Incumbent Gov. Kathleen Sebelius has opened up her biggest lead to date in Kansas’ gubernatorial election. The latest Rasmussen Reports election survey shows Sebelius leading Republican challenger Jim Barnett 56% to 37% (see crosstabs). The governor’s lead was 11 points in our August survey. The last time she reached the 50% realm was July.

Throughout the campaign, Barnett has been in an uphill battle against a very popular incumbent. Overall, 69% of voters approve of Sebelius’ job performance; more than one-third (37%) say they “strongly approve.”

Thirty-eight percent (38%) of voters surveyed say they have “very favorable” opinions of Sebelius, a score that is 20 points higher than those who say them same about Barnett (18%.) Ten percent (10%) have “very unfavorable” views of the governor and 13% feel the same way about her challenger.

Seventy percent (70%) of Kansas voters report following the new about former Congressman Mark Foley closely, but 58% say the issue is not an important one in influencing their votes in November.

Thirty-seven percent (37%) believe inappropriate relationships between members of Congress and their staffs are common. Thirty-eight percent (38%) say they’re not and 25% are undecided.

A plurality of voters (36%) rates the Republican leadership’s handling of the Foley situation as “poor.” However, when asked how Democrats would have responded if Foley was a Democrat, 51% say “about the same.”

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