There are plenty who doubt that Sarah Palin will actually run for U.S. Senate in Alaska next year, but a survey from Democratic-leaning Public Policy Polling released Tuesday suggested that the Republican nomination may be hers if she wants it.
Thirty-six percent of GOP primary voters in Alaska said they’d back the former half-term governor, with 26 percent saying they would support Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell (R). Dan Sullivan, the mayor of Anchorage, Alaska, garnered the support of 15 percent of primary voters, while Joe Miller, a tea party favorite who had the backing of Palin in the 2010 Senate race, picked up only 12 percent support.
A Palin nomination could jeopardize the GOP’s chances in a race identified as one of the party’s best pick-up opportunities in 2014, the poll found. With 58 percent of Alaska voters saying they have an unfavorable opinion of her, Palin trailed incumbent Sen. Mark Begich (D-AK) by 12 points in a hypothetical general election matchup.
The poll indicated that Treadwell, who launched his campaign last month, would give the Republicans the best chance in a general election, with Begich holding only a 4-point edge over the Republican. Voters are split on Begich, according to the poll: 42 percent said they approve of the Democrat’s job performance while 41 percent said they disapprove.
Palin told conservative pundit Sean Hannity earlier this month that she’s “considering” a run, setting off a war of words with Begich. But shortly after Palin floated the idea of a Senate bid, Peter Goldberg, the chairman of the Alaska Republican Party, made it clear that the 2008 vice presidential candidate hadn’t consulted him on the idea.
“I would think she would want to at least speak briefly to the new head of the Alaska Republican Party,” Goldberg said. “But no, never met the lady. Never spoken to her. I have seen her once.”
