New polling gives challenger Hal Cato a 10-point edge over John Cooper in the 2023 mayoral race. The poll, commissioned by Cato and conducted by D.C.-based firm Impact Research, shows an uphill reelection for Cooper and gives Cato a comfortable margin over both Cooper and Matt Wiltshire, another potential candidate.
The poll, based on short candidate bios, puts Cato at 38 percent, Cooper at 28 percent and Wiltshire at 13 percent. More than a fifth of voters are undecided.
Still technically exploring a mayoral bid, Cato announced in December he would leave Thistle Farms, where he is executive director.
Matt Wiltshire polled third, behind both Cooper and Cato. The poll was conducted before Councilmember Freddie O’Connell entered the race last month. Neither Wiltshire nor O'Connell has polled the city, and Cato’s numbers are the first public glimpse at a race that is 15 months away. Cooper's office has not confirmed whether they have done their own polling.Â
Last week, a Vanderbilt poll showed Cooper’s favorability at 56 percent, down a point from 2021. It also indicated serious doubts about the future of the city, with most respondents agreeing the city is on the wrong track.
“It is no surprise that a paying customer got the result they paid for," says Cooper's chief communications officer and senior adviser TJ Ducklo when asked for comment. "We are grateful that the recent Vanderbilt poll, the only independent and public poll conducted, shows strong support for Mayor Cooper, and he remains laser-focused on keeping neighborhoods safe, investing in our schools, and delivering core city services efficiently and effectively.”
Update: Find Cato's Impact Research poll in the PDF below.
