(Peter Gosse/ CBC)

A newly released public opinion poll suggests little change in the long-running public support for Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams.

Corporate Research Associates, whose quarterly tracking poll is closely watched in political circles, said 71 per cent of decided voters would choose a Progressive Conservative candidate if an election were held now.

That's down slightly from 72 per cent in the last poll, released in November, but down eight percentage points from a CRA poll taken a year ago. That poll still reflected the landslide win that Williams and the PCs enjoyed in the October 2007 general election.

By contrast, the new poll suggests 22 per cent of decided voters would pick the Liberals, while seven per cent would vote NDP and one per cent support the Greens.

About 15 per cent of those surveyed either said they were undecided, had no plans to vote or would not identify their preference.

Williams, who has enjoyed high personal popularity ratings since 2005, was the pick of 79 per cent of respondents as the best choice of the party leaders to be premier. Liberal Leader Yvonne Jones polled 11 per cent, while the NDP's Lorraine Michael received five per cent support. An additional five per cent had no opinion or offered another choice.

Halifax-based CRA found that 27 per cent of respondents were "completely" satisfied with the government's performance, while an additional 61 per cent said they were "mostly" satisfied.

With a sample size of 402 adults, the CRA poll is comparatively small, and has a margin of error of 4.9 per cent, 19 times out of 20.

The poll was conducted Feb. 11 to Feb. 28.