Kentucky GOPers predict large wins at the top to trickle down the ballot

MINNEAPOLIS – Republicans in both the races set to be on all of Kentucky’s ballots on November 4 are showing double-digit leads over their Democratic counterparts of late, and many at the Republican National Convention expect it to stay that way.

“If any state glows red this fall, Kentucky will be one,” said U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Southgate).

Bunning’s colleague in the Senate, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Louisville) holds up to a 12 point lead over businessman Bruce Lunsford (D-Louisville) in public polls released last month – a margin which Bunning predicted would be at the high end of the eventual margin of victory for the incumbent.

“I’m never comfortable in any race, but I sincerely believe that Senator McConnell will win by from 8 to 12 points,” said Bunning.

The sentiment that McConnell would win big was echoed by other from the Kentucky delegation.

“We certainly believe that Sen. McConnell will be re-elected. We are not taking things for granted,” added RNC committeewoman Gail Russell. “We believe he will be re-elected by a good margin.”

Other polls of the state show presumptive Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) holding a lead of over twenty points over Democratic nominee and U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.).

Bunning asserted that McCain would take Kentucky by a margin larger than McConnell’s, which he speculated would benefit lesser-known Republicans on the ballot.

“I think that McCain will win just slightly larger, which is really healthy for all of our down-ticket candidates,” said Bunning.

The Senator was so positive about McCain’s chances in Kentucky he said the addition of a social conservative vice-presidential candidate in Gov. Sarah Palin (R-Alaska) to the Republican ticket would just increase the margin of victory, rather than push McCain over the top.

“I don’t think McCain needed much help with the state of Kentucky,” said Bunning. “I think she can add to it because of her socially and economically conservative views.”