From a release by Southern Media & Opinion Research, headed by veteran Louisiana pollster Bernie Pinsonat:

A new survey conducted by Southern Media & Opinion Research, polled Louisiana voters on the upcoming election as well as job approval ratings for several of the state’s top elected officials.

The poll, developed by Southern Media & Opinion Research, included telephone interviews with 720 randomly selected Louisiana voters from August 4^th through August 8^th, 2010. All questions contained in this report appear in the order in which they were asked. The poll was conducted for a group of businessmen.

The sample design provided for an over sample of Republican voters to ensure that at least 300 Republicans voters would have been interviewed. Only Republican voters were asked their preference in the Republican primary for US Senator.

Among the Findings:

• Governor Jindal’s popularity is very high with a 25.1 percent excellent job rating and a 45.2 percent good for a total positive job performance rating of 70.3 percent. The oil spill and Governor Jindal’s face time on TV has served him well.
• President Barack Obama’s job ratings remain dismally low. A whopping 42.7 percent now rate the President’s job performance as poor! Add the not so good 18.4 percent and President Obama’s receives a 61.1 percent negative job rating from Louisiana voters surveyed. Only 36.8 percent rate the President’s job performance as positive.
• The upcoming August 28 Republican primary which pits Incumbent U.S. Senator David Vitter against challenger Chet Traylor is not much of a contest.  Senator Vitter easily leads his opponent Chet Traylor 77.8 percent to 3.9 percent. Nick Accardo, another challenger, got 1.3 percent.
• Not much has changed since Southern Media & Opinion Research conducted it’s spring survey. In that survey Vitter lead Melancon by 49.0 percent to 31.4 percent.  As of this survey Vitter leads Melancon 46.1 percent to 27.5 percent.
• Current Secretary of State Jay Dardenne leads the race for Lieutenant Governor with 25.8 percent and well known musician Sammy Kershaw is in second place with 14.6 percent.  Kershaw’s name recognition across Louisiana serves him well as the other candidates below him have very little name recognition.  40.2 percent of the voters are undecided.