Newshub-Reid Research poll: Jacinda Ardern's personal popularity plummets into 20s

The frosty reception to Labour revealed in the latest Newshub-Reid Research poll has also extended to its leader, Jacinda Ardern.

Labour has fallen 5.9 points to 32.3 percent, while National remains above 40 percent, up 0.2 points to 40.7 percent. That's the lowest level of support for Labour since Jacinda Ardern became leader in mid-2017.

Ardern was in Antarctica last week, but the freeze of the south pole was probably quite a pleasure compared to the harsh chill of this poll for the Labour leader. 

Labour knows the cost of living is why it's being frozen out. But how low can it go?

Asked whether she can legitimately stay on as leader if Labour falls into the 20s, Ardern said she is "focussed on doing my job that I've been elected to do".

The Prime Minister is adamant she's not going to be on the job hunt this time next year.

But the country's decided it prefers what National's serving up. 

Christopher Luxon, who had a stint working at McDonald's last month, is absolutely lovin' it. But he's not counting his McChickens. 

"I think this election is going to be incredibly tight and incredibly close and there's a long way to go," he said. 

The Newshub-Reid Research poll shows the frosty chilly reception has not just extended to Labour, but Ardern herself. 

She has suffered a 6.4 point drop in the Preferred Prime Minister rankings, down to 29.9 percent. 

"My focus is on making sure that we as a Government deliver on New Zealanders' needs right now," said Ardern.

National leader Christopher Luxon is also falling, but not as fast. He's sitting at 21.5 percent, down 2.4 points.

Newshub-Reid Research poll: Jacinda Ardern's personal popularity plummets into 20s
Photo credit: Newshub.

But look out Luxon, your deputy leader is also registering in Newshub's ratings as well. Nicola Willis has just crept in at 1.5 percent.

ACT's David Seymour also gets a look in, with 7.3 percent wanting him to be Prime Minister.

Winston Peters is back in the game too, coming in with 4.2 percent.

The only Greens showing is neither of the co-leaders, but Auckland Central MP Chlöe Swarbrick who gets 2.4 percent.

Newshub-Reid Research poll: Jacinda Ardern's personal popularity plummets into 20s
Photo credit: Newshub.

"Chlöe's terrific and I think it's great that she's getting that level of public support, but we are the co-leaders," said James Shaw.

Asked whether it's time for one of the current co-leaders to step aside for Swarbrick, Marama Davidson said that's "for the members to decide".

Prime Minister is not the job Seymour has his eyes on.

"I'm very happy to be the Finance Minister if the policy is right," he said.

Luxon's not taking that - or anything else - off the table.

"It's way too early to talk about coalition arrangements and that's way too presumptuous." 

All the attacks from the right are hard to swallow for the attack dog Finance Minister. Grant Robertson on Saturday referred to National as "Chris Luxon and the Trickledowners".

Luxon on Sunday said: "It's very flattering that Grant Robertson is very fixated and Jacinda Ardern are fixated on me but frankly I believe when you're in Government, and you're a senior minister, and the Prime Minister you should be fixated on the New Zealand people".

Scraps are usually saved for the campaign trail. Ardern has revealed to Newshub it’ll be a late election.

"We've got roughly 12 months or so til it's election day," she said.

Luxon said: "It's always been game on for me". 

Forget Christmas, it's beginning to look a lot like election year. 

The Newshub-Reid Research poll was conducted between 25 October – 3 November 2022 with a margin of error of 3.1 percent.