James R. Carroll

jcarroll@courier-journal.com

WASHINGTON - Put actress and Louisvillian Jennifer Lawrence up against Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and Mitch McConnell and it's no contest.

Many more people who have participated in TIME magazine's Person of the Year poll picked the gal who plays Katniss Everdeen in "The Hunger Games" films over a guy who may run for president in 2016 or the fellow who will be Senate majority leader in January.

Unfortunately for all three Kentuckians, however, none have made the final cut for Person of the Year, which TIME will announce on Wednesday.

The early polling on 50 potential candidates showed Lawrence got 21 percent "yes" votes and 79 percent "no" votes. (That was a point better than Taylor Swift, who received 20 percent "yes" votes and 80 percent "no" votes.)

Lawrence currently is starring in "The Hunger Games - Mockingjay Part 1," and the film is dominating the U.S. box office for its third weekend in release, earning about $21.6 million.

Paul, a Republican who is contemplating a White House run, got 8 percent "yes" votes and 92 percent "no" votes.

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McConnell, the next majority leader, got 4 percent "yes" votes and 96 percent "no" votes.

President Barack Obama didn't do so well in TIME's poll, either: he collected 23 percent "yes" votes and 77 percent "no" votes.

TIME's editors, who make the final choice despite the poll, have narrowed the list down to eight finalists.