UPDATE BELOW
No, D.C., that's not an earthquake - that's Mitch McConnell shaking in his Manolos.
Crit Luallen has bowed out of the Kentucky Senate race, Greg Stumbo's "exploration" is on life-support, and the Democratic primary will come to an effective end the second Lt. Col. Andrew Horne, U.S. Marine Corps, Retired, announces his candidacy.
Which should be any minute now.
For those still harboring any doubts that Horne, who lost the 2006 Congressional primary to Proud Liberal John Yarmuth, has what it takes to wipe the floor with Mitch, Page One Kentucky takes a positive but rational look at Horne's chances. Page One concludes:
Andrew is as close as we’re going to get to a consensus candidate. There’s no baggage. He has the tenacity and political prowess of Greg Stumbo. The intellectual ability of Crit Luallen. And the “it” factor to make him as popular as Jack Conway. He elicits the kind of emotional grassroots support that causes about 1,500 Louisvillians to work tirelessly for six months only to lose and keep on going– backing him where ever he moves. He has the type of amazing personality that pushes a couple big-time filmmakers to follow his campaign for a documentary appearing on the Discovery Times Channel.
Andrew Horne is the kind of guy Kentucky so desperately needs.
While a few try to play kingmaker and work out some sort of back room deal, we’re standing up behind the first true leader Kentucky has seen in a generation.
I first heard Horne speak in February 2006, when he was an obvious political novice with an unimpressive speaking style. In July 2006, five months later and two months after he lost the Democratic primary to Yarmuth, I heard him speak again and could not believe it was the same person. He spoke easily and without notes, confident, passionate, and eloquent.
Right now, there's just one Kentucky politician who can challenge Andrew Horne for Most Inspiring Speaker in the Commonwealth, and that's Democratic Attorney General-elect Jack Conway (who, mark my words, will definitely be governor and probably president. You heard it here first.)
Enjoy the coming days, Mitch. You've only got 390 of them left.
UPDATE. 1:37 p.m.: Horne responds to Mitch's despicable insult to the troops.
"I would say that Mitch McConnell owes every member of our service and the families of the fallen an apology, but no apology from him can take back the venom he has spewed at our troops, this time. For anyone to believe that casualties of war are somehow more acceptable because they were not draftees is disgusting. For the Republican leader in the United States Senate to say that is beyond repugnant."
Read the whole thing.
Cross-posted at Blue in the Bluegrass.
