Campaign poll shows AG candidates in ‘statistical tie’

A campaign poll released Thursday shows Democrat Destiny Wells and incumbent Republican Todd Rokita in a ‘”statistical tie” for attorney general.

Wells earned 41% of the vote and Rokita brought in 44% — within the poll’s 4% margin of error.

Lake Research Partners conducted the phone survey for the Wells campaign. The D.C. firm sampled 600 likely general election voters between August 26 and September 2.

About 51% of likely voters were Republican, 36% were Democrats and 7% were independents, which Partner Daniel Gottof said was reflective of Indiana’s deep red electorate.

Just over half of respondents were women, and nearly 90% were white. About 72% didn’t have a college degree.

Their answers indicate a “real, competitive race,” Gottof told reporters Wednesday afternoon.

“(There’s) a real path to victory, despite some significant Republican advantages baked into this electorate … (and) the dynamics that we’re facing,” he continued.

Rokita’s campaign slammed the poll in a statement to the Capital Chronicle.

“Fake polls are like catnip to some in the news media. The only thing shocking about Democrats claiming they have an anti-Rokita poll is how long it took to hit the panic button over Destiny Wells’ failed, radical left campaign. Rinse, repeat,  from 2022,” campaign consultant Brent Littlefield said.

Wells did better with likely voters who are female and those under age 50. Her support improved as the survey continued.

That’s because pollsters later offered respondents positive information about Wells, surveyed them a second time, gave them negative information about Rokita, and administered the poll for the third and final time.

“Provided she has the resources to communicate her message to the voters, Wells is strongly positioned to win this election in November,” Lake Research Partners found, according to slides. The Wells campaign paid for the poll.

Wells had about $98,000 cash on hand on June 30 and has raised an additional $45,000 in large donations since then, according to state campaign finance data. The next report is due Oct. 15.

Rokita, meanwhile, is far ahead in the money race. He had $1.3. million on hand and has raised $440,000 in large donations since. That includes $250,000 in August from the Republican Attorneys General Association Action Fund.