US Senate

The Susan B. Anthony List, an anti-abortion organization, is targeting Democratic U.S. Sen. candidate Bruce Lunsford, of Louisville, with a radio buy.

Reports filed yesterday by the organization with the Federal Election Commission indicate the group is putting $51,600 into the media buy.

Joy Yearout, political director for the group, said an ad is airing on Christian radio stations in Kentucky, and notes it focuses on Lunsford's "history of opposing Kentucky's fetal homicide bill."

In the minute-long spot, the voices of two women conversing at Lunch are played when "that Bruce Lunsford fellow" is mentioned by one.

"Apparently, Bruce Lunsford doesn't think a criminal that attacked a pregnant woman and killed her unborn baby should be charged with the baby's murder," says one of the actors in the ad.

The rollercoaster poll performance of the candidates in Kentucky's U.S. Senate race continues today, as a new survey from Rasmussen Reports indicates U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Louisville) is holding a nine point lead over challenger Bruce Lunsford (D-Louisville). While Lunsford has narrowed the margin in polls from that firm, the numbers show a different scenario for the Democrat than two recent polls which showed him in a closer race with the incumbent.

Rasmussen's poll of 500 "likely" voters, conducted on Sept. 30, gives McConnell a 51 to 42 percent lead over Lunsford, with 2 percent of respondents choosing "other" - though no other candidates are on the ballot - and 5 percent indicating they were "not sure" of their choice.

Rasmussens's last poll of the Kentucky race, from late July, have McConnell a 12 point lead, 50 to 38 percent. Since that survey, however, other firms have shown the state swinging towards Lunsford. SurveyUSA recently gave McConnell just a three point lead in a poll conducted from Sept. 21 to 22, and Mason-Dixon Polling conducted from Sept. 22 to 25 found McConnell with just a one point lead.

Shortly after a SurveyUSA poll showed the margin in Kentucky's U.S. Senate race shrinking dramatically, a new poll commissioned by the Louisville Courier-Journal finds Louisville Democrat Bruce Lunsford and U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Louisville) statistically tied.

The survey of 717 likely voters - conducted by Mason-Dixon polling - showed each candidate collecting 41 percent support from respondents. The Courier-Journal reports that including "leaners" in the results gives McConnell a one-point edge, 45 to 44 percent.

The poll was conducted from Sept. 22 to Sept. 25, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.7 percent.

The paper also reports the poll found "favorable" ratings hit 40 percent for McConnell and 26 percent for Lunsford. Unfavorable ratings hit 31 for the incumbent and 29 for the challenger.

48 percent approved of McConnell's job performance in the U.S. Senate, and 39 percent disapproved.

Democrat Jeff Merkley appears a bit scripted at first, but eventually picks up the pace.  Here he talks about the proposed $700 billion government bailout.

Republican presidential nominee John McCain is showing an eighteen point lead in the latest poll of the Bluegrass State. That lead is only down slightly from a similar poll conducted two months earlier.

The latest statewide measurement – this one commissioned by the left-leaning Daily Kos blog and conducted by Research 2000 – gives McCain a 55 to 37 percent lead over his Democratic opponent Barack Obama. The poll was conducted from Sept. 15 to Sept. 17.

A poll tied to the same two outfits from late July gave McCain a twenty-one point lead, 56 to 35 percent.

The two polls offer few changes between each other among the demographic and geographical categories measured by Research 2000.

ERLANGER --This morning’s U.S. Senate debate between incumbent Mitch McConnell (R-Louisville) and businessman Bruce Lunsford (D-Louisville) was perhaps, civil, but found the two agreeing on little and hammering on completely different messages. Throughout, the four-term incumbent dodged general critiques from Lunsford and asked for policy specifics. Lunsford, alternately, blasted the established political “process” as a principal enemy and attempted to tie McConnell to its weight.

The debate was in the “Lincoln-Douglas” style, for which the candidates questioned each other for an hour bookended by opening and closing statements.

The questions from McConnell largely looked at particularly policy areas: Russia’s recent invasion of South Ossetia, nuclear proliferation in both Iran and North Korea, and Lunsford’s position on particular pieces of legislation.

On the eve of the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks, the campaign of Democratic Senate candidate Bruce Lunsford swung at incumbent Sen. Mitch McConnell over national defense policy, presenting a slew of McConnell's votes and arguing "he consistently opted to put partisanship over country."

"Tomorrow is the seventh anniversary of 9/11," said Lunsford spokesman Cary Stemle in a statement. "Not only is it a day that calls for somber reflection, but it should serve as a reminder to all Americans about the importance of guaranteeing our nation's security at home and abroad."

The votes referenced included McConnell's opposition to legislation that would implement the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission - a position taken by some Republicans because of a provision in that legislation allowing for unionization of airport safety screeners.

The McConnell campaign took exception to the criticism, telling the Louisville Courier-Journal Lunsford was taking advantage of the anniversary for political reasons.

"As misguided as Lunsford's attack is, it is even more crass that he seeks to politicize what is a solemn anniversary to all Americans," campaign manager Justin Brasell told the Courier-Journal.

On today's anniversary of the attacks, both candidates made no direct reference to each other in statements released to the media.

The campaign of Democratic Senate candidate Bruce Lunsford pounced on the news that its opponent, U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Louisville), was included on the latest installment of a list claiming to name the ‘most corrupt members of Congress.’

“This report confirms what we all know about Mitch McConnell – he’s corrupt. Kentucky deserves better. Don’t get McConned again!” said Cary Stemle, Lunsford’s spokesperson in a statement touting the news.

The bipartisan list of 24 members of Congress is compiled annually by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. That organization purports to detail the “unethical and illegal activities” of those on the list.

U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell: Getty Images PhotoThe campaign of U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell pushed out its third internal poll of the campaign this afternoon, this one showing its candidate up 17 points over Democratic opponent Bruce Lunsford.

The survey of 900 “likely voters” conducted by long-time McConnell pollster Jan van Lohuizen of Voter/Consumer Research shows the incumbent up 52 to 35 percent over Lunsford.

The release of the poll comes on the heels of recent public approval polling on McConnell (R-Louisville) conducted by SurveyUSA that found him dipping to a 44 percent approval rating – down 13 percent from a May measurement and tying a low in that firm’s polls on the four-term senator.

The McConnell-commissioned poll finds a brighter scenario for the incumbent, with a memo released by the campaign indicating 52 percent have a “favorable impression” of McConnell and 33 percent have an “unfavorable impression” – numbers nearly mirroring the election polling.

Apparently, several Democratic political insiders are starting to feel a bit more comfortable about a potential win for challenger Jeff Merkley in his bid to unseat incumbent Republican Gordon Smith.  One campaign staffer recently remarked on his disgust on how several of his colleagues on the campaign and a few close financial supporters are starting to lobby for government staff positions that have yet to exist.