Alabama GOP primary: A last second look at the governor and attorney general races

The first half of election season nears its resolution today as voters choose their party’s candidate for November.

Here’s what the polls tell us may happen at the polls:

Governor’s race

Polling demonstrates that Gov. Kay Ivey has a commanding lead – 58 percent in the most recent poll, conducted by The Tarrance Group. Tommy Battle, mayor of Huntsville, polled at 18 percent in that survey, while evangelist Scott Dawson and State Sen. Bill Hightower of Mobile were at 7 and 5 percent respectively, with 12 percent undecided.

Ivey’s lead in the polls has grown over recent weeks. At least one poll, conducted by Leverage Public Strategies in late April, put Ivey’s support at 47 percent, with support for other candidates spread widely. Tommy Battle polled at 11 percent, Dawson at 9 percent, and Hightower at 4 percent, with 30 percent undecided.

Ivey is virtually guaranteed to win the most votes today but support for the three other candidates, coupled with a predicted turnout of 25-30 percent, could force a runoff election.

What is expected: Ivey will either win outright, or she will end up in a runoff with Tommy Battle.

Attorney General’s race

Unlike the race for governor, the race for attorney general is close.

A survey conducted by Leverage Public Strategies from April 20-30 had Attorney General Steve Marshall leading former Attorney General Troy King by one point. Of the 600 likely Republican voters polled, 14 percent supported Marshall and 13 percent supported King. Former U.S. Attorney Alice Martin polled in third at 10 percent and Chess Bedsole at 4 percent, with 59 percent undecided.

Earlier polling by WPA Intelligence showed King had a slightly higher favorability than Marshall, at 26 to 24 percent, but King’s unfavorability was higher, at 15 percent to Marshall’s 5 percent.

What is expected: Based merely upon the polling, Marshall and King will end up in a runoff.

@jeremywbeaman is a contributing writer for Yellowhammer News