According to the most recent statewide poll, performed by SMOR and Bernie Pinsonat or Southern Media Research, Bobby Jindal has a substantial lead in the Louisiana Governor’s race. The poll does include Ray Nagin as a possible candidate which reduces Jindal’s numbers to 60 percent. Walter Boasso is the next leading candidate with 14.3 without Nagin as a candidate. Based upon the poll, if the election were held at the time of the polling, Bobby Jindal, a Republican, would win in the first primary.
Governor’s Race Analysis August 2007
Congressman Bobby Jindal continues to maintain a commanding lead over his three major opponents.
Bobby Jindal........... 63.0%
Walter Boasso......... 14.3%
Foster Campbell........ 4.4%
John Georges............ 1.3%
Undecided/WS........ 17.0%
Bobby Jindal is getting 75.1% of the total white vote – more than enough to win in the primary and avoid a runoff.
Voter’s impressions of candidates – favorable or unfavorable
73.2% of all voters in Louisiana have a favorable impression of Bobby Jindal. He receives an amazing 67% very favorable impression from all white voters. His somewhat favorable impression by white voters is 18.9% - giving him a total favorable impression by white voters of 85.7%.
State Senator Walter Boasso has spent millions on television attacking Bobby Jindal. Unfortunately for Walter Boasso, he is now viewed unfavorably by 42.1% of all white voters and his target Bobby Jindal is still 85.7% favorable with the same white voters. - Boasso’s televisions ads have not hurt Bobby Jindal.
62% of Louisiana voters are less likely to vote for any candidate for governor who owns companies selling video poker machines.
Candidate John Georges is receiving only 1.3% and he owns businesses involved the video poker industry
Mayor Ray Nagin as a candidate for Governor
Adding Mayor Ray Nagin as a candidate produced the following results:
Bobby Jindal........... 60.3%
Ray Nagin............... 10.5%
Walter Boasso......... 10.0%
Foster Campbell........ 3.3%
John Georges............ 1.5%
Undecided/WS........ 14.4%
Mayor Ray Nagin moves into second place and is likely to receive 80% plus percent of all black voters. If there is a runoff it is likely Mayor Ray Nagin would face Jindal in the runoff. 70% of all black voters have a favorable impression of Nagin. 80% of all white voters have an unfavorable impression.
Louisiana Voters Rate US Senator David Vitter’s Job Performance
Strongly approve..... 28.7%
Somewhat approve.. 38.0%
Somewhat disapprove 11.4%
Strongly Disapprove 11.1%
Undecided/WS........ 10.7%
Voters apparently like David Vitter’s performance as their U.S. Senator – 66.7% is a strong rating. Vitter’s image of not being one of the good old boys of Louisiana politics is more important to voters than recent revelations and speculation concerning his admitted “serious sin”.
Prepared by:
Southern Media & Opinion Research, Inc.
727 Spain Street
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802
Tel: (225) 383-4509
Fax: (225) 343-3745
August 2007
Public Opinion Survey
LOUISIANA VOTERS
ABOUT THE POLL
This statewide poll was developed and conducted by Southern Media & Opinion Research, Incorporated.
Interviews for this statewide poll were completed by telephone with 600 likely Louisiana voters from Friday, August 3, 2007, through Thursday, August 9, 2007.
The overall margin of error for the statewide statistics obtained from the survey data is not greater than plus or minus 4.0 percentage points at the 95% level of confidence. In other words, there is a 95% certainty that the statistics presented from the results obtained on this survey of 600 likely voters statewide will not be more than 4.0 percentage above or below the figure that would be obtained if all of the likely voters in the state would have been interviewed.
The sample error may be larger for subgroup responses based on attitudinal and demographic variables such as respondents' by area, age, etc. There are other sources of potential error which cannot be calculated including question wording and order of question presentation.
An interval sample design was used to select telephone numbers from a sample frame of telephone numbers for likely voter households.
Respondents were assigned to one of four geographic areas based on their parish of residence. The four geographic areas along with the parishes comprising those areas are:
New Orleans metropolitan area, (includes Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. John the Baptist, St. Tammany and Washington parishes); Florida-River Parishes, (includes Ascension, Assumption, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberville, Livingston, Pointe Coupee, St. Helena, St. James, Tangipahoa, West Baton Rouge and West Feliciana parishes); Acadiana-southwest, (includes Acadia, Allen, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, Evangeline, Iberia, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Lafourche, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, Terrebonne and Vermilion parishes); North Louisiana, (includes Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Caldwell, Catahoula, Claiborne, Concordia, DeSoto, East Carroll, Franklin, Grant, Jackson, LaSalle, Lincoln, Madison, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Rapides, Red River, Richland, Sabine, Tensas, Union, Vernon, Webster, West Carroll and Winn parishes).
