Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., holds a massive lead over current and potential primary opponents, and holds a high job performance rating from likely Republican primary voters in the Volunteer State, according to an internal poll provided exclusively to CQ Roll Call.

Alexander leads recently announced primary opponent Joe Carr 64 percent to 22 percent, according to the poll conducted by North Star Opinion Research.

Alexander leads other potential primary opponents by similar margins:

  • Against Knoxville Mayor Tim Burchett, Alexander leads 62 percent to 23 percent, according to the poll.
  • Against attorney Kevin Kookogey, Alexander leads 69 percent to 15 percent, according to the poll.
  • And against Brenda Lenard, Alexander leads 69 percent to 16 percent, according to the poll.
The two-term senator has recently come under fire from some tea party groups, who say they are unhappy about Alexander’s work with his Democratic colleagues. However the poll found that the vast majority of Republican primary voters in Tennessee approve of the job Alexander is doing in Congress, including 57 percent of self-identified tea party voters.
The poll — conducted by North Star Opinion Research — surveyed 600 likely Republican primary voters via live action phone calls between Aug. 19 and Aug. 22. It has a margin of error of 4 points.

The Tennessee Senate race is rated a Safe Republican contest by Rothenberg Political Report/Roll Call.