Poll shows slots still supported 58 percent of Mainers would shun repeal try

BANGOR – Maine voters would shun an effort to outlaw slot machines in this city, according to a new statewide poll released Wednesday.

The poll, conducted by Portland-based Strategic Marketing Services, found that 58 percent of likely Maine voters – in a hypothetical referendum -would let stand the law legalizing slots at Bangor Raceway, the only site eligible to host the state’s newest form of gambling.

Thirty-six percent of those surveyed would repeal the law first passed by voters in November, and the remainder were undecided.

“What it signifies first and foremost is that voters don’t want to fool around with something they’ve already voted on,” said SMS president, Patrick Murphy. “They’re saying that we’ve already been through a long debate on this … and let’s just see how it goes.”

The apparent support for the racetrack casino did not discourage No Slots for ME! founder George Rodrigues, the Westbrook man behind an effort to ban slots in the state.

“[Slots supporters] would be engaged in wishful thinking if they think we’re going away,” said Rodrigues, promising to continue the repeal effort despite the early numbers and a recent ruling by state elections officials that his repeal question was improperly worded.

Rodrigues maintained Wednesday that voters, if given a second chance in 2005, would reject the plan when given a clearer picture of the potential impact of slots on the state.

While the poll results would seem to complicate the repeal try, its biggest challenge could be the lack of support from the state’s highest profile anti-gambling group, Casinos No!, which successfully engineered the defeat of an Indian casino in November.

“The mood just isn’t there,” said Casinos No! spokesman Dennis Bailey, adding that many of his group’s donors have indicated they would not support a campaign to scuttle the Bangor project. “I think the chance of [a repeal’s] success is small … and the danger in failing is that the Legislature could see it as a green light for more gambling.”

The statewide poll was based on a random survey of 400 likely voters conducted between June 5 and June 12, with a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percentage points.

While the repeal effort was spawned in southern Maine, the poll suggests voters there were content to leave the law alone, with 54 percent in favor.

The regional breakdown, although less reliable because of a smaller sample, also suggest slots were more popular in the north, where nearly 63 percent of voters chose to keep the law on the books.

The survey also found a slight drop in support for a plan by Carol Palesky’s Maine Taxpayers Action Network to impose a 1-percent cap on property taxes in Maine. Support for the plan – set for a November referendum – was measured at 47 percent, down from 51 percent in March.

In the most recent poll, 32 percent of voters – the same as in March – opposed the plan.

The race between President George Bush and presumptive Democratic nominee John Kerry is tightening in Maine, the survey found.

Bush and Kerry were tied at 36 percent, according to the survey. When those leaning toward the candidate were added to those intending to vote for him, Kerry held a slight edge, 44 percent to 41 percent. Independent candidate Ralph Nader had 5 percent and the rest were undecided.

The new numbers marked a drop for Kerry, who in March had 51 percent of the vote compared to 38 percent for Bush, according to the same polling firm.

Bush campaign officials reached Wednesday hailed the new numbers while Democrats dismissed them, noting they were gathered during blanket news coverage of former President Ronald Reagan’s death – a time when Bush received a bump in many national polls.

The poll also found voters, by and large, were pleased with Gov. John Baldacci’s job performance with 54 percent rating it good or excellent. Thirty percent rated it average and 13 percent rated it poor or very poor.

Maine’s two Democratic congressman were well ahead of their challengers, according to the poll.

In the 2nd Congressional District race, Rep. Mike Michaud held a 49 percent to 24 percent lead over Republican Brian Hamel, with 27 percent undecided.

In the 1st District, 56 percent of those surveyed favored incumbent Tom Allen while 24 percent favored Republican Charlie Summers. Twenty percent were undecided.

The congressional results had a 7 percent margin of error.