Poll: Shaked First Choice to Lead United Right

Former Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked is far and away the favored candidate to lead the United Right party, according to a new poll.

The poll, conducted in the religious-Zionist community, which comprises the core constituency of the party, said that 32 percent picked Shaked as the best-suited to head United Right.

Former Education Minister Naftali Bennett came in second, with 19 percent; Rabbi Rafi Peretz, the current party chairman, received only 17 percent; MK Bezalel Smotrich, the chairman of the National Union faction of United Right came in fourth.

Bennett and Shaked were the No. 1 and 2 of Jewish Home before abruptly leaving it to start their own party, New Right, in December 2018. New Right failed to pass the electoral threshold. Jewish Home ran on a joint list with National Union as the United Right in the April elections.

Bennett has announced that he will run for Knesset again in September as leader of the New Right.

Eight percent said Otzma Yehudit leader Itamar Ben-Gvir should lead the United Right. Three percent preferred Zehut chairman Moshe Feiglin.

The poll was conducted by the Maagar Mohot agency for Besheva.