For nearly two decades, John Kennedy (originally elected in 1999 as a Democrat, and almost a decade later he switched to the Republican Party) has served as Louisiana’s State Treasurer. He was recently (in the December 2016 runoff) elected to the U.S. Senate, and a special election is being called in October to fill this vacant position.

This is one of several races that will be on the October 14 ballot, and JMC was engaged to poll this race. Three Republicans (Republican State Senator Neil Riser from Caldwell Parish, former state representative John Schroder from Covington, and former Commissioner of Administration Angele Davis from Baton Rouge) and Democratic attorney Derrick Edwards of New Orleans have announced, and these names (as well as Democratic Speaker Pro Tempore Walt Leger III of New Orleans) were ballot tested. In addition, the poll gauged their name recognition.

The poll can be viewed here, and there are three main takeaways: (1) None of the candidates have an especially high name recognition with the primary election three months away, (2) If the Democratic vote stays united behind a single Democratic candidate, that vote alone would guarantee a November runoff slot for that candidate, and (3) none of the announced Republican candidates have an electoral advantage right now.