Rand Paul's Challenge: Holding on to the Republican Vote

Secretary of State Trey Grayson, who was trounced in Kentucky's GOP senate primary by Tea Party favorite Rand Paul, said during the campaign, "Democrats are salivating to run against a guy who can be portrayed as anti-farmer, anti-teacher and anti-Kentucky."

Polling during the primary race gives some support to that view. But what also might work against Paul is that while Grayson, the candidate of his party's establishment, mustered only 35 percent of the vote, that may represent a chunk of Republicans that will bail out on Paul, given the fact that there was no love lost between the two camps.

Public Policy Polling reported Tuesday that 53 percent of Grayson voters had an unfavorable opinion of Paul while only 23 percent saw him favorably. Forty-three percent said they will not support Paul in the general election while 40 percent say they will.

PPP's general election match-ups showed Grayson doing measurably better than Paul against Attorney General Jack Conway who squeaked by Lt. Gov. Dan Mongiardo in the Democratic senatorial primary.

Grayson led Conway 42 percent to 34 percent with 24 percent undecided while Rand was in a statistical tie with him, leading the Democrat 41 percent to 40 percent with 19 percent undecided.

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