The blue-sugared, donkey-shaped "Dough-Bama" donut has taken a slim lead over its red-topped "Mitt Yum-ney" rival in the first announced results of the 2012 LaMar's Presidential Donut Poll.

Sales to date of the Dough-Bama treat – representing President Barack Obama – lead those of the elephant-shaped Mitt Yum-ney – the pastry stand-in for Republican nominee Mitt Romney – by a margin of 51.5% to 48.5%.


The unscientific poll reflects sales of the two gourmet donuts since Sept. 1 in LaMar's Donuts in six Midwestern, Western and Southern states. Coincidentally, current polls in the real presidential race show Obama leading by a range of from 2 to 7%.

As election day draws nearer, LaMar's will track and announce further poll results on its website atwww.Lamars.com.

"With a margin this narrow, it's still an open race," says Kayde Pierce, spokesperson for LaMar's Donuts. "As we all know, tastes in politicians and pastries change regularly."

The donut poll was also close in the 2008 election, when the Dough-Bama garnered 52% of sales against the "McCandyCain" donut, standing in for Republican nominee John McCain. Obama won the real election with a nearly identical share of the popular vote: 53.7%.

This year, donut-voter turnout and demographics may affect the poll significantly.

"Our locations report that many presidential-donut eaters are under the age of 10," Pierce says. "Because the Mitt Yum-ney is considerably larger, size may matter more than political philosophy."

The donuts will be sold through Oct. 31, with sales proceeds benefitting the Colorado and Kansas City chapters of the Alzheimer's Association.