The survey released Thursday by Public Policy Polling, a Democratic Party-affiliated firm, shows Beshear with an 8 percentage point advantage over Cameron ahead of the November election.
Among the poll’s 737 respondents, 49% said they would vote for Beshear and 41% support Cameron. An additional 10% said they are “not sure” whom to vote for.
The poll also showed Beshear with a 58% job approval rating, and just 39% disapproval. According to Alex Floyd, a spokesperson for Beshear’s campaign, the data also show that more than one in five of the Republicans polled would vote for Beshear over Cameron.
Beshear said at a news conference he believed the poll indicated Kentuckians want to hear about issues like healthcare, public safety, education and infrastructure over so-called “culture war” topics.
“I think the people of Kentucky want their governor’s race to never go to the gutter, and they want it to be about those issues that they worry about each and every day,” Beshear said Thursday.
Cameron's has leaned heavily into anti-trans policies and abortion restrictions during his campaign.
The poll also indicated Cameron has a 41% job approval rating, although 17% of respondents said they weren't sure.
In a statement, Republican Party of Kentucky spokesperson Sean Southard called Beshear “the most liberal governor Kentucky has ever had” and predicted Cameron would prevail in the election.
“He is sitting below 50 percent, which is where he will be on election day. As voters learn more about Daniel Cameron and the real Andy Beshear, we are confident in our ability to win this race,” Southard said.
A July poll conducted by Republican-leaning firm Public Opinion Strategies found a similar lead for Beshear, showing a 10 percentage point difference between the two candidates.
Beshear has consistently polled well in the solidly-red state and is the most popular Democratic governor in the country among voters of the opposing party, according to a Morning Consult poll.
