EXCLUSIVE: Another Poll Shows Marsha Blackburn with Big Lead Over Bob Corker Among Tennessee GOP Primary Voters
Another recent poll obtained by Breitbart News shows that Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) has a big lead over Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) among Tennessee Republican primary voters.
The poll, conducted by Ragnar Research Associates for American Future Fund Political Action, shows Blackburn has a commanding 19 point lead, 48 percent to 29 percent, over Corker in a potential head-to-head matchup for the August 2018 GOP U.S. Senate primary in Tennessee.
The poll was conducted between February 14 and February 19 of 926 likely Republican primary voters in Tennessee, and has a margin of error of three percent.
The interviews were conducted by telephone, using both landlines and cell phones.
The poll found that “Blackburn Outperforms Corker In the Republican Primary:”
Marsha Blackburn is viewed favorably by nearly half of Republican voters (47%) and has ample room to grow with around 2 in 5 who either don’t recognize her or who do recognize her but haven’t formed an opinion yet (16% & 20%). In contrast, a majority of Republican primary voters are split on Corker (39% favorable, 41% unfavorable), leaving only 1 in 5 who have yet to form an opinion. This translates into a 19-point lead for Blackburn on the primary ballot.
Ragnar Research Associates concluded that “Marsha Blackburn has a strong lead in a hypothetical matchup versus Senator Bob Corker among Republican primary voters (+19). Her lead is significant among self-identified conservatives (70% of Republican primary voters) and her image (fav/unfav) is in a much stronger position than Senator Corker’s. (+31 for Blackburn versus -2 for Corker),” adding:
Furthermore, Blackburn has room to grow, as 36% of Republicans don’t know her or haven’t formed an opinion of her. The opportunity especially exists in East Tennessee where her ballot lead is only +7, compared to middle Tennessee and west Tennessee (areas she has represented in the House) where her ballot lead is +24 and +31 respectively.
As Blackburn becomes more known across the state, she has the opportunity to build upon her already strong image and solidity Republican support heading into the 2018 general election.
The new poll results are consistent with other recent polls.
A Senate Conservatives Fund poll released last week prior to the withdrawal of former Rep. Stephen Fincher (R-TN-08) from the race showed Blackburn with a 49 percent to 26 percent lead over Corker, with Fincher in third place with nine percent.
A subsequent poll released by the Committee to Defend the President that did not included Fincher showed Blackburn with a 55 percent to 26 percent lead over Corker.
Corker announced on September 26 that he would not be seeking a third term in the United States. Blackburn announced her candidacy the following month.
Earlier this month, Corker’s aides launched a series of trial balloons, suggesting he was having second thoughts about not seeking a third term.
Conservative Republican grassroots activists responded vigorously to Corker’s potential entry.
“We look forward to the humiliation Corker would suffer in losing,” one long time conservative Republican activist told Breitbart News, a theme repeated by a number of veteran grassroots organizers in the state.
The filing deadline for the Tennessee U.S. Senate Republican primary is April 5.