Amid Dutton’s messy decline in the polls, is Albanese on the verge of becoming the John Howard of his era? | Peter Lewis

Anthony Albanese is on the verge of becoming John Howard's most successful prime minister since John Howard .

The parallels between John Howard and his ability to retain power from unlikely positions on multiple occasions through ruthlessly disciplined campaigns.

The Guardian Essential Report has Labor ahead 52 -48 notwithstanding the margin of error ( around 3% ), the undecideds (still 5% ) and the vagary of national samples.

The story of Dutton ’s decline under the glare of sustained scrutiny defines this election.

Peter Lewis is an executive director of Essential , a progressive strategic communications and research company.

Labor voters rate him as a better leader than any prime minister apart from their beloved Bob Hawke and Albo .

A surprising number of Greens voters too rate Howard highly.

Stability versus chaos is also an argument that makes majority government feel like a more rational response to the times, notwithstanding the historically high number of voters sending their first preference to a minor party or independent.