Public Policy Polling Analysis Shows Davis Already Doing Better Among Whites Than Obama

Last fall, exit polls showed Barack Obama winning just 10% of the white vote in Alabama, but Tom Jensen, communications director for Democratic polling firm Public Policy Polling says that doesn't mean Democratic gubernatorial candidate U.S. Rep. Artur Davis will experience the same fate.

Jensen said experts have pointed to those numbers and questioned whether Davis is really a viable candidate for governor, but he said Davis is starting out in a much better position than people might think.

According to Public Policy Polling, Davis is already earning more than twice as much support among white voters than Obama received against four potential Republican opponents the firm tested him against last week. He gets 21% against Bradley Byrne, 24% against Tim James, 27% against Kay Ivey, and 30% against Roy Moore.

That's about even with 28, 30, 35, and 21% of whites who were undecided in each of those respective contests, Jensen said.

"We calculate that Davis will need to win about a third of the white vote to be elected governor,"Jensen said in an e-mail. "He's certainly not there yet, but given the good start he's off to and the fact that many are undecided -- and thus not automatically writing off a black candidate -- he has a decent chance."

This analysis is also available on Public Policy Polling's Blog:

http://publicpolicypolling.blogspot.com/2009/06/davis-obama-and-white-vote.html

-- posted by Markeshia Ricks