Polling Shows Strong Public Support for GOP School Choice Legislation

The Alabama Education Association spent the weekend deploying their usual intimidation tactics against members of the legislature who support school choice. Radio ads have been running across the state since Friday, and over the weekend the AEA took out full page ads in newspapers accusing Republicans of “betraying” local schools.

Anonymous robo calls have also gone out in defiance of Alabama law which requires disclaimers to be included in the calls.

Unfortunately for the AEA and their allies, these tactics appear to be emboldening Republicans and solidifying conservative support for the Alabama Accountability Act and the concept of school choice in general.

No one organization has done more this session to unite Republicans in the legislature than the AEA.

But internal support is not the only thing Republicans in the legislature have going for them. People across the state have rallied around the idea that every child in Alabama should have access to a quality education. To illustrate that, a Senate Republican shared a polling memo with Yellowhammer over the weekend.

According to the 600 sample survey by well-known public opinion research firm McLaughlin & Associates, voters in Alabama favor the Alabama Accountability Act and overwhelmingly prefer the concept of school choice. The poll, which was commissioned by GOP leadership in Montgomery, shows widespread support for these measures across political, ideological and demographic lines.

Respondents were asked whether they favor or oppose “Creating a school choice program in Alabama that makes it easier for parents to send their children to the public, private or religious school of their choice.”

Results:
All Alabamians: 70% favor, 25% oppose
Republicans: 74% favor, 21% oppose
Democrats: 67% favor, 30% oppose
Conservatives: 78% favor, 18% oppose
Whites: 70% favor, 25% oppose
African Americans: 69% favor, 26% oppose

When the survey asked specifically about the Alabama Accountability Act, Nearly six in ten voters (56%) favor it, while only 34% oppose it. Support is highest among the most influential voter groups – conservatives (62% to 25%), Republicans (61% to 26%) and whites (58% to 31%). But the AEA isn’t even winning this issue among their base. The Accountability Act also has support among traditionally leftwing groups including half of Democrats (52% to 39%) and African Americans (49% to 42%).

After seeing these polling numbers, it’s obvious why the AEA is throwing everything but the proverbial kitchen sink at this issue. The public overwhelmingly supports school choice. As Matt Murphy said last week, the AEA is backed into a corner, and they’ve decided their last resort is to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on demagoguery, half truths and outright lies.