SUSA Poll Shows McConnell Up

The SurveyUSA Poll, linked by Mark Hebert, shows that Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell's approval rating rose four percent last month -- his highest since June. This is significant because the SUSA Poll tends to underestimate Republican support; it represents a worst case scenario for GOP candidates.

The poll shows that 52 percent of Kentuckians approve of McConnell. Even among Democrats, McConnell's approval rating is 42 percent, with only six percent undecided.

McConnell has no gender gap -- none. His support is roughly even among all age groups, just slightly higher among 35-54 year olds, who constitute the largest block of voters in Kentucky. McConnell leads by a comfortable margin in every region of Kentucky except Louisville, where his approval rating is 44 percent; 45 percent disapprove, and 10 percent are undecided.

Page One's reaction to the poll says it all:

What was that about him being woah vulnerable? What was that about all the awesome, amazing grassroots smoking him out of his Republican hole? . . . We have to face the facts. And unless something drastic happens, McConnell wins in November.

Of those polled, 78 percent ranked terrorism as the most important issue facing the next president, followed by immigration (67 percent). That bodes well for John McCain carrying Kentucky.

Perhaps the biggest loser in the SUSA Poll is the Courier-Journal. Notwithstanding that paper's relentless editorializing against McConnell, his support actually increased.