Public Policy Polling (PDF) (8/25-28, MoE: ±4%, likely voters, 10/28-30/2010 in parens):
Governor:
Steve Beshear (D-inc): 55 (44)
David Williams (R): 28 (35)
Gatewood Galbraith (I): 10 (-)
Undecided: 8 (21)
Attorney General:
Jack Conway (D-inc): 47
Todd P'Pool (R): 36
Undecided: 18
Treasurer:
Todd Hollenbach (D-inc): 43
K.C. Crosbie (R): 28
Ken Moellman (L): 16
Undecided: 14
Secretary of State:
Alison Lundergan Grimes (D): 38
Bill Johnson (R): 35
Undecided: 26
Auditor:
Adam Edelen (D): 34
John Kemper III (R): 31
Undecided: 35
Agriculture Commissioner:
Bob Farmer (D): 36
James Comer (R): 37
Undecided: 27
These are pretty devastating numbers for David Williams, who, as Tom Jensen says, "is one of the worst candidates a party's put forth in a plausibly competitive Gubernatorial race in recent memory." More:
Only 21% of voters have a favorable opinion of him to 54% who view him negatively. Even with Republicans he's barely seen positively by a 41/29 margin and with Democrats (9/70) and independents (16/55) there are virtually no voters with a favorable view.
I also find it interesting that PPP confirms results from Braun Research, which showed perennial (and mostly lefty) candidate Gatewood Galbraith pulling enough votes to make any hopes for a Williams comeback seriously remote. Above and beyond this, Williams' disastrous candidacy is generating a pretty serious enthusiasm gap for Republicans in general (feels a damn lot better to be saying that about the other side for once, huh!):
The bigger concern is the effect its lack of competitiveness might have down ballot. Those saying they're likely to vote this fall only report having supported John McCain by 4 points over Barack Obama in 2008, in contrast to McCain's actual 16 point victory in the state. That suggests a very low motivation level for GOP voters at this point, likely due to the weakness at the top of their ticket.
This "low motivation level" is helping Democrats in down-ballot races, which feature tossups in the open seats and clear leads for incumbents. I would note, though, that some (admittedly thin) speculation suggests that the GOP is ready to abandon Williams and focus on their AG candidate, Todd P'Pool of the planet Vulcan. Of note: Virginia AG Ken Cuccinelli, extremely popular among the movement conservative set, is coming to stump for P'Pool (once Pon Farr concludes, of course). P'Pool has some issues of his own (and not just the destruction of his home planet in the franchise reboot)—specifically this:
A special prosecutor has been named to examine possible violations of Kentucky's campaign-finance laws by Sullivan University, which urged employees at a gathering this month to defeat Democratic Attorney General Jack Conway.
Sullivan University executives asked more than 100 employees at a Louisville meeting to vote for and give campaign money to Todd P'Pool, the Republican nominee for attorney general in the Nov. 8 election. A Sullivan subsidiary, Spencerian College, is one of several for-profit colleges that Conway is investigating for possibly defrauding students or manipulating government-backed tuition assistance programs.
Even if P'Pool were blissfully unaware of what Sullivan University was up to, this isn't helpful to his campaign. But be on the lookout for outside third-party groups coming to his aid rather than Williams', since P'Pool may yet be the GOP's best bet for knocking off a Democratic office-holder. And bringing humpback whales back to 2286. Live long and prosper.
Wed Aug 31, 2011 at 11:48 AM PT: Turns out this poll was of likely voters, according to PPP's Dustin Ingalls, not registered voters (or in PPP's parlance, "Kentucky voters").