Poll "Bogus"

TNDP Chair Chip Forrester Calls Luttrell Poll Showing Big Lead ‘Bogus’

MEMPHIS – Tennessee Democratic Party Chairman Chip Forrester called a recent poll released by the Mark Luttrell for County Mayor Campaign showing Joe Ford losing by double digits a bogus one meant to instill hope in a doomed campaign.

“Trying to convince African American voters and other Democrats he would be better for them than Joe Ford is ridiculous,” Forrester said of Luttrell. “Mark Luttrell is a hard-core Republican, period. His idea of making our community better is building a bigger jail and privatizing essential government services.

“We do not need a leader like that making decisions about a community’s prosperity. We need someone who understands prosperity depends on good schools, good jobs and good governance. Memphis is full of diversity, and it would be a shame if your next county mayor thought diversity was a bad word.”
Forrester pointed out that President Barack Obama won the county with more than 63 percent of the vote in the November 2008 election, trouncing John McCain by more than 27 points. Luttrell was the county’s co-chairman for the McCain-Palin campaign in 2008, Forrester noted.

Luttrell also chaired U.S. Sen. Bob Corker’s Shelby County campaign in 2006.

“Mr. Luttrell was part of one of the most negative racial campaigns I have ever witnessed,” Forrester said of Corker’s campaign. “Voters in Shelby County will not soon forget that.

“And I can do my own poll showing anything I want by posing the question in a skewed manner. That’s obviously what Luttrell has done in a pathetic attempt to convince voters he is going to win this thing.

“Don’t be fooled by Sheriff Mark Luttrell’s chameleon act. He may come across as friendly to Democrats, but his voting history and his party allegiance reveal his true ultra-conservative ideology. Joe Ford is a proven leader who will work hard to restore funding to the MED and advance progressive ideas like affordable health care,” he added.