A new Tennessee Star Poll of likely Democrat primary voters in Davidson County shows that former Nashville Mayor “Karl Marx” Dean leads State Rep. Craig Fitzhugh (D-Ripley) by 68 points, 79 percent to 11 percent.
The exact phrasing of the poll question, with the responses, was as follows:
If the primary election for Governor was held today, would you vote for Karl Dean or Craig Fitzhugh?
- Karl Dean 79.1 percent
- Craig Fitzhugh 10.9 percent
- Don’t know 10 percent
The poll of 603 likely Democrat primary voters was conducted between July 10 and July 12 for The Tennessee Star by Triton Polling and Research, and has a margin of error of 4 percent.
“Nashville/Davidson County has been described as a blue island in a sea of red politically. This poll, and others from across the state, do indicate that the assessment that Nashville is ideologically very far apart from the rest of Middle Tennessee to be pretty accurate,” Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill said of the poll results.
“It also underlines why two former mayors of liberal and dark blue Nashville (Phil Bredesen and Karl Dean) will have a hard time in the Fall campaign as they have to secure votes from Trumpville instead of Hillaryville,” Gill added.
Another finding of the poll–not at all surprising but certainly a stark reminder of the political polarization between Democrats and Republicans–is that 91.4 percent of Davidson County Democrats have an unfavorable view of President Trump , while only 3.6 percent have a favorable view.
In contrast, 87 percent of likely Republican primary voters across the state of Tennessee approve of President’s Trump job performance, according to a Tennessee Star Poll released on June 30.
Recently elected Mayor David Briley fares very well among Davidson County Democrats, with 71 percent indicating they have a favorable view of him, and only 7 percent indicating they have an unfavorable.
Twenty seven percent of Davidson County Democrats favor eliminating the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency within the Department of Homeland Security, while 37 percent oppose eliminating the agency.
Fifty two percent of Davidson County Democrats say that the arrival of immigrants into their neighborhoods have made the neighborhoods better, while 5 percent say the arrival of immigrants has made their neighborhoods worse, and 33 percent say they have seen no difference.
Forty-one percent of Davidson County Democrats say that gangs and gang violence are a minor problem, 12 percent say gangs and gang violence are a major problem, and 38 percent say gangs and gang violence are not a problem at all.
Davidson County Democrats are adamantly opposed to allowing teachers to be armed in public schools. Seventy eight percent oppose it, while only 12 percent favor it.
Almost half of Davidson County Democrats think the Metro Nashville Public Schools test students too much.
Forty nine percent say that schools test students too much, 7 percent say schools test students too little, and 29 percent say schools test students about the right amount.
Dean looks to have little to fear from Fitzhugh in the August 2 Democrat gubernatorial primary.
In addition to his 68 point lead in Davidson County, recent polls show he has a significant lead statewide. A statewide poll of likely Democrat primary voters released by the Emerson College Polling Institute on July 16 shows Dean with a 30 point lead over Fitzhugh, 44 percent to 14 percent.
Should he win on August 2, Dean will face the winner of the Republican gubernatorial primary–either Knoxville businessman Randy Boyd, Rep. Diane Black (R-TN-06), Williamson County businessman Bill Lee, or Tennessee Speaker of the House Beth Harwell (R-Nashville)–in the November general election.
You can see the top line summary of the poll results here:
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