Unpopular McConnell Can’t Shake Grimes, Another Poll Brings Bad News for Mitch

[babylonsister]

http://www.politicususa.com/2013/12/17/unpopular-mcconnell-shake-grimes-poll-brings-bad-news-mitch.html

Unpopular McConnell Can’t Shake Grimes, Another Poll Brings Bad News for Mitch
By: Keith Brekhus
Tuesday, December, 17th, 2013, 3:42 pm



A Public Policy Polling (PPP) survey conducted from December 12th through December 15th, brings more bad news for the Mitch McConnell camp. The poll finds that Mitch McConnell is despised by Kentucky voters, with 31 percent approving of his job performance and 61 percent disapproving of his performance. The survey found that Mitch McConnell has become almost as unpopular as Barack Obama in the deep red state. Obama sports an identical 31 percent approval rating, while 64 percent of Kentucky voters disapprove of how Obama is handling the presidency. Even Kentucky’s favorable Republican tilt may not be enough to save the Senate Minority Leader come next November. Although Kentucky went handily Republican in 2012, choosing Mitt Romney by a whopping 61-38 percent margin over Barack Obama, Mitch McConnell is unable to shake his Democratic opponent, Alison Lundergan Grimes.

The Senate race is a toss up with McConnell clinging to an uninspiring 43-42 lead over Grimes. Perhaps even more embarrassing for the Senator, he does no better against Grimes than does his Tea Party challenger in the GOP, businessman Matt Bevin. Bevin also leads Grimes by a mere point, 39-38 percent. Mitch McConnell can no longer credibly describe himself as more electable than Bevin. While Bevin’s 13-23 favorability rating is under water, it is not nearly as awful as McConnell’s dreadful 31-61 approval spread. In addition, many voters have no opinion of Bevin yet, so he has more room to grow in popularity. McConnell, on the other hand is well known, and Kentucky voters do not like what they see.

Grimes’ favorability numbers are closer to even, with 31 percent of voters having a favorable opinion of her compared to 37 percent with an unfavorable opinion and another 32 percent unsure. Like Bevin, she has room to grow in popularity. With under a third of the Kentucky electorate approving of Mitch McConnell’s job performance, the Senator’s political future is very cloudy. Over 3/5ths of Kentucky voters are not happy with McConnell and Alison Lundergan Grimes offers them a credible Democratic alternative.

Compounding McConnell’s difficulties, he must also survive a GOP primary versus Matt Bevin, just to have an opportunity to face Grimes in the general election. While McConnell is expected to win the Republican primary, he does enjoy only 47 percent approval within his own party in Kentucky, so he certainly cannot take that primary race for granted. After serving nearly three decades in the US Senate, Mitch McConnell has given the voters in Kentucky plenty of time to evaluate his performance. The voters have seen enough and in 2014 they may force him out in either the primary or the general election.

[Dawson Leery]

1. Turtle is a senior senator, leader of his caucus, from a red state,

yet he is in deep trouble. This should not be happening. The fact that it is shows how weak he is as a public servant.

[YOHABLO]

20. What do you mean ''Ths should not be happening" of course it should.

[Dawson Leery]

27. Conservative Rethug, Conservative state.

The Turtle should be leading by 10 points at minimum.
The fact that he is tied with a pro-choice Democrat means he is in deep trouble.

[yeoman6987]

32. Mitch

I don't think he will win the primary and Bevins will be the candidate. If that is the case, it will be a much tougher election. I hope that McConnell wins the primary and have Grimes win the General.

[Laelth]

2. k&r for exposure. n/t

-Laelth

[okaawhatever]

3. For those who don't have a competitive race in their district or state, this may be a race you want

to donate to. The Blevins guy is way to the right of Mitch. It's serious danger with national implications either way. Her webbsite is AlisonforKentucky.com or .org. Her father was a longtime state Democratic leader for the party. She's a true "blue blood".

[Tarheel_Dem]

4. Make him sweat, Alison!

[loudsue]

5. I can't see VERY conservative Kentucky tossing out a republican, no matter how bad

he is.

