A new poll on the race for Kentucky governor shows Democrat Jack Conway with a five-point lead over Republican Matt Bevin.
The poll conducted by the West Kentucky University Social Science Research Center says Conway leads Bevin 45 to 40 percent. Independent candidate Drew Curtis has seven percent support while eight percent are still undecided.
Research Center Director Joel Turner says Bevin continues to have a slightly lower favorability rating.
“If I remember correctly, his likeability was 36 unfavorable which is higher than it was in other polls," said Turner. "I think it points to this rash of ads from the Conway camp, especially the not paying your taxes point, the old McConnell line about being an east-coast con man.”
Turner says Bevin is not doing as well as he needs to among conservatives.
“I think it speaks to the fact that a lot of democrats in the state still consider themselves conservatives from an ideological standpoint. He’s not doing as well with that group as perhaps he needs to.”
Bevin’s campaign, meanwhile, has tried to tie Conway to President Obama.
The same poll gives Mr. Obama just a 35 percent approval rating in Kentucky.
The poll questioned 770 likely Kentucky voters between October 19th and 25th.
The margin of error is plus-or-minus three-and-a-half percentage points.