KY-Gov: Beshear on Top by Double Digits

SurveyUSA for the Louisville Courier-Journal & WHAS11 (4/8-13, likely voters, no trendlines):

David Williams (R): 49

Phil Moffet (R): 14

Bobbie Holsclaw (R): 12

Undecided: 25

(MoE: ±4.4%)

Steve Beshear (D-inc): 51

David Williams (R): 39

Undecided: 10

Steve Beshear (D-inc): 54

Phil Moffet (R): 34

Undecided: 13

Steve Beshear (D-inc): 53

Bobbie Holsclaw (R): 34

Undecided: 13

(MoE: ±2.5%)

The Republican primary is just a month away – May 17th – and it’s hard to imagine state Senate President David Williams losing. But despite Kentucky’s dark red turn of late, the general election numbers show that incumbency and candidate quality really do matter. SUSA paints the most optimistic picture for Steve Beshear so far, but his 12-point lead is in line with what we’ve seen previously (PPP +9, Braun +10).

While I’d expect this race to tighten as we approach election day, it’s also worth noting that Williams went on the air with his first TV ad a couple of weeks ago, before this poll went into the field. I’m guessing the buy was fairly small and probably had a limited impact on his numbers, but the fact that he’s still in the 30s isn’t a good sign for Republicans. You never want to get too comfortable in a race like this, but Beshear is looking pretty good.

25 thoughts on “KY-Gov: Beshear on Top by Double Digits”

  1. I wonder if Kentucky voters are having a sense of “buyer’s remorse” in reverse to the teabagger Governors taking a popularity nose dive in Florida, Ohio, Michigan, and Wisconsin, and in turn inadvertently helping Dem Senators running for reelection in those states.

    Whether it’s that or something else, Beshear must be thanking his lucky stars the election is this year, and not 2010.

  2. I’d be interested to see polling with him added; he’s running as an independent. Yes, he’s kind of a gadfly/perennial candidate, but he’s staked out a position to the left of Beshear, so he could draw some votes. Plus he got 15% in 1999 on the Reform Party ticket.

  3. http://barefootandprogressive….

    Approval of the tea party in KY fell and is now even to the disapproval since last October.

    Full cross-tabs:

    Democrats

    Beshear- 73

    Williams- 19

    Republicans

    Beshear- 22

    Williams- 68

    Independents

    Beshear- 42

    Williams- 42

    Conservatives

    Beshear- 30

    Williams- 60

    Moderates

    Beshear- 66

    Williams- 27

    Liberals

    Beshear- 81

    Williams- 9

    Men

    Beshear- 48

    Williams- 44

    Women

    Beshear- 54

    Williams- 35

    Below 50 years old

    Beshear- 48

    Williams- 42

    50 or older

    Beshear- 53

    Williams- 37  

Comments are closed.