New poll says Sam Brownback trailing Paul Davis

Sam Brownback’s prospect for a second term as Kansas governor, which previously seemed like a sure bet, is in trouble, according to a new poll.

Public Policy Polling shows that Democrats can’t stand Brownback, independents don’t much care for him and Republicans aren’t enthusiastic with his performance since he got elected in 2010.

The Raleigh, North Carolina-based polling firm is considered left-leaning or Democratic-affiliated, depending on whom you talk to. 

But the PPP poll at least reflects a trend among other polls that have shown that Brownback’s support in Kansas is eroding months ahead of his bid for a second term.

PPP indicates that Paul Davis, a House Democrat running against Brownback this year, is ahead by a 42-40 margin. The poll goes on to say that barely more than one-fourth of voters think Brownback’s much-heralded tax plan makes sense and 59 percent of voters polled don’t agree with his stance that schools are adequately funded.

A Kansas Supreme Court ruling on the funding levels for K-12 education was expected in January but hasn’t yet been released. 

Those two issues have hurt Brownback’s standing among Republicans; PPP suggests that 23 percent of Republicans in the state would throw their support behind Davis, enough of a crossover to give him an edge in their poll.