Poll: Riley starts with big lead

The Mobile Press-Register ^ | 6/18/2006 | Bill Barrow

[AzaleaCity5691]

Poll: Riley starts with big lead Capital Bureau Sunday, June 18, 2006 By BILL BARROW MONTGOMERY -- Gov. Bob Riley is beginning his general election campaign for a second term with a 2-to-1 lead over Lt. Gov. Lucy Baxley, according to the results of a new statewide survey.

The Press-Register/University of South Alabama poll found that Riley, the Republican nominee, was the choice of 53 percent of those polled, while Baxley, the Democratic challenger, garnered 25 percent support. The remaining 22 percent were undecided.

Riley's lead in the poll came in part from tangible support among unlikely sources: black voters and self-identified Democrats. More than one out of five Democrats polled opted for Riley, as did almost three out of 10 black respondents.

USA political scientist Keith Nicholls, who directed the survey, said the results suggest an overwhelming advantage for Riley heading into the summer, which historically is a quiet phase of Alabama campaigns.

"While 53 percent certainly doesn't suggest a landslide, it's hard to imagine Baxley taking voters away from Riley and capturing all the undecideds -- and that's what it would take for Baxley to win," Nicholls said. "In the absence of some economic crisis or a damaging scandal, I suspect Bob Riley will be re-elected governor."

The Press-Register survey, conducted Monday through Wednesday, includes responses from 411 registered Alabama voters who said they are very likely or likely to vote in the Nov. 7 general election. The results carry a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percentage points.

[AzaleaCity5691]

Now the world understands why it was so important to defeat the second incarnation of the "fightin' little judge."

[Sometimes A River]

Hopefully Riley and his team will get out to a big lead early, and keep pushing it.

David!

Hasselhoff!