A new poll out today shows another big lead for former Lieutenant Gov. Steve Beshear as he races to replace Gov. Ernie Fletcher. The Louisville Courier-Journal's Bluegrass Poll, conducted 9/13-18, surveyed 667 likely voters for a 3.8% margin of error.

General Election Matchup
(All/Men/Wom/Dem/GOP/Ind)
Beshear/Mongiardo 55 / 57 / 54 / 75 / 26 / 57
Fletcher/Rudolph 35 / 36 / 35 / 18 / 66 / 24

Fletcher, beset by a hiring scandal that led him to pardon nine of his own employees, has a job approval rating of just 42%, while 48% disapprove. Only 8% of Kentuckians approve strongly of his job performance. 71% think Fletcher has failed to deliver on his promise to change Frankfort, as well.

Just one of the ten polls taken since the primary, the Courier-Journal notes, has showed Fletcher within 16 points. The Republican Governor's Association is still running ads on Fletcher's behalf, though whether that support will continue, or if the RGA will simply cut their losses, remains to be seen.