Voting is underway in the federal NDP leadership race, but a new poll shows the party faces a steep challenge connecting with its own supporters. With five candidates vying to take the reins, many past New Democrat voters have little idea who they are or who would make the best leader.Research from the Angus Reid Institute, surveying more than 1,100 Canadians who voted NDP in at least one of the last four federal elections, found 44% of them do not recognize any of the leadership candidates. Another 20% are uncertain who would be best suited to lead the party.Among past supporters, fundraising frontrunner Avi Lewis leads with 13% support, while MP Heather McPherson polls at 9%. The results suggest whoever wins the leadership will need to spend significant energy introducing themselves to the party’s base.The lack of clarity mirrors the party’s current struggles. .Once official opposition under Jack Layton in 2011, and flirting with government-forming levels of support under Thomas Mulcair in 2015, the NDP has fallen sharply under Jagmeet Singh. Last year the party lost official status, returning only seven MPs to Ottawa. After a recent floor-crossing, the caucus now stands at six.The Angus Reid survey also found lingering doubts about the party’s relevance. A quarter of past New Democrat voters say the NDP is irrelevant (24%), while 40% believe its best days are behind it. Around one-quarter (23%) disagree that the party still represents the working class, a perception especially common among former NDP voters who backed Conservatives in 2025.
