Pollster Reveals to National TV Audience How Church Attendance Could Affect Alabama Senate Race
Jun 06, 2026
Byline: American Pulse Staff
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Over the weekend, in-studio on NEWSMAX’s Saturday Agenda, host Rob Astorino had on Dustin Olson, lead pollster and Managing Partner at American Pulse Research & Polling, to shed light on key primaries across the country, including the Alabama U.S. Senate runoff between Barry Moore and Jared Hudson.
The conversation focused on President Trump’s endorsement of Congressman Barry Moore and whether high-profile primary endorsements still move voters. Olson said Trump maintains his strong record of endorsing winners, but emphasized that based on American Pulse’s extensive political polling and U.S. Senate race survey research this cycle, the endorsement is only as powerful as the campaign’s ability to make sure Republican primary voters know about it.
“In our polling, it is very clear the president’s endorsement has an impact,” Olson said. “But people do not know about it unless you spend lots of money.”
Olson noted that simply posting an endorsement on Truth Social is not enough to shape a race. The endorsed candidate has to use the endorsement effectively, which usually requires a large advertising budget. Moore, he said, spent significant resources to make sure voters knew about the endorsement in the primary, which helped him win the primary and advance to the runoff.
At the same time, Olson pointed to Jared Hudson’s durable support in the race. Hudson, a Navy SEAL, has built a compelling profile with voters who, according to Olson, showed loyal support in American Pulse polling.
“It’s not surprising to me that he beat the attorney general to get into the runoff,” Olson said.
Olson also highlighted the importance of “faith voters” in Alabama’s Republican primary electorate. In American Pulse polling, nearly three-quarters of primary voters reported attending church once or more per month—a group Hudson appears to be reaching.
The takeaway: Trump’s endorsement still matters in Republican primaries, but campaigns cannot assume voters will hear about it automatically. In a state like Alabama, where faith, biography, and conservative credibility all play major roles, paid communication and voter awareness may determine whether an endorsement becomes decisive.
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