By Brandon Moseley
A new poll by McLaughlin & Associates, commissioned independent from any campaign or entity that supports a candidate in the race, shows Mo Brooks with a narrow lead over Katie Boyd Britt in the U.S. Senate race.
A total of 500 voters were polled and Congressman Mo Brooks (R-AL05) has a 5.2% lead over former Business Council of Alabama President and CEO Katie Boyd Britt.
“I am very pleased to be leading in this Senate race. The lead is, in large part, because President Trump’s endorsement confirms that there is only one proven MAGA conservative in this race and that proven MAGA conservative is Mo Brooks.”
Brooks’ campaign chairman Stan McDonald said: “Mo Brooks is a conservative fighter--that’s why President Trump endorsed him, why the conservative grassroots are with him, and as this poll shows, why he’s going to win this race.”
The Britt campaign said in a statement, “Katie has been out-fundraising Brooks by a wide margin, outworking him, outbuilding him in grassroots coalitions, and winning the endorsements of influential grassroots groups and trade associations, such as the Alabama Farmers Federation, the Alabama Retail Association, and the Home Builders Association of Alabama.”
Brooks had 31.4% support, 14.6% said that they were definitely voting for Brooks, 12.4% are probably voting for Brooks, and 4.4% say that they are leaning toward Brooks.
Britt had just 26.2% support despite vastly outspending the rest of the field to this point. 13.4% are definitely voting for Britt, 10.8% are probably voting for Britt, and 2% said that they are leaning toward Britt.
Britt is a former Chief of Staff for incumbent U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Alabama), who is retiring.
Newcomer Mike Durant has soared up the polls in just a few weeks. Durant is only 9.6 points away from overtaking Britt for the number two spot in this race.
Some 16.6% of respondents said that they support Durant, with 6.8% saying they are definitely backing the former U.S. Army helicopter pilot who was shot down over Mogadishu in the Somalia conflict in the 1990s. Another 7.8% say that they are probably voting for Durant and 2.0% lean Durant.
Businesswoman Jessica Fair Taylor is still struggling for relevance in this race. Taylor had just 4% support in this poll with only 1.2% responding that they are definitely supporting Taylor, 1.4% probably voting for Taylor, and 1.4% leaning Taylor.
A full 21.8% of likely Republican primary voters say that they are undecided on who to support in this race.
When the pollster asked the respondents how they would vote in a hypothetical Brooks vs. Britt contest, leaving the other two candidates out, Britt leads that 38.8% to 36.6%.
When asked which political party you are affiliated with, 79.6% of the 500 said that they are Republicans, 1.8% self-identified as Democrats who plan to vote in the Republican primary, and 18.8% of the poll respondents identified as independent or other.
The pollster asked, “As you are aware, very few people actually vote in the Republican Primary Elections. Thinking ahead to next year, how likely is it that you will vote in the Republican Primary elections for U.S. Senate, Congress, and Governor, on Tuesday, May 24, 2022?"
Of the 500 that indicated they would be voting in the Republican Party primary, 82% said that they would definitely be voting in the Republican primary, 15% answered that it was very likely, and 3% answered that it was somewhat likely.
The pollster asked what issue is most important to them personally in deciding their vote for Senate. 44.2% are most concerned about economic issues, broken down into 15.2% answering cost of living/inflation; 13.8% economy/jobs; 12.8% government/debt, and 2.4% answering taxes. Some 30.8% were concerned with safety/security issues: broken down into 22.4% most concerned about border/immigration, 4.4% crime/public safety, and 4.0% security/terrorism. Some 11.2% were most concerned with health issues: broken down into 7.4% most concerned about Social Security/Medicare and 3.8% Healthcare. Just 8.0% were most concerned with COVID/masks/vaccine.
Some 85.8% had a favorable opinion of Donald Trump with 65.8% answering very favorable and 20% had a somewhat favorable view. Another 12.2% had an unfavorable view of Trump with 7.6% of them having a very unfavorable view. Another 2.0% had no opinion.
Only 7.8% had a favorable opinion of Joe Biden, while 90% had an unfavorable view with 84.8% having a very unfavorable view.
Some 64.6% said that they had a favorable opinion of Richard Shelby, while 20.2% had an unfavorable view.
The Republican primary is May 24, 2022.
To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandon.moseley@1819News.com.