I don't know what it's going to take to turn Kentucky blue. A miracle, I imagine. I just wish it was soon.

[AlinPA]

6. Agree, it looks like a long shot but she looks like good candidate. The 10's of millions

that he will get from billionaires will hurt.

[loudsue]

7. Isn't this one of the races that Elizabeth Warren is funneling money to?

I would LOVE to turn Kentucky blue!!

[hfojvt]

10. Why not?

It happened in SD and ND and it does not get much redder than ND. Sebelius won two Governor's races in Kansas.

[loudsue]

13. That may be cause for optimism. I really do hope so.

You're right about ND....those folks up there are waaaaay to the right, and they did good.

Keeping my fingers crossed.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

22. Don't they have a Dem Governor?

[loudsue]

24. Yes! Actually they have a pretty good Dem governor!

I forgot about him! And he's pretty good!

[negoldie]

28. Grimes and Dems

Kentucky has twice as many registered dems as thugs. The Senate is controlled by Republicans but dems hold both the house and the governorship. The republicans think they can take the house next year and the governor's mansion the year after that as well. This Kentuckian will do their level best to prevent it.
Grimes has a real chance of winning. Her family has great relations with the Clinton's (Grimes is a blue dog but damn near anyone would be better than mcturtle) so expect a lot of Bill and Hillary visits to the state. Bill won Kentucky twice.....thanks to that Perot guy. Bill and Hillary are both well liked here in Kentucky and will probably make the difference.

[Dopers_Greed]

8. Let's hope for a bruising primary for McTurtle

I'm ready for it to start

[Berlum]

9. All the RepubliWankers have lied to Americans so often and so shamelessly, that

RepubliWankers like Mittchy McC and his cronies have no cred. No one trusts them any more.

People in Kentucky and across the Fruited Plains get it now: Republicons have been lying their asses off for years. That systematic and toxic pattern of deceit has -- finally -- grown unbearable.

[K lib]

11. Money

teabagger candidates or primary challengers are going to get less campaign contributions from the Kochs, wall street, and corporations because they almost shutdown the government. Seems like the strategy going forward is for the repukes to throw these nuts out. This reduces the Democrats chance of regaining the House in competitive districts because it is less likely a tea baggers will win in a primary.

[tblue37]

14. The Kochs were funding the Teabaggers against the Wall Street establishment guys.

That's why the baggers felt they could safely thumb their noses at the traditional funders' demands that they not shut things down or default on the debt.

[K lib]

18. Monster out of control

the Kochs can no longer control the monster they created

[Iliyah]

12. I remember SC elections

and the GOPers fell in line and voted for the goper just because of the R by his name, so, here's hoping that Dems will come out in full force.

[OKNancy]

15. I wonder if the success of the ACA and the Dem governor will help

elect more Democrats there? You would think so.

[The Wizard]

16. Mitch holds enough power

to rig a close election. Any Democrat needs a five point lead in the polls to avoid plausible deniability in any vote rigging.

[AlinPA]

26. He will have many tens of millions in cash too. (BTW, make that at least a 10 point lead)

Lets hope despite his cash that she will appeal to enough people to surprise him.

[spanone]

17. if either one of these cretins 'win's' it's a loss to kentucky

[Skip Intro]

19. If he lost the primary, would he pull a Lieberman and run indy?

That situation could user in the Dem. Otherwise, Either Mitch or his Repub opponent will win, imo.

[jessie04]

21. Enjoy your retirement , Mitch.

[Liberal_in_LA]

23. good

[Cha]

25. Smart Kentucky Voters! I can't imagine Obamacare brought to them

by Gov Steve Beshear is helping Mitch's cause, either.


http://theobamadiary.com/2013/12/07/rise-and-shine-690/

[El Shaman]

29. Mitch,

you need to retire (just taking up space) go to China - I hear they do great great 'Gobbler' tucks there!! Don't forget the Mrs. !!!

[El Shaman]

30. Wow!!

Three decades of waste and 'pork barreling' !!You go granny McConnell!!

[Initech]

31. Please Kentucky vote this asshole out of office!