Internal Branstad poll: Former governor well ahead of field

[ccharles000]

A memo from Gov. Terry Branstad’s campaign to prospective donors shows the former governor well ahead in the four-way battle for the 2010 Republican primary to challenge Gov. Chet Culver.

The results of the poll provided to The Des Moines Register from a source outside of the Branstad campaign show Branstad preferred by 63 percent of Republicans identified as very likely to vote in the June 8 primary. The poll was taken by Hill Research Consultants, the firm run by longtime Branstad pollster David Hill of Texas, from Jan. 10 through 12.

The sample size was 750 Iowa Republicans who are very likely to vote in the June 8 primary, according to the memo.

Of Branstad’s supporters, 42 percent said they supported him strongly.

In second place with support from 18 percent was Bob Vander Plaats, the 2006 lieutenant governor nominee, from Sioux City. Ten percent of Vander Plaats’ supporters said they supported him strongly.

Sioux City state Rep. Christopher Rants had 4 percent, 2 percent strongly, while Carroll state Rep. Rod Roberts had 2 percent, and 0 percent strongly.

http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/index.php/2010/01/18/internal-branstad-poll-former-governor-well-ahead-of-field/