Another poll conducted this month showed former Auburn University head football coach Tommy Tuberville with a double-digit lead among Alabama’s announced Republican U.S. Senate candidates.
The poll was conducted by Montgomery-based Cygnal from October 10-12 and had a sample size of 536 likely 2020 GOP primary voters.
Cygnal is a nationally recognized and awarded polling firm that was commended last year for having the most accurate polls nationwide leading up to the 2018 midterms. The poll was not commissioned on behalf of any of the candidates in the field.
Tuberville led the pack at 32%, followed by Congressman Bradley Byrne (AL-01) with 18%.
Then came former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore (10.6%), Secretary of State John Merrill (8.6%), State Rep. Arnold Mooney (2%) and Stanley Adair (1%). Of the respondents, 27.9% were undecided.
Tuberville led solidly in all in-state media markets except Mobile — the area which Byrne represents in Washington, D.C. Byrne carried 53.3% of this district, compared to Tuberville’s 13.2%, Moore’s 7.5% and Merrill’s 2.6%.
In the Birmingham media market, which is by far Alabama’s largest, Tuberville garnered 39.7% of the vote. This was followed by Byrne at 12.1%, Moore at 10.8%, Merrill at 9.9% and Mooney at 1.7%.
The Huntsville media market broke down with Tuberville at 29%, Byrne at 14.1%, Moore at 10.6%, Merrill at 7.9% and Mooney at 4.1%.
Finally, the Montgomery media market (which also included the Dothan submarket) showed Tuberville at 33%, Moore at 12.2%, Merrill at 10.6%, Byrne at 10.1% and Mooney at 1.5%.
This poll came before the start of Mooney’s television advertisements could affect poll numbers.
Additionally, the results do not account for what the potential entry of former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions into the race would mean for the field.
Yellowhammer News has learned that Sessions has been taking meetings and making calls regarding a run for his old Senate seat. He is now strongly considering mounting a candidacy.
Qualifying closes November 8. All of the announced candidates besides Moore have already qualified.
A previous Senate poll conducted by Cygnal from June 22-23 had the following statewide results: Tuberville led the field at 29.3%, followed by Byrne with 21.4%, Moore with 13%, Merrill with 11.8% and Mooney with 2.2%, while 22.3% of respondents were undecided.
All other polls of the current field, including internals and an Alabama Farmers Federation-conducted poll, have shown Tuberville leading. His lead has grown with time.
Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
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