Alabama: Clinton stretches her lead in state

[Alamom]

http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/119070849987910.xml&coll=2

The Birmingham News


Clinton stretches her lead in state
September 25, 2007
DAVID WHITE News staff writer

MONTGOMERY - Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York has a wide lead over Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois in the race for president among Alabamians likely to vote in the state's Democratic primary next year, according to a new poll.

Among voters who said they likely would vote in Alabama's Democratic primary Feb. 5, 45 percent said they would vote for Clinton if the election were today, compared to 24 percent for Obama, 9 percent for former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina, 8 percent for former Vice President Al Gore, 3 percent for other candidates and 10 percent who didn't know or didn't reply. Percentages were rounded.

Clinton's lead among Alabamians likely to vote in the Democratic primary has grown in recent months, according to this poll and others conduced earlier this year by the center. Her support was at 37 percent in May and 33 percent in July before jumping to 45 percent in the poll completed last week. Obama hasn't made such gains. His support stood at 21 percent in May and 29 percent in July before landing at 25 percent in the latest poll.

Obama, who is black, in the latest poll won the support of 43 percent of the black voters who said they likely would vote in the Democratic primary, compared to 47 percent in the July poll, not a statistically significant difference. Clinton, who is white, in the latest poll won the support of 41 percent of black voters who said they likely would vote in the Democratic primary, up from 26 percent in July, a significant jump.


The big story here is Hillary Clinton rebuilding her lead in the last month or so. She's doing it by holding on to a good share of the African-American vote, at least so far," said David Lanoue, who chairs the political science department at the University of Alabama.

[Syrinx]

1. boo

Both Obama and Edwards would be a better general election candidate.

[Alamom]

2. Source ?

[Clark2008]

23. Real Southern people.

That's the source.

Obama has the best chance in Alabama - or any Southern state - in the general.

BTW, I don't have a candidate. I find them all lacking - and probably will have to do eeny, meany, minie, moe during my Southern February primary - so I don't have a dog in this fight, other than to say that HRC isn't going to win any red state. Obama probably won't either - but he'd have a better shot because he would bring the South's large African American communities out in higher numbers. I don't think Hillary's being a female has the same effect on the female populations.

[Alamom]

26. Opinion noted.......Source? nm

[Tellurian]

10. Obama and Edwards are running for President of DU?

nice...

[jody]

3. The article is consistent with my experience talking with working Democrats in Alabama. n/t

[Alamom]

4. Yes and support for any "one" repuke is very scattered.(included in the article)

edti

[Dawgs]

5. Hillary, or any other Democrat, has zero chance of winning Alabama.

It's embarrassing for anyone to suggest otherwise.

[jody]

6. But if Hillary runs strong in Alabama, it will cause the Repug candidate to campaign aggressively.

That would not be the case if the Dem candidate gave the Repug candidate a free pass in Alabama.

[Dawgs]

7. Hillary will not run strong in Alabama.

I'm not sure if you are from the South, but I would not worry if I was the Republican candidate.

[retread]

8. She would not run strong anywhere in the South. n/t

[Tellurian]

12. She's ahead in SC..

is that not in the South?

[Dawgs]

13. Talk to me about how she does in the South AFTER the election.

[Tellurian]

20. Why wait!...Ala for Hillary's @ 45%, Obama @ 24%, Edwards @ 8%

"Among voters who said they likely would vote in Alabama's Democratic primary Feb. 5, 45 percent said they would vote for Clinton if the election were today, compared to 24 percent for Obama, 9 percent for former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina, 8 percent for former Vice President Al Gore, 3 percent for other candidates and 10 percent who didn't know or didn't reply. Percentages were rounded.

Clinton's lead among Alabamians likely to vote in the Democratic primary has grown in recent months, according to this poll and others conduced earlier this year by the center.

Her support was at 37 percent in May and 33 percent in July before jumping to 45 percent in the poll completed last week.

