NASHVILLE – Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam leads Republican gubernatorial rival Zach Wamp by 13 points, according to a Haslam for Governor campaign survey done June 1 to June 3.
The survey of 600 likely Republican voters showed Mayor Haslam leading U.S. Rep. Wamp by 37 percent to 24 percent. Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey was in third place with 15 percent, according to the poll conducted by Haslam pollsters Ayres, McHenry & Associates.
Twenty-four percent of Republicans said they were undecided.
The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent, meaning that Mayor Haslam could have as much as 41 percent of the vote or as little as 33 percent, while Rep. Wamp could have as high as 28 percent support or as little as 20 percent.
In his polling memo, pollster Whit Ayres said Mayor Haslam has almost tripled his support from early Februrary, from 13 percent to 37 percent. The mayor, who dominates fundraising, began airing television ads in Februrary.
“On the other hand,” Mr. Ayres said, “Zach Wamp is in exactly the same place he was at the first of March, and Ron Ramsey is at essentially the same place he was at the first of February.”
The poll says Mr. Haslam now leads all three of Tennessee’s grand divisions, East, Middle and West. Mr. Ayres’ memo says that in East Tennessee, “despite Zach Wamp’s strong base in his 3rd Congressional District, Haslam leads with 39 percent to 32 percent for Wamp, 13 percent for Ramsey, and 16 percent undecided.”
He notes East Tennessee provides almost half the votes in a Republican primary.
In the West, Mayor Haslam leads by 35 percent, Rep. Wamp has 18 and Lt. Gov. Ramsey has 11 percent for Lt. Gov. Ramsey. Thirty-six percent are undecided.
In Middle Tennessee, Mr. Haslam leads by 36 percent to 21 percent for Lt. Gov. Ramsey and 16 percent for Rep. Wamp, with 27 percent undecided.
“With no runoff in Tennessee’s primary elections, these trends put Bill Haslam in an excellent position to win the Republican nomination for governor on August 5,” the polling memo says.
See Thursday’s Times Free Press for complete coverage.