From Arkansas News:
New poll results released today show Republican candidates fare well with Arkansans when party affiliation is part of the equation and Democrats do better when party is not mentioned.
On Sept. 2, Talk Business and Hendrix College polled 679 likely Arkansas voters on the races for constitutional offices other than governor and included the candidates’ political party affiliations in the questions. Five days later, a second poll of 907 likely Arkansas voters was done without including the candidates’ party affiliations.
The results showed that Republican candidates fared significantly better when respondents knew the candidates’ party affiliation.
In the lieutenant governor’s race between Democrat Shane Broadway and Republican Mark Darr, Darr received 44 percent support from respondents compared to 27 percent for Broadway when the candidates’ party affiliations were included in the question. Twenty-nine percent of those polled said they were undecided.
When no party affiliation was mentioned, Broadway received 17 percent of support, Darr received 11 percent and 72 percent were undecided.
The polling was done via automated phone calls. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.8 percent for the poll including party affiliations and plus or minus 3.3 percent for the poll without party affiliations.
Jay Barth, a political science professor at Hendrix College, said the decision to do two polls was in response to comments by Democratic Gov. Mike Beebe, who recently said that if voters were presented with a “generic” ballot, they would choose Republican over Democrat.
“The differences were striking and seem to confirm Beebe’s notion that much of the advantage shown for Republican candidates is driven by reactions to the (Democratic and Green) parties rather than to candidates,” Barth said. “To be determined is whether those Democratic candidates can successfully break through and identify themselves to voters as ‘candidates who happen to be Democrats’ rather than ‘Democratic candidates.’”
In the secretary of state’s race between Democrat Pat O’Brien and Republican Mark Martin, Martin received 50.5 percent support when party affiliation was mentioned, O’Brien received 32 percent and 17.5 percent were undecided.
Without party affiliation, O’Brien received 23.5 percent, Martin received 13.5 percent and 63 percent were undecided.
In the land commissioner’s race, Democrat L.J. Bryant received 24.5 percent support, Republican John Thurston received 49 percent and 26.5 percent were undecided when party affiliation was mentioned.
Without party affiliation, Bryant received 15 percent, Thurston received 9.5 percent and 75.5 percent were undecided.
In the attorney general’s race, incumbent Democrat Dustin McDaniel received 37 percent support, Green Party candidate Rebekah Kennedy received 24 percent and 39 percent were undecided when party affiliation was included.
Without political affiliation, McDaniel received 38 percent, Kennedy received 19 percent and 43 percent were undecided.
In the state treasurer’s race, Democrat Martha Shoffner, the incumbent, received 33 percent support, Green Party candidate Bobby Tullis received 23 percent and 44 percent were undecided when party affiliation was mentioned.
Without party affiliation, Shoffner received 22 percent, Tullis received 17.5 percent and 60.5 percent were undecided.
In the state auditor’s race, Democrat Charlie Daniels received 39.5 percent support, Green Party candidate Mary Hughes-Wills received 26 percent and 34.5 percent were undecided when party affiliation was included.
Without party affiliation, Daniels received 37 percent, Hughes-Wills received 17 percent and 46 percent were undecided.