Obama hasn't made such gains. His support stood at 21 percent in May and 29 percent in July before landing at 25 percent in the latest poll."

http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/119070849987910.xml&coll=2

[retread]

16. South Carolina? The state that gives us Jim DeMint and Lindsey Graham. n/t

[Clark2008]

24. Over XYZ Republican candidate or over the other Dems?

She may be ahead in ALL the Southern PRIMARY polling. Duh. But she's not going to flip any red states - Southern or not.

However, I doubt any of them will, so this isn't just a slam on Hillary.

I don't have high hopes for this presidential election. I think we should concentrate on getting more real Dems into Congress.

[jody]

14. I'm from the South and IMO Hillary will receive many votes. n/t

[retread]

17. Name a Southern state you think she has a real chance of winning outside of Arkansas and

that is not even a sure thing.

[Tellurian]

21. How about (3)..Alabama, S. Carolina, N. Carolina..

[Clark2008]

25. I don't even think she has a chance in Arkansas unless she

puts Clark on the ticket with her - to be blatantly honest.

[Stuckinthebush]

27. I'm from Alabama and disagree

She will get Dem votes in the primary, but she won't do as well as Gore did here in 2000. There is a lot of hate for Hillary (crazy but true) in the South. You won't see many if any cross over votes for her in Alabama.

[jody]

30. OK, I'm from Alabama and we have different opinions re votes for Hillary. n/t

[Stuckinthebush]

31. OK

It will be interesting nonetheless. I try to tell people that we have many more progressives here than they realize. Did you know that the bright blue dot people are from here? Pretty cool.

[jody]

32. Agree Brite Blue Dot founders Joellyn Beckham and Gina McWilliams have a wonderful idea.

A Bright Blue Dot Brings Political Hope

[Stuckinthebush]

33. Great article!

I've seen them in other states but don't know how widespread they are. You see them all over the Birmingham area.

[dugggy]

18. Hillary will run stronger than Barack and Johnny in Alabama

[Stuckinthebush]

28. Actually, either of those two would run stronger than her here

Edwards is a Southern guy and that goes a long way. Obama doesn't have as many negatives here as Hillary. The "he's black and Southerners are racists" card doesn't really work anymore.

[Ediacara]

9. That makes sense, but IIRC Ras had polls showing that Hillary was ahead there

which surprised the hell out of me....

[Tellurian]

11. Hillary's numbers are rising steadily in Ala..

what will be embarrassing to you is when she wins Iowa and the nom.

[Hawkowl]

15. I will eat my shoes...

If Hilary wins Alabama in the general election. Have any of you been to Alabama lately? Good Grief.

[dugggy]

19. You are missing the point...

Hillary will run stronger than Barack & Johnny
and therefore divert more RNC funds to Alabama
fromn other states.

[Tellurian]

22. Alabama is flipping for Hillary..

What has the GOP done for Ala lately?

[dugggy]

36. That's what I am saying...

Hillary is likely to get more votes in Alabama of
any of the democrats running.

[Dawgs]

29. Hillary will not run stronger. I live in the South, and she is HATED here.

And, I mean HATE. The best thing that could help a Repulican candidate in the South is for Hillary to win the nomination.

Geez!! This Hillary love by some DUers is getting ridiculous. Presidential primary poll numbers don't mean shit as far as how someone will do in the general.

[Alamom]

34. Big broad brush statement. I live in the South and I don't see or hear this great hate.

The polls seem to disagree with your statement.

[elizm]

38. I live in the south.....

and Hillary is HATED.

[dugggy]

37. Barack & Johnny are to the left of Hillary, not good in Alabama

[Dinger]

35. Resistance Is Futile

Resitance is futile, Resitance is futile, Resitance is futile, Resitance is futile, . . . . .

[reggie the dog]

39. sorry

when was the last time alabama voted Democrat for president anyway?

[AZ Criminal JD]

40. Clinton would do better than others in the state

But I do not hold out hope for anyone to win in the General.