Rand Paul and Attorney General Jack Conway are neck and neck in the Kentucky Senate race, both candidates have 43% of the vote. Four months out from the election 14% of voters are undecided.

Conway has low name recognition.  40% of voters say they don’t have an opinion on the Democratic candidate, including 35% of Democratic voters. Voters have a stronger opinion of Paul, 42% of voters have an unfavorable opinion of Paul. 56% of Democrats dislike the Republican candidate suggesting that voters may be voting against Paul, not for Conway.

National media attention has helped Paul gain visibility, but not popularity. Kentucky voters said that national media coverage has made them less likely to vote for the Republican candidate 38 to 29, 33% said it made no difference. 

“The nation’s interest in Rand Paul’s personality has helped Conway gain supporters,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “But if Conway wants to win the election he needs to earn the votes of Kentuckians, especially within his own party, based on his own merits.”

PPP surveyed 625 Kentucky voters from June 28-30.  The survey’s margin of error is +/- 3.9%.  Other factors, such as refusal to be interviewed and weighting, may introduce additional error that is more difficult to quantify.

If you would like an interview regarding this release, please contact Dean Debnam at (888) 621-6988 or 919-880-4888.

Topline results are below. Full results, including crosstabs, can be found here.

Q1 Do you approve or disapprove of President
Barack Obama’s job performance? If you
approve, press 1. If you disapprove, press 2.
If you’re not sure, press 3.
Approve …………………………………………………. 37%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 58%
Not Sure…………………………………………………. 5%

Q2 Do you support or oppose President Obama’s
health care plan, or do you not have an
opinion? If you support it, press 1. If you
oppose it, press 2. If you don’t have an opinion,
press 3.
Support ………………………………………………….. 31%
Oppose ………………………………………………….. 60%
No Opinion……………………………………………… 9%

Q3 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Jack Conway? If favorable, press 1. If
unfavorable, press 2. If you’re not sure, press
3.
Favorable……………………………………………….. 31%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 29%
Not Sure…………………………………………………. 40%

Q4 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Rand Paul? If favorable, press 1. If
unfavorable, press 2. If you’re not sure, press
3.
Favorable……………. 34%
Unfavorable ………… 42%
Not Sure……………… 24%

Q5 If the candidates for US Senate this fall were
Democrat Jack Conway and Republican Rand
Paul, who would you vote for? If Jack Conway,
press 1. If Rand Paul, press 2. If you’re
undecided, press 3.
Conway………………………………………………….. 43%
Paul ………………………………………………………. 43%
Undecided………………………………………………. 14%

Q6 Has the national media coverage of Rand
Paul’s views made you more or less likely to
vote for him? If more likely, press 1. If less
likely, press 2. If it makes no difference, press
3.
More Likely …………………………………………….. 29%
Less Likely ……………………………………………… 38%
No Difference………………………………………….. 33%

Q7 Do you think the media is treating Rand Paul
fairly? If yes, press 1. If no, press 2. If you’re
not sure, press 3.
Yes ……………………………………………………….. 36%
No …………………………………………………………. 42%
Not Sure…………………………………………………. 23%

Q8 Do you think that Rand Paul is too liberal, too
conservative, or about right? If too liberal,
press 1. If too conservative, press 2. If about
right, press 3. If you’re not sure, press 4.
Too Liberal……………………………………………… 16%
Too Conservative…………………………………….. 26%
About Right …………………………………………….. 45%
Not Sure…………………………………………………. 13%

Q9 Do you think that Jack Conway is too liberal,
too conservative, or about right? If too liberal,
press 1. If too conservative, press 2. If about
right, press 3. If you’re not sure, press 4.
Too Liberal……………………………………………… 36%
Too Conservative…………………………………….. 7%
About Right …………………………………………….. 42%
Not Sure…………………………………………………. 15%

Q10 Do you support the Civil Rights Act of 1964? If
yes, press 1. If no, press 2. If you’re not sure,
press 3.
Yes ……………………………………………………….. 68%
No …………………………………………………………. 7%
Not Sure…………………………………………………. 25%

Q11 When it comes to serving customers, do you
think the law should allow private businesses
to discriminate on the basis of race? If yes,
press 1. If no, press 2. If you’re not sure,
press 3.
Yes ……………………………………………………….. 9%
No …………………………………………………………. 83%
Not Sure…………………………………………………. 8%

Q12 Do you think private businesses should be
required by law to be accessible to employees
and customers who are physically disabled? If
yes, press 1. If no, press 2. If you’re not sure,
press 3.
Yes ……………………………………………………….. 68%
No …………………………………………………………. 19%
Not Sure…………………………………………………. 13%

Q13 Who did you vote for President last year? If
John McCain, press 1. If Barack Obama, press
2. If someone else or you don’t remember,
press 3.
McCain…………………………………………………… 53%
Obama…………………………………………………… 38%
Someone Else/Don’t Remember………………… 9%

Q14 Would you describe yourself as a liberal,
moderate, or conservative? If liberal, press 1. If
moderate, press 2. If conservative, press 3.
Liberal ……………………………………………………. 12%
Moderate………………………………………………… 41%
Conservative…………………………………………… 47%

Q15 If you are a woman, press 1, if a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 55%
Man……………………………………………………….. 45%

Q16 If you are a Democrat, press 1. If you are a
Republican, press 2. If you are an independent
or identify with another party, press 3.
Democrat ……………………………………………….. 52%
Republican……………………………………………… 37%
Independent/Other……………………………….. 11%

Q17 If you are white, press one now. If you are
African-American, press two now. If other,
press 3.
White …………………………………………………….. 89%
African-American …………………………………….. 8%
Other……………………………………………………… 3%

Q18 If you are 18 to 29 years old, press 1 now. If
you are 30 to 45, press 2. If you are 46 to 65,
press 3. If older, press 4.
18 to 29………………………………………………….. 10%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 24%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 42%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 24%