Polls Put Barkat in the Lead in Jerusalem Mayoral Race

Mayor Nir Barkat would win re-election for mayor with 47 percent of the vote, compared with 41 percent for challenger Moshe Leon, according to a new poll carried out by the Smith Institute and published Thursday.

Although Barkat has a solid lead, it is far smaller than anyone imagined when Leon, a virtual unknown from the metropolitan Tel Aviv to city of Givatayim, tossed his hat in the ring.

Leon has won the support of Knesset Member Avigdor Lieberman, chairman of the Yisrael Beitenu faction of Likud-Beiteinu, and MK Aryeh Deri, chairman of the Shas Sephardi religious party.

The elections will be held next Tuesday.