Rand Paul Leads in Bid for Kentucky GOP Senate Nomination

Rand Paul, son of Texas Rep. Ron Paul, leads Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson by 44 percent to 25 percent with 32 percent undecided in the race for the GOP nomination to succeed retiring Republican Sen. Jim Bunning, according to a Public Policy Polling survey conducted Dec. 18-21.

Paul is winning the votes of conservatives by a 47-20 margin and leads 54 percent to 18 percent among GOP voters who believe that the Republican Party in Washington has become too liberal. Grayson holds a 36-34 lead with moderates. Conservatives make up 71 percent of the sample and moderates account for 27 percent.

Paul, an eye surgeon, appears to be somewhat more recognizable to voters than Grayson. Sixty-four percent of Republican voters did not know enough about Grayson to express a favorable or unfavorable opinion of him, while 48 percent were in that category for Rand.

On the Democratic side, Attorney General Jack Conway leads Lt. Gov. Dan Mongiardo in a primary match-up by 37 percent to 33 percent with 30 percent undecided. The margin of error is 4.2 points.