As of late May, lawyer Andy Barr (R) was within 7 points of Rep. Ben Chandler (D), according to an internal poll circulated by the challenger and disputed by the incumbent’s campaign.

The poll was provided by a political action committee source following last week’s Washington, D.C., fundraising trip. It showed Barr within sight of the incumbent, who led 45 percent to 38 percent with 17 percent undecided.

The survey of 405 likely voters was conducted for Barr’s campaign May 24-25 by the Tarrance Group and had a 4.9-point margin of error.

Chandler spokeswoman Jennifer Krimm said the three-term incumbent “has a strong double-digit lead in his own polling and a record amount of cash on hand of $1.7 million.”

She did not provide a copy of any surveys conducted for that campaign.

GOP campaign strategists see an opportunity in the Lexington-based 6th district, which went for Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) by 12 points in the 2008 presidential race. They’re eager to put the word out to voters with connections to the coal and energy industry that Chandler supported the House cap-and-trade bill.

As a sign of confidence in his campaign, the National Republican Congressional Committee boosted Barr to the second-highest level of its “Young Guns” campaign program last month.