Poll: Grimes leads McConnell by 2 points

A new poll shows Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes (D) slightly leading Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) in the state’s Senate race. 

Grimes leads McConnell 48 percent-46 percent among voters leaning toward one of the two candidates, according to a survey released Thursday by Democratic-leaning firm Public Policy Polling (PPP). 

Breaking down that division of support, 41 percent said they feel strongly they would vote for Grimes if the election were held today, 5 percent had a weak feeling they’d vote for her and 2 percent leaned toward Grimes. 

Thirty-seven percent, by contrast, said they had a strong feeling they would vote for McConnell, 7 percent had a weak feeling they’d vote for him and 2 percent said they lean toward voting for him. 

{mosads}Six percent of voters said they are undecided. 

Among independents, 56 percent said they would likely vote for Grimes, while 30 percent said they would back McConnell.

Just over half of voters said they would be more likely to vote for a candidate who wants to stop President Obama from “waging a war on coal.” Grimes has said she opposes those efforts, and has even blamed McConnell for the administration’s coal rules. 

Nearly half of voters said they would be much more likely to vote for the candidate who wants to raise the minimum wage. McConnell has opposed hiking the minimum wage, while Grimes supports it.

Forty-six percent said they would be much more likely to vote for a candidate who wants to repeal and replace ObamaCare, something McConnell advocates. Just over a quarter said they would be much less likely to vote for a candidate who would repeal and replace the healthcare law. Grimes hasn’t been clear about how she would have voted for the legislation, but has said she would fix problems with the law.

The race between Grimes and McConnell is shaping up to be one of the year’s most competitive contests.

The poll surveyed 682 Kentucky voters from June 20-22 and had a 3.8 percentage point margin of error.