Tolbert And Cook Predict Ellington, Jeffress In Run-offs

Talk Business bloggers Jason Tolbert and Michael Cook squared off to discuss the results of the May 22 primaries, the match-ups in the June 12 run-offs, and the political climate heading into November.

Cook and Tolbert expect Scott Ellington to win the First District Congressional run-off race, and both men said they think Jeffress is well-positioned to win the run-off in the Fourth.

Name recognition carried the day for both Ellington and Jeffress, said Cook. “Good old-fashioned name recognition helped Gene Jeffress – he's kind of the one to beat in this runoff,” Cook said.

“I would put money on Ellington probably winning this thing in the run-off,” he added.

Tolbert said the Congressional races weren't the driver of voter turnout activity in May and they won't be in June either.

“I think what we really saw was this was a low turnout primary and it was the down-the-ballot races — the races for sheriff, the races for the state legislature — that were driving the turnout, not these Congressional races,” Tolbert said.

“June is going to be a smaller turnout,” said Tolbert, who predicted Ellington and Jeffress were likely to win. “Those State Senate runoffs, those State Representative runoffs – that will drive the turnout.”

Our two Talk Business bloggers also discussed Tom Cotton's GOP primary victory, Republican confidence/overconfidence heading into the general election, and predictions for the statehouse races in November.

Watch their video discussion at this link.