Nashville mayoral candidate John Cooper has a 33 percent lead over his opponent David Briley, the incumbent.
This, going by a poll Cooper and his campaign staff reportedly commissioned, according to various news sources.
The Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill said Cooper’s poll has its own pros and cons.
“I’m always skeptical of campaign generated polls, particularly when the full topline and other information is not made available,” Gill said. “However, the numbers track with our earlier poll, the election results and virtually all anecdotal evidence of Cooper’s momentum. It’s his race to lose at this point.”
According to the Nashville-based NewsChannel 5, the Global Strategy Group conducted the poll and found 59 percent of respondents favored Cooper while only 26 percent favored Briley.
The Tennessean went further in its analysis.
“In addition to polling head-to-head, the poll-tested the favorable ratings of both candidates. Cooper polled at 69 percent favorable and 17 percent unfavorable, according to a polling memo provided to The Tennessean. Briley polled at 48 percent favorable and 48 percent unfavorable,” the paper reported.
“In an interview with The Tennessean prior to the release of the poll results, Briley said the election is up for grabs. He pointed to the 2015 election when there were 40,000 voters who voted in the runoff after not voting in the general election.”
As The Star reported last week, Cooper, currently a Metro Nashville at-large council member, promised better infrastructure and better pay for teachers, police and firefighters on the night of the primary election.
That is all part of what Cooper called “effective progressivism.”
Cooper got 35 percent of the vote last Thursday. Briley, meanwhile, got 25 percent of the vote, according to the Nashville Election Commission’s website.
Cooper said more than 70 percent of voters want a new direction for the city, and they said as much by voting for someone other than the incumbent mayor.
Cooper also told the audience that “city finances are out of balance” and that shouldn’t go on “in this time of our greatest boom.”
The runoff election between Cooper and Briley is scheduled for Sept. 12.
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “John Cooper” by John Cooper. Photo “David Briley” by David Briley. Background Photo “Nashville City Hall” by Nicolas Henderson. CC BY 2.0.
[…] is not doing well in polling in the mayoral run-off election, according to a story by The Tennessee […]
What does it matter, cooper or briley are both liberals, so its a lose lose scenario. Nashville has become another california city. Enjoy.
John Cooper and his brother are true elitist. I have personally overheard them telling groups that it was too much trouble governing and not worth the time and effort but that no one else could do It so they were more or less condemned to it. You don’t have to believe me-it’s just what they said.