Polling results shared exclusively with Yellowhammer News suggests the race for Alabama State Senate District 9 is anyone’s game after the announcement Majority Leader Clay Scofield was stepping down for a top position with the Business Council of Alabama. 

District 9, which covers all of Marshall County and parts of Madison and Blount counties, hasn’t been an open seat since 2010 when Scofield first won the Republican primary. 

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The survey of Republican primary voters in District 9 took a pulse for candidate favorability and issue ID. As a point of reference, former President Donald Trump’s favorability clocked at 81% between ‘very favorable’ and ‘somewhat favorable’ responses. 

While one candidate, State Rep. Wes Kitchens (R-Arab), has announced he’s running for the seat – others are expected to jump in the primary to fill the regional power gap left by Scofield. Among those include Rep. Brock Colvin (R-Albertville), who was considered by poll respondents alongside Kitchens. 

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Kitchens registered 21% ‘very favorable’ support, 21% ‘somewhat favorable’ support and only 8% unfavorable over all – however 51% of respondents said they haven’t heard of him yet. 

Colvin’s numbers showed 10% ‘very favorable’ and 15% for ‘somewhat favorable’ with 7% combined unfavorable. 67% of GOP voters said they’ve never heard of Colvin. 

When voters were asked if the election were held today, who they would support, 57% said they were undecided. 25% of them said Wes Kitchens while 19% said Brock Colvin. 

In terms of issues that will get them to the polls, voters said the economy and inflation – 39% of respondents placing that as their top issue. Behind that, 33% said defending Christian values, 14% said education, 10% said legalizing gambling and 4% said school choice. 

Grayson Everett is the state and political editor for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @Grayson270