A new poll shows Mayor Rob Ford’s approval ratings have gone down slightly over the last month.

The poll, conducted by Forum Research for the Toronto Sun, surveyed 769 residents Feb. 6.

It found that 43 per cent of residents approve of the job Ford is doing, down slightly from a poll released by Forum Jan. 23 which found 45 per cent approved of the job the mayor is doing. Some 57 per cent of respondents said they do not approve of the job the mayor is doing.

The new poll also found 37 per cent would vote for Ford in this year’s election.

Despite a series of scandals that have plagued the mayor over the past year – including revelations that he smoked crack cocaine and appeared intoxicated in public on several occasions – his core of support has remained relatively unchanged.

The poll comes amid a fresh controversy for the mayor, who on Friday publicly slammed the raising of a rainbow flag at city hall. The flag was raised at the request of a local community group. It was intended as a gesture to show support for gay rights as Russia hosts the Olympics amid controversy around its anti-gay laws.

However Ford told reporters he would seek to have the flag taken down.

“This is about Olympics, this is about being patriotic to your country; This is not about someone’s sexual preference,” Ford said.

The 519 Community Centre, the group that requested the rainbow flag be raised, issued a swift statement calling the mayor’s comments homophobic and suggesting he was trying to appeal to his voter base.

Chow could beat Ford

The poll also asked respondents who they would vote for in various hypothetical match-ups. It found that in a five-way race between several declared and rumoured candidates, Toronto MP Olivia Chow would win with 35 per cent of the vote to Ford’s 30 per cent. Radio host John Tory would take 22 per cent, while TTC Chair Karen Stintz would grab just six per cent and former councilor David Soknacki three per cent. Five per cent said they were undecided.

So far Ford, Stintz and Soknacki have declared their intention to run. Chow has repeatedly said she is considering a run, while Tory is widely rumoured to be considering a bid.

The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 per cent, 19 times out of 20.

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