Secretary of State Trey Grayson of Boone County and Rand Paul, a Bowling Green eye surgeon, are now running neck-and-neck.
Grayson has lost 9 percentage points and Paul has gained five since the most recent poll in early August.
It's still early: The primary isn't for six months, and 18 percent of primary voters say they're undecided. Still, political observers say the results are a bad sign for Grayson.
"I think Grayson is definitely in trouble. A few months ago, I thought he'd breeze to the nomination. But now, it's clear that he's got a fight on his hands," said Northern Kentucky University political science professor Dr. Michael Baranowski.
The Enquirer notes that the poll clearly shows Kentucky's Conservatives are rallying around Dr. Paul and are not fooled by Grayson's attempts to flip-flop:
Paul, who has embraced the Tea Party movement, also won among likely GOP primary voters who consider themselves conservative. Grayson won by wide margins among those who identify themselves as moderate or liberal.
"The battle between Paul and Grayson might be seen as a microcosm of the larger battle for the soul of the GOP," Baranowski said. "At present, the conservative, Tea Party, Palin wing are riding high. But while this group may win the intra-party battle, they could be hurting their chances against the Democrats."
