Mike Duffy lacks 'the confidence of Islanders,' says pollster

Well over half of Prince Edward Islanders surveyed are opposed to having Mike Duffy continue to represent P.E.I. in the Senate, according to a poll by Corporate Research Associates.

Duffy faced 31 criminal charges in connection with Senate expense spending, but was acquitted on all counts.

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The poll asked, "Should Senator Mike Duffy continue to represent P.E.I. in the Senate after recent acquittal of charges?"

Seventy-one per cent of respondents were opposed and 23 per cent were in support, while six per cent didn't know or had no answer.

Obviously a lot of Islanders feel that the allegations hurt the reputation of the Island as well, I think.- Don Mills, Corporate Research Associates

"It is evident that Senator Duffy does not have the confidence of Islanders to represent them in the Senate," said CRA CEO Don Mills in a news release.

"This is in keeping with a previous CRA poll in October 2013 where a strong majority of P.E.I. residents felt Senator Duffy should resign when charges were initially made about the Senator's improper living expense claims."

'Damaged goods'

Mills said the numbers show Duffy has not been acquitted in the minds of Islanders.

"He's pretty much damaged goods, and if you want to think about it that way in terms of his own reputation," he said.

"Obviously a lot of Islanders feel that the allegations hurt the reputation of the Island as well, I think, and that's probably why people feel the way they do right now."

The poll was based on a sample of 300 adults reached between May 6 and 30. It is considered accurate within 5.7 percentage points, 95 out of 100 times.

CBC News has reached out to Senator Duffy for comment.

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