With a huge voter backlash to Democrat Jack Conway’s ad criticizing his opponent’s college antics and questioning his religious faith, Republican Rand Paul has now taken a 12-point lead in Kentucky’s bitter U.S. Senate race.
The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters in the state, taken Wednesday night, shows Paul with 53% support to Conway’s 41%. Two percent (2%) prefer some other candidate in the race, and four percent (4%) are undecided.
After narrowing somewhat last week, the race moves back to where it’s been for most of the year. As a result, it’s moving back from Leans Republican to Solid Republican in the Rasmussen Reports Election 2010 Senate Balance of Power rankings. In 12 surveys prior to last week, Paul had led by seven to 15 points each time, earning 46% to 59% of the vote. Conway, Kentucky’s current attorney general, picked up 34% to 42% support in those same surveys.