Top of the ballot: Conway closes gap in Kentucky Democratic primary

TOP OF THE BALLOT TODAY: Conway closes in on Mongiardo in Kentucky Democratic Senate primary; Senate campaign chief sends signals to Fla. Gov. Charlie Crist; Election Day in Florida and Texas; and a new poll in New York state.

Crunch time in Kentucky: Dem primary becomes dead heat

Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway has closed the gap on Lt. Gov. Dan Mongiardo, and their May 18 Democratic Senate primary is now a dead heat, according to a new SurveyUSA poll of the race.

While the GOP primary remains firmly in Rand Paul’s control, Conway has cut into Mongiardo’s lead and now trails just 35-32 – after trailing 45-27 last month.

Conway’s campaign has questioned Mongiardo’s use of taxpayer money on his travel expenses and housing allowance.

The Republican primary is still a 15-point race, with Paul leading Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson 45-30. The race has remained largely static in recent months, but with just more than one month left to go, it’s starting to become panic time for Team Grayson.

Cornyn nudges Crist on education bill

The National Republican Senatorial Committee’s (NRSC) endorsement of Florida Gov. Charlie Crist has turned out to be a liability for the committee and candidate this year, and it’s hard to see what either side has gotten out of the arrangement.

But now, NRSC Chairman John Cornyn (R-Texas) is trying to help Crist in another way, by subtly pushing him against vetoing a Florida education bill that the governor has been waffling on.

Cornyn took to his Facebook page to weigh in on the bill, and he comes down squarely in favor of the governor signing it.

“Intrigued by historic education reform efforts in Florida,” Cornyn says, linking to a Chicago Tribune story on the bill.

Crist is still undecided about what he will do with the bill, but Cornyn’s gentle nudging suggests signing it is the right thing to do for Crist’s Senate campaign.

Election Day in Texas, Florida

Some smaller races will be held today in Florida and Texas, the former in which state Sen. Ted Deutch (D) is expected to succeed former Rep. Robert Wexler (D-Fla.) in a special election.

Wexler’s district is heavily Democratic, and Republican contractor Ed Lynch hasn’t put up much of a fight, so anything other than a landslide Deutch win would be a shock.

In Texas, Republicans will pick their nominees to face Reps. Chet Edwards (D-Texas) and Ciro Rodriguez (D-Texas) in a pair of runoffs. The race to face Edwards pits the national GOP favorite, businessman Bill Flores, against 2008 nominee Rob Curnock. In Rodriguez’s district, 2008 candidate Quico Canseco faces former CIA officer Will Hurd.

Most of the polls close in Texas at 8 p.m. eastern time, though some in Rodriguez’s district will be open an hour longer. Check back to The Ballot Box for live updates.

Other updates

-New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo (D) is in command of the state’s governor’s race, holding a 55-26 lead over former Rep. Rick Lazio (R-N.Y.) and a 57-24 lead over Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy (R), according to a new Quinnipiac poll.

-The same poll also shows former Gov. George Pataki (R) leading Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) 45-40 in a Senate matchup that is looking more and more unlikely. Pataki hasn't ruled out a Senate run but he's also not shown any public desire to get into the race.

-Rep. Bob Inglis’s (R-S.C.) top primary opponent, prosecutor Trey Gowdy, is up with his first TV spot. Gowdy hits Inglis for supporting the bailout and opposing the troop increase in Iraq.