SENATOR Grace Poe has taken an early lead in the 2016 vice presidential race but is facing a tough fight in Mindanao, where she and Senator Francis Escudero are virtually tied, the latest survey of Laylo Research Strategies show.
Batangas Governor Vilma Santos ranked third with 12 percent, behind Escudero’s 17 percent and Poe’s 27 percent in the survey of 1,200 respondents nationwide.
By gender, more males chose Poe than females, or 29 percent compared to 23 percent, respectively, according to the survey of pollster Pedro “Junnie” Laylo Jr.
The Laylo survey was commissioned by concerned big businessmen and was conducted from Nov. 26-Dec. 5, last year, reflecting an estimated 72-percent to 79-percent voter turnout from 71 provinces nationwide, or 39.04 million likely voters with a plus or minus 3-percent margin of error.
The 1,200 respondents were divided into 300 from the National Capital Region, 300 from Balance Luzon, 145 from North and Central Luzon and 155 from South Luzon and Bicol, 300 from the Visayas and 300 from Mindanao.
By age group, the youth tend to slightly favor Poe, with 29 percent from among the 18-34 age group bracket. She garnered 25 percent from the 35-65 age bracket and 24 percent from the 66-and-above age group.Escudero obtained 18 percent, 17 percent and 14 percent from the same age group brackets, respectively.
Apart from Poe and Escudero, four other senators were seen as potential vice presidential – Antonio Trillanes IV at fourth with 11 percent, Alan Peter Cayetano with 9 percent, Jinggoy Estrada with 7 percent and Ferdinand Marcos Jr. with 6 percent.
Three congressmen – Valenzuela City Rep. Sherwin Gatchalian, Buhay Rep. Lito Atienza and Naga City Rep. Leni Robredo – were also mentioned as among the possible vice presidential contenders, along with food security and modernization czar Francis Pangilinan and businessman Manuel Pangilinan.
Two percent of the respondents for the vice presidential race were undecided.