ALABAMA (WHNT) — A new poll shows Katie Britt leading U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks by more than 15 points ahead of next week’s Republican runoff election for U.S. Senate.
Britt, the former head of the Business Council of Alabama and a former aide to the retiring U.S. Senator Richard Shelby, leads with 50% of the vote to Brooks’ 34%. The poll found Britt was at 49.6%, while Brooks was at 33.5%.
The poll of 1,000 Alabama residents was conducted June 12-13 as a joint effort between News 19, Emerson College Polling, and The Hill. It has a margin of error of ±3%.
The poll found there are still a significant number — 16.9% percent — of Republican voters who said they were undecided. When those undecided voters were asked which candidate they leaned toward supporting, 10% chose Britt and 7% picked Brooks.
“Britt’s initial ballot support in the runoff is nine points higher among men than among women, she leads Brooks 55% to 31% among men compared to 44% to 36% among women,” explained Spencer Kimball, the executive director of Emerson College Polling. “However, 20% of women are undecided and when asked who they are leaning towards, 71% support Britt.”
Kimball said Britt also leads all age groups but finds her strongest support among those under 50.
According to unofficial results from the Alabama Secretary of State’s Office, Britt captured just under 45% of the vote during the May 24 Republican primary. Brooks, who has represented North Alabama in Congress for more than a decade, came in second with 29%.
On Friday, June 10, former President Donald Trump endorsed Katie Britt in the race — however, the poll found mixed results on the effect of that endorsement.
The poll found that 45% of Republican runoff voters say a Trump endorsement does not impact their vote, while 40% say they are more likely to vote for a candidate backed by the former commander-in-chief. Just 16% of those polled say it makes them less likely to support the endorsed candidate.
Trump had previously endorsed Brooks in the race but rescinded his endorsement earlier this year.
“The Trump endorsement makes a more significant impact for voters without a college degree,” Kimball continued. “Half of voters without a college degree say a Trump endorsement makes them more likely to support a candidate, compared to 23% of those with a college degree or more. Rather, 55% of voters with a college degree say it makes no difference on their vote compared to 28% of voters without a college degree.”
Britt and Brooks will face off in the Republican runoff election on June 21.
Other takeaways from the poll:
- 56% of Republican runoff voters said the recent mass shootings in Buffalo, N.Y. and Uvalde, Texas did not change their opinion on gun control laws. 20% said the massacres made them more likely to support stronger gun control measures, and 25% said it made them less likely to support stricter laws on firearms.
- 48% of respondents said they opposed the requirement for a police permit before buying a gun. 29% supported the idea, and 23% were unsure or had no opinion.
- 76% of those polled say pistol permit requirements improve public safety, while 8% say it contributes to violent crime. 16% were unsure or had no opinion.
You can view the crosstabs for this poll by clicking here.
