By Alabama Public Radio
Tuscaloosa AL – The latest poll shows re-election is likely for Republican Governor Bob Riley as he appears poised for an easy win over Lt. Gov. Lucy Baxley. The poll also shows Republican candidates ahead in the races for lieutenant governor, attorney general and secretary of state. Tt also shows Republican Drayton Nabers and Democrat Sue Bell Cobb are about even in the race for chief justice of Alabama.
When asked for whom they would vote if "the election for governor were held today," 59 percent said the Republican, Riley; 31 percent said the Democrat, Baxley; and the rest were undecided.
Lieutenant governor candidate Republican Luther Strange was the choice for 50 percent of likely voters compared to 39 percent for Democrat Jim Folsom Jr. The remaining 11 percent were undecided. Republican incumbent Troy King had 51 percent in the attorney general's race while his Democratic challenger John Tyson Jr., the Mobile County district attorney, had 33 percent. Republican Beth Chapman was chosen by 42 percent of those surveyed, compared to 32 percent for Democratic incumbent Nancy Worley in the secretary of state's race. In the campaign for chief justice, Democratic challenger Cobb was the choice of 44 percent, while Republican Nabers was preferred by 43 percent. State Democratic Party Chairman Joe Turnham disputed the poll Saturday, saying the numbers "do not reflect what's going on on the ground."
The survey was taken for The Birmingham News and other news organizations, and conducted by Larry Powell, professor of communication studies at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. It was taken Tuesday-Thursday among 500 voters who said they would vote on Tuesday.