The first independent poll in Kentucky’s U.S. Senate race shows a three-way split among top Republicans and that many voters are still undecided on both sides of the aisle.  The Emerson-FOX56 poll released Thursday shows U.S. Rep. Andy Barr ahead of former Attorney General Daniel Cameron and bus inessman Nate Morris among likely GOP primary voters heading into the May primary. Likely Democratic primary voters were polled about their candidates as well. The survey also asked general questions about elected officials, including Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear and Republican President Donald Trump.  The poll found 24% of GOP voters in the survey are backing Barr with 21% supporting Cameron and 14% for Morris. The biggest chunk — 38% — are still undecided as 4% said they are backing other candidates. The poll surveyed 523 likely GOP primary voters from Jan. 31 to Feb. 2. Its credibility interval is plus or minus 4.2%. Credibility interval is a confidence measure similar to margin of error.  Each of the three campaigns put a different spin on the findings. “This poll shows what Kentuckians have been seeing on the ground for months: Andy Barr is the strongest candidate in this race,” said Alex Bellizzi, a spokesman for Barr’s campaign. He also touted his endorsements and fundraising efforts.  Nathanael Hirt, campaign manager for Cameron, dismissed the Emerson poll outright. A poll released last month by Cameron-aligned PAC Kentucky First Action, showed the former AG at 40% among likely GOP primary voters. “No one — including Andy Barr — thinks Andy Barr is winning,” Hirt said. “This poll is unserious and silly. Polls one day ago and two weeks ago showed Daniel up double digits. Nothing moves that fast except lies.” The Morris campaign commissioned a poll with Fabrizio, Lee Associates released earlier this week that showed Morris gaining some ground with voters, though he was still polling behind Cameron and Barr. Morris recently gained some national attention after tech billionaire Elon Musk reportedly donated $10 million to back him in the race.  Conor McGuinness, a spokesperson for the Morris campaign, said that recent polls have shown Morris is “surging and within 10 points of the lead.”  “Nate is the only candidate moving in the right direction, he has a massive cash advantage between his self-funding ability and $10m of support from Elon Musk, and most importantly, he is the only political outsider and America First conservative in the race. We look forward to victory in May,” McGuinness added.  The Emerson poll also surveyed 381 likely Democratic primary voters and has a credibility interval of plus or minus 5%. Of likely Democratic primary voters surveyed, former state lawmaker Charles Booker leads with 30%. Former Marine fighter pilot Amy McGrath is polling at 19%, state House Minority floor leader Pamela Stevenson at 4% and other candidates at 4%, including horse trainer Dale Romans at less than 1%. The poll found 43% of the Democratic voters were undecided.  McGrath’s campaign manager, Hannah Eiden, said in a statement that the primary will be “about who’s best prepared to deliver for Kentuckians across the commonwealth on day one.”  “Undecided voters are asking who’s ready to do the work, and Amy is ready,” Eiden said.  Currently elected The Emerson poll also surveyed both Republicans and Democrats about some current office holders, including Beshear.  One question was: “Do you think Andy Beshear should run for president in 2028?” About 35% of respondents said yes, while roughly 48% said no. About 18% were unsure.  The governor, who is term-limited in Kentucky, has been seen by some as a possible candidate for the next presidential race. He’s taken some steps to raise his national profile, including starting a super PAC and making regular national and international appearances.  Altogether 1,000 likely primary voters were polled with a credibility interval of plus or minus 3 percentage points. About 52% of respondents approved of the job Beshear is doing as governor, while 31% disapproved. About 17% of those surveyed were neutral or had no opinion. That contrasts with a Morning Consult poll released earlier this week that found Beshear continued to be the most popular Democratic governor in the country, with a 65% approval rating.  The Emerson poll also asked Kentuckians about Trump. About 53% of those surveyed said they approved of the job he is doing so far, while 39% disapproved. About 8% were neutral or had no opinion. In presidential elections, Trump has won Kentucky three times. He won the state’s electoral votes in 2024 with about 65% of the vote. The voters were also asked about how they view Kentucky Republicans U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul.  About 68% of those surveyed disapproved of McConnell, while 15% disapproved. About 17% were neutral or had no opinion. McConnell, who has held the office since his election in 1984, is not seeking reelection this year. That paved the way for the hotly contested Senate race.  About 30% of the respondents approved of Paul, while 32% disapproved and 38% were neutral or had no opinion. The post First independent poll in Kentucky US Senate race shows many voters are still undecided appeared first on The Lexington Times. ...read more read less