New Poll: Lexington Voters Lose Confidence in Linda Gorton as Raquel Carter Ties Race

The race for Lexington mayor is wide open, according to new polling from Lake Research Partners. When

first asked, polled voters choose Linda Gorton 39% to Raquel Carter’s 34%. With a margin of error of

±4.9%, that puts the race for City Hall in a statistical tie. After voters hear more about both candidates, they

shift their choice and Carter moves ahead 41% to 31%, opening up a double-digit lead over Gorton.

“Linda Gorton is in a vulnerable position as voters consider what they want in their next mayor,” said

Celinda Lake of Lake Research Partners. “As soon as Lexington voters hear the alternative they have in

Raquel Carter, they move to Carter in droves—not only coming out of the undecided column, but also out

of Gorton’s existing support.”

Carter, a small business owner and working mom, has a net favorability rating of +16 percentage points.

The numbers show that a first-time candidate from the business community is already in a position to

seriously challenge a 24-year career politician.

“This campaign has always been about the people of Lexington and the future we can build together,” said

Carter. “People want a city that is safer, more affordable, and ready for the future. They are ready for

leadership that listens, acts, and gets results. I am grateful for the support we are seeing, but we know there

is a lot of work ahead, and we are going to keep earning every vote.”

A final notable finding from the poll is that Gorton’s job approval numbers are underwater. 59% of

Lexington voters rate her job performance as just fair or poor, while only 32% say she is doing an excellent

or good job. Gorton is also underwater personally, with 44% viewing her unfavorably and 42% viewing

her favorably.

Methodology: Lake Research Partners surveyed 400 likely general election voters in Lexington, Kentucky,

from August 13–18, 2026, using live phone interviews and text-to-online methodology. The margin of error

for the full sample is ±4.9%. Lake Research Partners is a national public opinion and political strategy

research firm founded by Celinda Lake in 1995 and is the most consistently accurate research firm in the

country.

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