Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellIn rare move, Schumer forces vote to consider health care bill amid Supreme Court tensions COVID-19 talks hit crucial stretch Supreme Court nominee gives no clues in GOP meeting MORE (R-Ky.) ranks as the nation's least popular senator, according to a new poll released Tuesday.

The survey, conducted by Democratic polling firm Public Policy Polling, showed that more than half — 55 percent — of Kentucky voters disapprove of their senator, while just 37 percent of those surveyed signaled support.

"Both in terms of raw disapproval (55 percent) and net approval (-18) McConnell has the worst numbers of any of his peers, taking that mantle from Nebraska's Ben Nelson [(D-Neb.)]," PPP Director Tom Jensen said in a statement.

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McConnell is hurt mostly by a poor showing with independents — only a third in the state have a favorable view of him — and his own base. Of the Republicans surveyed, less than six in 10 say they have a positive view of the minority leader. McConnell is also unpopular with Democrats in Kentucky, with fewer than one in four saying they approved of his work in the Senate.

McConnell is still a favorite for reelection. The five-term senator is favored in hypothetical match-ups against any of the leading contenders in the Democratic field, including actress and Kentucky native Ashley Judd, who is rumored to be considering a bid.

Judd trails the senator 47-43 percent, as does Lt. Gov. Jerry Abramson and Attorney General Jack Conway. Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer trails 46-41 percent, and McConnell posts a double-digit advantage over Rep. John Yarmuth John Allen YarmuthPelosi, Democrats unveil bills to rein in alleged White House abuses of power GOP, White House struggle to unite behind COVID-19 relief House seeks ways to honor John Lewis MORE (D-Ky.).

Other polls paint a rosier picture for McConnell. A Bluegrass poll released in September gave McConnell a 51-42 percent approval rating, with the senator showing strong support among self-identified conservatives. McConnell performed similarly well in a SurveyUSA poll conducted at the end of October.

Democratic primary voters currently favor Judd as McConnell's opponent, with nearly three in 10 saying she would be their top choice. Abramson ranks second at 16 percent, and Conway rounds out the top three with 15 percent.

No matter who ends up as the nominee, however, Democrats will have an uphill climb in replacing McConnell. Republicans continue to dominate in the state — Mitt Romney won by 23 points there — and voters continue to favor the minority leader.

"It speaks volumes that even a liberal Democrat pollster with an agenda to make Mitch McConnell look bad still can't find an opponent who can lead him in Kentucky," said McConnell campaign manager Jesse Benton. "This Democrat poll has a long-held reputation for skewed approval numbers and that's obviously the case here since there is no poll, public or private, that has shown Senator McConnell's approval ratings anywhere near where PPP suggests."

McConnell also seems somewhat secure from a primary challenge. Half of Republican voters say their preference is that McConnell, the longest-serving Republican senator in the state's history, again becomes the nominee. And in a hypothetical head-to-head primary match-up against Rep.-elect Thomas Massie, McConnell wins 66-18 percent.





—This post was updated at 5:00 p.m.