A quota ensuring representative voter participation by sex in the study was imposed. A statistical weighting procedure was employed to normalize the sample to the voter population based on voter sex and race.
Governor’s Race Analysis August 2007
Congressman Bobby Jindal continues to maintain a commanding lead over his three major opponents.
Bobby Jindal............................... 63.0%
Walter Boasso............................ 14.3%
Foster Campbell........................... 4.4%
John Georges............................... 1.3%
Undecided/WS........................... 17.0%
Bobby Jindal is getting 75.1% of the total white vote – more than enough to win in the primary and avoid a runoff.
Voter’s impressions of candidates – favorable or unfavorable
73.2% of all voters in Louisiana have a favorable impression of Bobby Jindal. He receives an amazing 67% very favorable impression from all white voters. His somewhat favorable impression by white voters is 18.9% - giving him a total favorable impression by white voters of 85.7%.
State Senator Walter Boasso has spent millions on television attacking Bobby Jindal. Unfortunately for Walter Boasso, he is now viewed unfavorably by 42.1% of all white voters and his target Bobby Jindal is still 85.7% favorable with the same white voters. - Boasso’s television ads have not hurt Bobby Jindal.
62% of Louisiana voters are less likely to vote for any candidate for governor who owns companies selling video poker machines.
Candidate John Georges is receiving only 1.3% and he owns businesses involved in the video poker industry.
Mayor Ray Nagin as a candidate for Governor
Adding Mayor Ray Nagin as a candidate produced the following results:
Bobby Jindal............................... 60.3%
Ray Nagin.................................. 10.5%
Walter Boasso............................ 10.0%
Foster Campbell........................... 3.3%
John Georges............................... 1.5%
Undecided/WS........................... 14.4%
Mayor Ray Nagin moves into second place and is likely to receive 80% plus percent of all black voters. If there is a runoff it is likely Mayor Ray Nagin would face Jindal in the runoff. 70% of all black voters have a favorable impression of Nagin. 80% of all white voters have an unfavorable impression.
Louisiana Voters Rate US Senator David Vitter’s Job Performance
Strongly approve......................... 28.7%
Somewhat approve..................... 38.0%
Somewhat disapprove................. 11.4%
Strongly Disapprove.................... 11.1%
Undecided/WS........................... 10.7%
Voters apparently like David Vitter’s performance as their U.S. Senator – 66.7% is a strong rating. Vitter’s image of not being one of the good old boys of Louisiana politics is more important to voters than recent revelations and speculation concerning his admitted “serious sin”.
FREQUENCY RESPONSES—WEIGHTED BY SEX AND RACE
SAMPLE SIZE (n=600)
· Elections for statewide elected officials and state legislators will be held this fall. As I mention the names of some people who may run for Governor, please tell me if your impression of that person is favorable or unfavorable (very or somewhat):
VERY SOME SOME VERY (DNK
FAVOR FAVOR UNFAV UNFAV /WS)
- Congressman Bobby Jindal, a Republican.... 54.3... 18.9.... 6.8... 15.6.. 4.4
- Public Service Commissioner
Foster Campbell, a Democrat................ 7.3... 25.9... 13.7... 15.5. 37.6
- State Senator Walter Boasso, a Democrat.... 9.4... 27.6... 17.2... 17.4. 28.3
- New Orleans businessman John Georges,
a Republican............................... 3.8... 18.4... 13.6... 15.0. 49.3
- New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin,
a Democrat................................ 12.4... 17.5... 15.5... 49.2.. 5.3
· If the election for Governor were held today WALTER BOASSO.......... 14.3
between Walter Boasso, Foster Campbell, FOSTER CAMPBELL......... 4.4
John Georges and Bobby Jindal, for whom JOHN GEORGES............ 1.3
would you vote? BOBBY JINDAL........... 63.0
(UNDEC/DNK/WS)......... 17.0
· If Ray Nagin were a candidate for Governor, WALTER BOASSO.......... 10.0
would you vote for Walter Boasso, Foster FOSTER CAMPBELL......... 3.3
Campbell, John Georges, Bobby Jindal, JOHN GEORGES............ 1.5
or Ray Nagin? BOBBY JINDAL........... 60.3
RAY NAGIN.............. 10.5
(UNDEC/DNK/WS)......... 14.4
· Would you be more likely or less likely to MORE LIKELY............. 7.9
vote for a candidate for Governor who was LESS LIKELY............ 62.5
involved in businesses that sold video (DNK/WS)............... 29.6
poker machines?
· Do you approve or disapprove of the job STRONGLY APPROVE....... 28.7
David Vitter is doing as U.S. Senator? SOMEWHAT APPROVE....... 38.0
(strongly or somewhat) SOMEWHAT DISAPPROVE.... 11.4
STRONGLY DISAPPROVE.... 11.1
(DNK/WS)............... 10.7
Note: Statistics may not total 100.0 due to rounding.