Tennessee Republican Party officials say they are optimistic about Ken Meyer’s chances of upsetting Tennessee House Majority Leader Ward Crutchfield after seeing results of a poll.
Lance Frizzell of the state GOP said after certain facts were given those polled, Mr. Meyer got 51 percent and Sen. Crutchfield 33 percent.
Sen. Crutchfield responded by terming the Republican sampling “a push poll. You try to advocate your side by making your candidate look good and the other candidate look bad. It’s generally frowned upon.”
The veteran Democrat said his Louisiana pollster has taken some readins in the 10th Senatorial District and plans to do more. He said, “I feel very comfortable with the numbers thus far.”
The GOP poll was taken June 26 and 27 among likely voters in District 10 on a random sample of 300 registered voters.
Asked if they would vote Democratic or Republican, 43 percent said Democrat and 37 percent Republican.
On name recognition, they gave Mr. Meyer 56 percent and Sen. Crutchfield 93 percent. On Mr. Meyer, a former state House member, it said 16 percent were favorable, 7 percent unfavorable and 43 percent no opinion. On Sen. Crutchfield, 57 percent were favorable, 15 percent unfavorable and 21 percent no opinion.
Of those polled, 29 percent said they would vote for Mr. Meyer and 54 percent for the incumbent.
Those polled were then told that Mr. Meyer is pro-life and opposes abortion except in the case of rape and incest to save the life of the mother. They were told Sen. Crutchfield “is pro-choice and voted in favor of public funding of abortions.”
They were told Sen. Crutchfield has voted five times to increase his own pension and said he voted in favor of a graduated state income tax and against capping it.
After that information was given, those polled then said they were 51 percent for Mr. Meyer and 33 percent for Mr. Crutchfield.