Drake Campaign Poster - "Unity in Truth"
The Galumph Polling and Divination Organization today released its latest tracking poll and prophecy for this April’s special election for the Secretaryship of Magic. It appears that the surprise entry of Speaker of the House Simon Drake into the campaign has eroded the once-commanding lead of the Progressive Wizards’ Party Candidate, Senator Polonius Aberfoyle (CO).
With a statistical margin of error of 5 percent, Aberfoyle still leads with 40 percent of eligible and likely voters. The number of those intending to vote for Senator Oswald Kensington (PA), the candidate of the Grand Old Mages’ Party, has increased to 35 percent of the wizarding electorate. Already, 20 percent of the voters announced their intention to vote for Simon Drake, with the remaining 5 percent, a surprisingly low number, still proclaiming themselves as “undecided.”
“The number of Drake voters is almost certainly higher,” said Galumph executive and Chief Diviner, Norstond Armis. “Drake is running a new and very edgy sort of campaign, that some of the Wizarding community are drawn to, but are unlikely to admit in response to an owl from our organization,” Armis went on. “The actual number could be enough to throw the election to Kensington, or even – t’s certainly believable – end up with Simon Drake as the Secretary-elect.”
Last month’s poll and divination had Aberfoyle with a ten point lead over Kensington, a reflection of Aberfoyle’s initial popularity and strong support within the PWP loyalists who ignored Senator Kensington’s call to leave the party with him when he became the nominee of the Grand Old Mages’ party. Kensington’s more conservative message, however, and strong declarations of opposition to Drake, have resonated more and more with voters as the owls and allegations fly over Drake’s actions at Avistrum Academy late last October.
“Those wanting change have two wizards promising it,” Armis continued. “Those afraid of change or Simon Drake are going to Kensington, who offers at least some reassurance that the old way of life can go on.” Aberfoyle’s lead with younger voters continues strong, but he has taken losses among older and unaffiliated witches and wizards.
Drake’s overall effect on the election will likely become clearer in the final days of the election. His posters (including a new one, as pictured) are spreading throughout the alleys and abandoned areas of our world, while his speeches and appearances in the Muggle Media have a definite ‘spill-over’ into the Wizarding community. The deep uncertainty caused by the allegations of Drake’s conduct at Avistrum remains, however – even if, like Aberfoyle’s strong initial lead in the polls, that, too, is beginning to erode.
“Some people are angry, some people are hopeful, and a lot of people are scared,” Armis concluded. “It’s an explosive situation, and the fuse is burning already.”