Outside groups testing another primary challenge to Bachus?

Several sources in Alabama’s 6th Congressional District have confirmed receiving phone surveys over the last several days that indicate a group or potential candidate is testing the waters of a primary challenge to Rep. Spencer Bachus, R-Vestavia Hills.

Bachus is no stranger to being a target of conservative Super PACs and Tea Party challengers. In 2012, State Sen. Scott Beason, R-Gardendale, challenged Bachus in the Republican primary but ultimately lost. Bachus, an 11-term incumbent, received just under 60 percent of the vote to Beason’s 27 percent.

Bachus out-fundraised Beason roughly $1.5 million to $70,000, but the Campaign for Primary Accountability (CPA), a Texas based Super PAC, pumped approximately a quarter million dollars into ads either attacking Bachus or touting Beason as an alternative. In all, CPA spent roughly $3 million during the 2012 election cycle targeting incumbents.

The survey making the rounds in the 6th Congressional District this week was extensive, lasting roughly thirty minutes.

Here are some of the things the survey polled:

• Opinion of Rand Paul, Sarah Palin, Ted Cruz, Tea Party, Spencer Bachus
• Would you vote for Scott Beason or Spencer Bachus in a Republicam primary?
• The poll pushed participants to view Bachus’s voting record in a negative light, asking them if they would vote for Bachus if they knew he supported more food stamps, voted for bank bailouts, supported the Dream Act, Patriot Act and raising the debt limit, and other issues of concern to the conservative base.

The survey then went on to ask what type of candidate the participant would support. Beason’s name was mentioned during this section as being this “type” of candidate:

• Supports the Constitution, business owner, Christian, Pro-Life, against tax hikes, opposes gay marriage and fund ObamaCare.

Toward the end, the survey asked whether the voter would prefer a candidate who has never held office before, or someone who has been an elected official. With the anti-incumbent atmosphere that’s so pervasive around the country right now, I’m pretty sure everyone knows where folks where coming down on that question.

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