Poll: Dem challengers lead or statistically tie GOP governor of Kentucky

Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin (R) is either losing to or is tied with two different Democratic opponents ahead of his 2019 reelection bid, according to a new Mason-Dixon poll released Tuesday.

Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear and State House Minority Leader Rocky Adkins have already announced they will run for governor of the Bluegrass State.

{mosads}Beshear has a 48 percent to 40 percent lead over Bevin among registered voters, with 12 percent undecided in that matchup. Adkins has a one-point lead, 42 percent to 41 percent, within the margin of error, with 17 percent undecided.

Bevin is unpopular in Kentucky, according to the poll, with only 38 percent of registered voters approving of the job he is doing, while 53 percent disapprove. He was viewed favorably by a 45-41 percent margin in 2017. 

However, Bevin trailed his Democratic opponent for much of the 2015 race, but was able to take and hold the lead in the final weeks. 

“Given this recent history, it is far from over for Bevin,” the pollsters wrote in the study. “However, Beshear is a formidable opponent who won four years ago in a GOP-friendly state election.”

“Bevin will need a boost out of the upcoming legislative session, hope that the national Democratic trend coming out of the 2018 mid-term ebbs and that Beshear makes some mistakes,” they added.

The governor could also be boosted by an endorsement from President Trump, who won Kentucky by nearly 30 points in 2016 and remains popular there. Registered Kentucky voters view the president favorably by a 46 percent to 37 percent margin, with 17 percent saying they’re neutral.

Bevin has cast himself as a Trump ally, and the president called him “a terrific man and a terrific governor” in November. 

Mason-Dixon surveyed 625 registered Kentucky voters from Dec. 12-15. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent.