Siegelman: polls show that Alabama voters “don’t want a woman controlling the National Guard"

From the Tuscaloosa News:

Siegelman also said that Hurricane Katrina, which has put a spotlight on Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco, could play a role in his race against Baxley, the state’s first female lieutenant governor.

“Pre-Katrina, we were running about seven or eight points ahead of Lucy," he said. “Post-Katrina, we were running 12 points ahead of Lucy."

Siegelman said his poll numbers are higher because surveys by the Alabama Education Association and other organizations raised questions about a female chief executive.

He said the polls show that Alabama voters “don’t want a woman controlling the National Guard" and other functions of state government.

“So post-Katrina, the AEA numbers [for Baxley] were, quote, 'falling like a rock,’ end of quotes," he said.

If he keeps saying stuff like that, he'll be lucky to get his wife to vote for him. It looks like he may have made up the numbers, anyway:

But Gerald Johnson, the director of the Capitol Survey Research Center, the AEA polling arm, contradicted Siegelman on Tuesday.

“Every poll shows that Riley has a substantial lead over Moore in the Republican primary and the Democratic primary is competitive," Johnson said.

While he would not say how competitive that race is in poll numbers, Johnson said, “No," when asked if Siegelman was indeed 12 points ahead of Baxley.