Thursday, April 22, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:  Andrew Russo, 916-442-4817

ONLINE SURVEY SHOWS KOKKONEN AHEAD IN 33RD
One-third of Republican voters are undecided

SACRAMENTO - A new online survey conducted Sunday through Wednesday by Farm Team Consulting, a Republican political consulting firm based in Sacramento, indicates San Luis Obispo financial planner Matt Kokkonen continues to hold the lead in the race for 33rd Assembly District.

Results from over 230 high-propensity GOP voters in the District give Kokkonen 32.6% support, followed by San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Katcho Achadjian with 19.5%. Former Santa Maria Planning Commissioner Etta Waterfield trails in third place with 11.9% followed by Paso Robles City Council member Fred Strong with 1.3%. 34.7% of respondents were undecided.

Kokkonen had a 45.3% favorability rating compared with Achadjian’s 33.9%, Waterfield’s 19.1% and Strong’s 5.9%.

56.8% of respondents indicated that they plan to vote absentee as opposed to 43.2% planning to vote at the polls.

Regarding the so-called "Tea Party" phenomenon, 61.4% were more likely to vote for a candidate associated with the movement, 13.1% less likely, and 22.0% said it made no difference.

Kokkonen has been closely aligned with the "Tea Party" movement, organizing an event last year in San Luis Obispo and on April15 in Atascadero.

"These figures have been relatively consistent over the months," said Andrew Russo, president of Farm Team Consulting. "Matt Kokkonen enjoys a solid core base of support and is very well-known. He clearly benefits from having appeared on the ballot several times in the areas covered by the 33rd AD.

Katcho should -- by virtue of his long history as a county supervisor -- be running stronger, but this is not a good year to run as an incumbent politician.Etta Waterfield and Fred Strong remain largely unknown to Republican voters."

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Matt Kokkonen is a San Luis Obispo financial planner and political activist. In 2008, he was the Republican nominee for Congress in the 23rd District, receiving over 80,000 votes. Currently, he is a candidate for State Assembly in the 33rd District.