Poll shows Murray with 17-point lead over McGinn in mayoral race

SEATTLE -- State Sen. Ed Murray, D-Seattle, leads Mayor Mike McGinn by 17 percentage points in the Nov. 5 mayoral race, according to a new public poll released Monday by Strategies 360, a nonpartisan communications and research firm.  The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9%.

The live telephone survey of 400 likely voters was conducted Oct. 14-16, said Strategies 360, which says it is not supporting either candidate and that none of its clients paid for the polling.

The research firm said Murray led McGinn 51-34% despite respondents’ positive view of the city’s economy; 73 percent of those surveyed said the economy of Seattle was in good shape. However, only 48 percent said things in the city are generally moving in the right direction, while 46 percent had mixed opinions or said the city was on the wrong track.

The starkest difference between the two candidates was in their favorability ratings. Just 12 percent of respondents view Murray unfavorably, the firm says, while McGinn was viewed unfavorably by 42 percent. By contrast, 60 percent had a favorable impression of Murray compared with 47 percent for McGinn.

McGinn and Murray were running roughly even among voters between 18 and 44, but Murray enjoyed a substantial lead among older voters, the firm said.