Poll: McConnell, Grimes Tied at 45 Percent

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is tied with his likely Democratic rival for his Kentucky seat, according to a new survey from Public Policy Polling.

Both McConnell and the Bluegrass State's Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes have 45 percent, according to the poll.

PPP is a Democratic-oriented firm and performed the poll for the Senate Majority PAC. It was conducted on Thursday and Friday last week and surveyed 556 Kentucky voters.

Unfortunately for McConnell, more voters disapprove of him than approve of him — 47 to 44 percent. Those numbers are especially bad among independents, who give him a 53 percent disapproval rating to 41 percent approval rating.

As for Grimes, 34 percent of voters view her favorably and 24 percent unfavorably.

"There are strong indications within the poll results that McConnell's record on key
issues will give him trouble getting re-elected," according to a statement accompanying the poll.

"Fifty percent of voters say they're less likely to cast their ballots for him because of his support for cuts to Social Security and Medicare, compared to only 23 percent who consider that a positive."

Grimes has not yet announced her candidacy for next year's election, although she is seen as the likely candidate following the withdrawal of actress Ashley Judd.