Thursday, October 02, 2008

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Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is still leading his Democratic challenger Bruce Lunsford in the latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of voters in Kentucky.

The incumbent Republican leads Lunsford 51% to 42%, down slightly from the 12-point lead he held in late July.

McConnell, who is seeking a fifth six-year term in the Senate had been viewed early in this election cycle as one of several vulnerable GOP senators. In May, Lunsford led by five points following his victory in the state’s Democratic Primary, but McConnell has been ahead ever since.

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Lunsford, who served as Kentucky’s Commerce secretary from 1980-1983, ran unsuccessfully for governor of the state in 2003 and 2007.

Rasmussen Reports will release the numbers on the presidential race from Kentucky at 5 pm Eastern today.

McConnell has the support of 88% of Kentucky’s Republicans while Lunsford is favored by 68% of Democrats. Unaffiliated voters give Lunsford the edge 47% to 36% (see crosstabs).

The Republican leads among men by 17 points but among women by just four points.

Fifty-six percent (56%) of Kentucky voters have at least a favorable view of McConnell, and 40% view him unfavorably. Lunsford is viewed favorably by 43%, unfavorably by 52%.

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While McConnell now seems safely on a course to reelection, many Republican Senate seats remain at risk, including ones in Alaska, New Hampshire, Oregon, New Mexico, Colorado, Mississippi, Minnesota, North Carolina and Virginia.

Thirty-seven percent (37%) of Kentucky voters give Democratic Governor Steve Beshear good or excellent marks for job performance, up four points from late July. Only 17% now say Beshear, who unsuccessfully challenged McConnell for his Senate seat in 1996, is doing a poor job. This is a drop of 11 points from the previous survey.

See survey questions and toplines. Crosstabs are available to Premium Members only.