As Kentucky voters prepare to go to the polls next week, they appear ready to elect a new Governor. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey shows former Lt. Governor Steven Beshear (D) leading incumbent Governor Ernie Fletcher (R) 54% to 39% in the 2007 Kentucky Governor’s race (see crosstabs).

As the general election campaign began, a Rasmussen Reports poll conducted in May found Beshear leading by a similar margin.

Twenty-one percent (21%) of Kentucky voters have Very Favorable opinion of Governor Fletcher while 32% have a Very Unfavorable opinion. Those figures are up from 15% and 23% respectively when the campaign began.

For Beshear, 30% have a Very Favorable opinion while 13% express a Very Unfavorable opinion. In May, Beshear’s numbers were 17% Very Favorable and 8% Very Unfavorable.

Thirty-four percent (34%) of voters say that Fletcher is doing a good or excellent job as Governor and an equal number say he is doing a poor job. Thirty-two percent (32%) offer a more neutral assessment and say the current Governor is doing a fair job.

Fletcher, elected in 2003 on a promise to "clean up the mess in Frankfort", was indicted a year ago in an alleged scheme to reward political supporters with protected state jobs. Fletcher called the indictment a political witch hunt and the indictment was dismissed in a negotiated settlement with prosecutors.

Beshear, a lawyer and veteran politician, has not had his name on a general election ballot since he lost a Senate race to Mitch McConnell in 1996. Other survey data shows that McConnell may be somewhat vulnerable in his bid for re-election.

Thirty-six percent (36%) of Kentucky voters say that President George W. Bush is doing a good or excellent job while 46% rate his performance as poor. Those figures mark a significant decline from May when 45% said he was doing a good or an excellent job. Bush won Kentucky’s Electoral Votes twice by winning 57% of the popular vote in 2000 and 60% in 2004. President Bill Clinton won the state twice in the 1990s, but he never received more than 46% of the popular vote.

Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton is competitive with leading Republicans in the race for Kentucky’s Electoral College Votes in 2008. Keep up with the latest on Election 2008 with the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll. Rasmussen Reports also provides ongoing updates of general election match-ups and other key stats for all Democratic and Republican Presidential candidates.

See survey questions and top-line results. Crosstabs are available for Premium Members only.