% support, with just one week to go before election day.

Pollster Frank Graves calls it an unprecedented turn and “astonishing shift” for the NDP, which has traditionally trailed the two other main federal parties. Leader Jack Layton’s popularity is climbing most dramatically in Quebec, but building momentum in all regions of the country, according to the poll’s results.

“We have seen almost from Day 1, a slow, steady and now a dramatic rise where the NDP has gone from 14 points in a pre-writ poll to 28 points,” Graves said. “That is a doubling — I’ve never seen anything close to that.”

While numbers could still change significantly in the final week of the campaign, Graves said current figures suggest the NDP could take a “breathtaking” 100 seats. With that count, the once-unthinkable scenario of a Layton-led coalition with the Liberals begins to emerge, he said.

“It’s hard to imagine a 130-seat diminished Harper government would be able to hold on to power against a clear majority of seats and a major advantage in popular support for the NDP and the Liberals,” Graves said. “The idea that you could have a Jack Layton-led coalition sounds preposterous, but that’s what the numbers suggest.”

Current numbers likely would produce 131 seats for the Conservatives and about 69 for the Liberals, according to Graves. Together, the NDP and Liberals would have a clear majority with 38 more seats than the Conservatives, as well as a collective 20 more points in popular vote.

The NDP rise is not a blip, but rather a steady progression throughout the campaign that exploded last week and is now rocking most parts of the country. And because the NDP leads as the second-choice pick for voters, Graves said the growth potential may not be fully exhausted yet.

Women and younger voters are the biggest demographic groups moving over to the NDP camp. Graves believes Layton’s leadership style, his message of change and scandal-free record are appealing to voters.

“They like his positive style, funny disposition, courageous demeanour with his cane and getting out there talking about the average guy. I think that’s really working,” he said. “It’s a nice contrast to what they see as this sullen, controlling style of the prime minister or this intellectual style of Michael Ignatieff.”

Most of the NDP growth has come at the expense of the Bloc Quebecois in Quebec and the Green vote nationally, but the party also has chewed in to Liberal support.

Conservatives have been relatively stable through the campaign and are showing growing support with younger voters, but would not be in a position to form a majority government if current numbers hold. The Liberals have gained back some ground in Ontario, but are slipping nationally.

The EKOS poll surveyed 3,004 adult Canadians, including 2,783 decided voters, between April 22 and April 24. Results are considered accurate within plus or minus 1.8 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

Those polled were asked:“If a federal election were held tomorrow, which party would you vote for?”