Dr. Joe Godfrey opposes the spread of illegal gambling and an Alabama State Lottery.
The Alabama Forestry Association commissioned a study of Alabama residents’ opinions on gambling. That survey of 600 likely Republican primary voters found an even split on whether the state should legalize a lottery, while they overwhelmingly disapproved of a wider expansion of gambling.
The Florida public opinion research firm, Cherry Communications, conducted the research.
Normally, it would undermine the credibility of a poll to find that it only tested voters in one political party. The media outlets which reports that the poll reflects the views of Alabama residents are misreporting the facts. Yet the poll of GOP voters does underscore the political realities of a state in which the Republican Party dominates; it shows how the majority of the state’s lawmakers are likely to vote.
Alabama State Lottery Poll
In the poll about establishing an Alabama State Lottery, 32% of Republican voters said the “Strongly Approve” the measure and 17% said they “Somewhat Approve” the bill. Thus, a full 50% of Alabama Republicans approve of a state lottery.
The same poll showed that 10% of Republicans “Somewhat Disapprove” of a state lottery, while 32% “Strongly Disapprove”. The remaining 8% are “Undecided” on the matter. The research shows a 50% to 42% support for an Alabama State Lottery, which has been voted down by Republicans in the State Legislature twice in the past year.
Expanded Casino Gambling Poll
When Cherry Communications asked Alabama’s GOP voters whether they supported an expansion of casino gambling, the poll showed that 22% “Strongly Approve” of such a measure, while 16% of those polled “Somewhat Approve” of more casino gambling.
Those Republicans who disapprove of casino gambling is much larger. A full 12% “Somewhat Disapprove” of casino gambling, while 41% of those surveyed said they “Strongly Disapprove”. The remaining 9% of GOP voters said they are “Undecided”. Thus, the numbers show a 38% to 53% tilt against an expansion of the number of casinos in Alabama, among Republicans.
Special Session to Discuss Lottery Gaming
The poll by the Alabama Forestry Association, which is one of the state’s most influential conservative groups, anticipates a move by Alabama Governor Robert Bentley to push a state lottery.
Gov. Robert Bentley (R) called a Special Session of the Alabama State Legislature in order to debate a comprehensive gambling bill. Robert Bentley is going to urge the legisators to approve an up-or-down vote on a state lottery.
That decision elicited a strong reaction from Alabama conservative leaders, who want to stop any expansion of gambling. The Alabama Citizens Action Program (ALCAP)’s director, Dr. Joe Godfrey, denounced a gambling bill and said ALCAP would oppose it.
ALCAP’s Opposition
ALCAP has been around since 1937, when leaders of the Baptist, Methodist, and Presbyterian churches of Alabama came together to form a temperance organization. ALCAP calls itself “Alabama’s moral compass”, so many Alabama residents take Dr. Godfrey serious when he warns that “illegal gambling is taking over this state“.
Whether Joe Godfrey is referring to the illegal online gambling which has proliferated in the Alabama in the absence of legalized gambling is uncertain. Underground economies tend to flourish when a popular activity is banned, such as drinking liquor in the Prohibition Era.
Given the context, it is more likely that Dr. Godfrey believes all forms of gambling are illegal, whatever the legal statutes say. Whatever the case, ALCAP is going to lobby against Gov. Bentley’s gambling proposal.
Rick Burgess on a State Lottery
Rick Burgess, an influential Christian conservative talk radio host, also plans to speak out against the gaming bill. Burgess says a lottery is a lazy way to raise revenues for the state. He calls on Alabama’s leaders to enact budget-cutting measures, preferring austerity and an end to services to measures which raise revenues.
Rick Burgess said of the states which have a lottery, “The states that do a lottery, you would think their streets would be paved with gold. You would think the teachers make all the money they’d ever want to make.”
He added, “You would think the children have the latest technology. You would think the children want for nothing. That’s not reality.”
Jabo Waggoner on Medicaid Funding
Not all Republican voices are against a state lottery. Republican State Senator Jabo Waggoner of Vestalia Hills said, “Historically, I’ve opposed them,” but Waggoner said he may vote in favor of a lottery refendum on the November 8 ballot.
Jabo Waggoner said his concern is funding for Medicaid. Without a state lottery, Alabama’s governing leaders must find a way to raise funds for the much-needed program.
In Sen. Waggoner’s thinking, enacting a lottery might be the most sensible way to help, especially considering that Alabama residents near the state’s borders often drive to Mississippi, Tennessee, Georgia, or Florida to buy lottery tickets. Proponents of a state lottery suggest that money would stay in Alabama, instead.
How a Refendum Vote Would Go
The last time Alabama’s voters were given a referendum on a state lottery, they voted down the measure 54% to 46%. Given that the culture and the lottery industry has changed in the past 17 years, that vote could go in a much different direction this time. That was before the Powerfall and Mega Millions multistate lottery associations were nationwide and offering half-a-billion dollar prizes.
Given the Alabama Forestry Association’s decision to cherry-pick voters for their poll, it’s an indication that a comprehensive statewide poll would show a much different result. While Democrats are in the minority in Alabama, they still represent a large voting bloc. In the 2014 Governors Race, 36.4% of the electorate voted for the Democrat. Democrats tend to have fewer moral qualms on issues like a state lottery than Republicans.
If you added in the Democrats’ polling numbers, the 50%-42% split on the state lottery would be much more in favor of the pro-state lottery proposition. The 38%-53% split against casino expansion also would be a much closer proposition. Thus, if Alabama’s conservative activists want to stop the legalization of the state lottery, they’ll need to stop the measure in the legislature, before Alabama voters ever have a chance to voice their opinion.
