The (really) early numbers

Peach Pundit, the Macon-based political website that recently took a CL Best of honor, has posted most interesting, if somewhat premature, poll results for the 2010 governor’s race. Conducted by Landmark Communications, an outfit run by local GOP consultant Mark Rountree, the poll measures only the appeal of Republican candidates among Republican voters. But, let’s face it: Can anyone imagine Georgia’s next governor not being a Republican?

Anyway, on to the results: If the GOP primary were held today, Casey Cagle would win the nomination without a runoff, with 51 percent of the vote. Pretty impressive numbers by the lite guv, another CL Best of winner. Following distantly are self-promoting Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine, with 21 percent; new Secretary of State Karen Handel, with 13 percent; and U.S. Rep. Lynn “10 Commandments” Westmoreland, with 10 percent. The big news is the guy who comes in dead last. That’s right, it’s the property-tax avenger, House Speaker Glenn Richardson, who could not even muster a 4.5 percent showing among the 850 Republicans polled.

The most conspicuous omission is that of Sen. Johnny Isakson, but Landmark explains that he was left off the list because his candidacy would likely scare away several of the other possible contenders, skewing the poll results. Good point.

So far, Peach Pundit is the only place online we’ve spotted the Landmark poll.