FRANKFORT, Ky. -- A year ago, Kentucky Democrats had few thoughts of defeating Mitch McConnell next year. But times have changed.

“But is it possible that with the right combination of candidate and circumstances he could be beaten?” says Louisville attorney John David Dyche. “Sure he could.”

So a whole year before voters decide his future, McConnell is already spending some of the $9 million he's raised on TV ads that boast of his high-profile post as Senate Minority Leader.

McConnell's feel-good ads are aimed at countering a slew of ads from liberal groups who've attacked McConnell for backing the troop surge in Iraq, and now, voting against a bill to expand health insurance for children.

McConnell claims the ads haven't hurt him. A Survey USA/WHAS11 poll last month showed his job approval rating at 49 percent, a tad lower than it's been. 

McConnell says he can't wait to run against a 2008 Democratic ticket that will likely be headed by a divisive Hillary Clinton, and he says he isn't afraid of having a new Democratic governor working to beat him.

“I’ve run a lot of times with Democratic governors,” he says.

A number of Democrats are considering a run against McConnell, including Louisville attorney Andrew Horne: “President Bush in particular has depressed the name brand, for lack of a better description of Republicans, but you know, Mitch McConnell as minority leader has stood behind him on Iraq, stood behind him on immigration,” he says.

And President Bush isn't the only unpopular chief executive McConnell has supported – Democrat Steve Beshear defeated Republican Governor Ernie Fletcher.

But Dyche, who's writing a biography about McConnell, says Democrats will still have to have money, the perfect candidate and anti-Republican sentiment to beat the incumbent.

“With his resources, there’s just no way that you can, at this point in time, say that he’s anything but a favorite for reelection.”

Web story produced by Jay Ditzer.