Washington Gov. Jay Inslee. (Photo by Elaine Thompson-Pool/Getty Images)

Poll shows Inslee holding lead in race for governor, Culp pulls ahead for GOP

By Nick Bowman

 The latest poll forecasting August’s gubernatorial primary in Washington has incumbent Gov. Jay Inslee maintaining a sizable lead over his Republican challengers.

Gov. Inslee receives high marks for coronavirus response in new poll

The poll — taken by Crosscut/Elway — shows Inslee garnering 46% of the vote among 402 respondents, with a margin of error of 5%. The next highest total is Republic Police Chief Loren Culp at 14%, following by latecomer Republican candidate Dr. Raul Garcia at 6%.

Trailing close behind, in order: former Bothell Mayor Joshua Freed (5%); anti-tax activist Tim Eyman (4%); and State Sen. Phil Fortunato (2%). Combined, votes for Republican candidates comprised 31% of responses in Crosscut’s poll. Two percent of respondents wrote in another candidate, while 24% said they were undecided.

Compared to an August primary poll taken by KING5 in late May, the Republican race to challenge Inslee may be shifting. KING5’s poll had shown Eyman leading the pack at 8%, followed by Fortunato (6%), Freed (6%), and Culp (4%). Dr. Garcia and businessman Anton Sakharov had rounded out the Republicans at 2% and 1%, respectively.

What are Jay Inslee’s reelection chances in 2020?

A separate gubernatorial poll released by SurveyUSA — also in late May — showed Inslee holding a large advantage in head-to-head matchups against all his major Republican opponents. Matched up against Eyman, Inslee held a 60% to 31% lead in SurveyUSA’s polling. The gaps between him and Freed (57% to 30%), Fortunato (56% to 34%), and Culp (56% to 31%) were similarly wide.

From mynorthwest.com