Last week, Michael T. Lowry, founder of The Alabama Poll, released new poll results showing that while Alabamians have a favorable opinion of President Donald Trump when it comes to endorsements, U.S. Sen. Katie Britt (R-Montgomery) may have more influence.
"While President Trump's endorsements of Congressman Barry Moore and ALGOP Chairman John Wahl have dominated headlines, a Katie Britt endorsement actually tests stronger with Alabama GOP primary voters – and both races remain led by the candidates Trump did not endorse," Lowry explained in a polling memo entitled, "A Britt Endorsement May be Worth More than Trump's."
Britt has been front and center in headlines across the country since her election, including a New York Times profile last week that portrays her not only as someone who has Trump's back but also as someone who isn't afraid to go behind it; to get answers, achieve her own goals, or simply make deals that have eluded Trump and his team, using her Southern charm and faith as her offensive weapons of choice.
"She seldom challenges Mr. Trump. When she does, she believes that, to be effective, any outrage must be felt quietly, any response conducted through back-channeled phone calls and peppered with words of admiration for the president," the story says.
Within a few days of the NYT interview's publication, Britt condemned a Truth Social post on Trump's account that, after the election security information, accidentally auto-played a split-second clip of a jungle-themed viral video.
"This content was rightfully removed, should have never been posted to begin with, and is not who we are as a nation," Britt said in a post on X.
Lowry has experience working with members of Congress who are regularly featured in national news coverage.
"Going back and looking at my career, historically, I worked for Eric Cantor, and Eric was successful so long as he was perceived as being Eric from Richmond. And when he ultimately lost, at that point, his local voters had started to think of him as more of a national figure," Lowry explained to 1819 News in an interview.
"So, right now, Katie is perceived and seen in Alabama as being extraordinary. She's bright. She's basically everything that Alabama voters want. She works hard for them, and they know it. So she's really got the trust of the Alabama voters, right?"
"So, as she gains a national profile, her challenge is going to be to make sure she maintains her trust levels with voters," Lowry said.
In his polling memo, Lowry explains why Britt's endorsement carries more weight:
•Fewer negatives: Only 11% say a Britt endorsement makes them less likely to support a candidate, compared to 15-16% for Trump's endorsements.
•Broader coalition: Britt performs dramatically better with moderates (net +4) and women (net +38), segments where Trump's endorsements underperform or actively works against candidates with voters.
•Reaches the "endorsement-resistant" voters: Among the 39% who say Trump's endorsement makes "no difference," a Britt endorsement still moves 25% toward "more likely" – that's incremental value Trump doesn’t unlock.
Lowry's poll focused on the races for U.S. Senate and lieutenant governor, in which Trump has endorsed U.S. Rep. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise) and former Republican Party of Alabama (ALGOP) chairman John Wahl.
Despite both of those endorsements, both candidates are trailing with Attorney General Steve Marshall leading in the U.S. Senate race and Secretary of State Wes Allen ahead in the lieutenant governor's race.
"A Britt endorsement for Marshall or Allen would provide a powerful counterweight to Trump's picks – and potentially prove more decisive with the voters who will actually determine these races," Lowry says.
He then described the challenges Moore would face in major media markets within the state, given his lack of name ID and Marshall's favorability.
"Meanwhile, a potential Britt endorsement looms as an untapped asset that could prove even more valuable than Trump's nod – reaching voters the President's endorsement cannot move while carrying fewer downsides," Lowry concluded.
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