A new survey of Alabama by Public Policy Polling (D) finds that Rep. Artur Davis leads in the Democratic primary for governor — but it’s possible that his vote against the health care bill could come back to haunt him.
The numbers: Davis 38%, Agriculture Commissioner Ron Sparks 28%, and third candidate Sam Franklin Thomas with 9%, with a ±4.6% margin of error. At the same time, 80% of Democratic primary voters support the health care bill, compared to only 14% who oppose it.
So while Alabama is a conservative state, and it’s possible that opposing the bill was a smart move for the general election, the potential exists for this vote to haunt Davis in the June primary.
PPP communications director Tom Jensen writes: “Sparks certainly has an issue to play with here – it’s not often to have a primary where the leading candidate recently cast a vote that 80% of the electorate disagrees with – but whether he will have enough resources to milk that issue for what it’s worth and defeat Davis remains to be seen.”
