Will New Alabama Democrat Polling Arm Provide Credible Results?

John Anzalone is the President of Anzalone Liszt Research. He’s one of the top Democratic pollsters and his client list includes President Obama, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, the Democratic Governor’s Association and a host of other top Democrats and liberal outfits including the Alabama House Democrats.

In December, we learned that Anzalone would be launching a new project called Alabama Poll. Anzalone will field four statewide polls each year and organizations who purchase a membership with Alabama Poll will gain access to the results. Individuals and organizations will also be able to pay to include questions of their own choosing in the polls.

This week, they’re putting their first poll in the field.

As we all know, Alabama is just about the reddest state in the union. Republicans hold almost every statewide elected office and maintain large majorities in both the House and Senate.

So, here’s the obvious question that interested parties should ask themselves: Do I really want a liberal Democrat telling me what the conservative base in Alabama is thinking?

Here’s the email that Anzelone went out last week:

From: “John Anzalone”
Subject: Alabama Statewide Poll Draft
To: “John Anzalone”, “Zac McCrary”

Last month we let you know about our new Alabama Poll project, which involves our firm conducting four statewide polls a year. We’re underwriting the cost of these polls and allowing interested individuals and organizations to purchase access to a full year’s worth of polling data for $10,000 ($2,500 a poll) – a fraction of the cost of funding just one such poll.

We’re also reserving space in each poll to allow interested parties to confidentially ask questions and test issues of their own choosing. The cost to purchase a confidential question is $1,500 per question for subscribers and $3,000 per question for non-subscribers.

We’ve attached a draft of the poll we’ll field next week (Feb 1 – 6). As you’ll see this poll will shed light on:

• The popularity of several of Alabama’s leading public figures (including Nick Saban and Gene Chizik)
• Job ratings for the President, the Governor, Congress, and the Legislature
• An early peek at an the 2012 Presidential General election
• A look at the GOP Chief Justice Primary
• In-depth polling on attitudes toward the immigration bill
• Voter sentiment to changing to a “unified budget system”
• How voters prefer to handle the state sales tax on food
• Voter reaction to 10 different proposals that may arise in the legislative session
• And much more

Like any poll, this is a working draft but it should give you a sense of the type of data with which access to this poll will provide you. Of course if you have interest in an issue not covered in this draft and wish to purchase a confidential question, just contact us and we will work with you to construct an approach that meets your data needs.

Thanks, and please let us know if you’re interested in participating.

John Anzalone and Zac McCrary