Poll: McConnell’s approval in Kentucky at 18 percent

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has an 18 percent job approval rating in Kentucky, according to a new survey.

A Public Policy Polling survey found just 18 percent of respondents approve of the job McConnell is doing, compared with 74 percent who disapprove.

If McConnell were up for reelection today, 37 percent of respondents said they would vote for the Kentucky Republican. Another 44 percent would instead choose a Democratic opponent, according to the survey.

An additional 19 percent said they were unsure.

McConnell’s seat will be on the ballot next in 2020.

Earlier this month, President Trump took aim at McConnell after the Kentucky Republican vented about the president’s “excessive expectations” for his agenda.

Trump questioned why McConnell had not yet been able to pass a new healthcare plan and Trump’s top spokeswoman said there is “some frustration” with the Senate leader.

{mosads}The poll also finds that just 27 percent of respondents approved of the Senate GOP’s healthcare bill that collapsed last month. 

Nearly half, 49 percent of respondents, disapproved of the legislation.

President Trump has an approval rating of 60 percent in Kentucky. Slightly more than one-third of respondents, 36 percent, disapprove of the job the president is doing.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) has a job approval rating of 39 percent, while 47 percent disapprove of the job Paul is doing. In a potential matchup, 50 percent of respondents said they would vote for Paul, while another 38 percent would choose a Democratic opponent. Paul was reelected in 2016, with his seat on the ballot again in 2022.

The poll was conducted from Aug. 15-16 among 645 Kentucky voters.