John McCain should thank his lucky stars every day that Jim Pence is too busy nailing Mitch McConnell to turn his full attention to Senator Depends.
h/t Barefoot and Progressive.
Cross-posted at Blue in the Bluegrass.
I'll give Bruce Lunsford this much: he's not so much of an energy panderer that he promotes the myth of "clean coal" or the catastrophe of mountain-top-removal the way Steve Beshear does.
No, Bruce Lunsford is a visionary; he wants to strip-mine the horse farms and rolling hills of Central Kentucky's Bluegrass Region.
To lure voters weary of high gas prices, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Bruce Lunsford is embracing a GOP-led push for oil shale drilling, one policy goal Congress already achieved and one proposal that received mixed reviews from both parties.
Lunsford, who is challenging Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell in the November election, unveiled an eight-point strategy to reduce prices at the pumps in the short and long terms.
”I want action. The public wants action,“ he said at the United Auto Workers local union 862."
I would personally like to see a little more leadership from Lunsford here, as this is where I think he really shows himself to lack the progressive credentials that alot of Kentuckians and alot of Democrats are looking for these days. While I don’t agree with Lunsford’s new energy plan, make no mistake that voting for Mitch McConnell in November is a vote against the environment, a sound energy policy, a healthy, green economy and thriving communities in Kentucky.
Looks like Libertarians are really out to get the republicans this year: one of them has issued a third-party challenge to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
And not just any Libertarian either; but a famous Hollywood actor!
No, not that one.
Sonny Landham, perhaps best known for his role as "Billy" in 1987's Predator movie, has called a press conference in Frankfort for 1:45 p.m. Wednesday in which he will announce that he is running for U.S. Senate as a Libertarian Party candidate.
Landham, who lives in Ashland, flirted with Kentucky politics in 2003 by announcing for governor as a Republican before dropping out before that year's May primary.
To get on the November ballot as a Libertarian candidate, Landham must pay the state's $500 filing fee and collect at least 5,000 signatures by Aug. 12.
Even though Landham is a former Republican, state GOP chairman Steve Robertson said he didn't think Landham would divert votes from McConnell.
Landham has appeared in 53 movies, according to the International Movie Database. Most recently he played "Boone Cagle" in a 2007 movie called Disintegration. He also has acted in a number of adult films in the 1970s, including ones called Slippery When Wet, The Trouble with Young Stuff and Steam Heat.
With nine days left and still 19 points down, Kentucky Democratic Senate Primary candidate Greg Fischer has picked up the endorsement of the state's second-largest (but best) newspaper, the Lexington Herald-Leader.
Vote Fischer in Senate primary: Newcomer offers fresher voice, less baggage than Lunsford
Greg Fischer wants the chance to unseat McConnell this fall. Seven Democrats are seeking the opportunity to run against Republican U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell this fall, but just two of the candidates have a legitimate shot at winning their party's nomination in the May 20 primary.
Greg Fischer and Bruce Lunsford have much in common. Both are Louisville businessmen capable of self-financing part of their campaigns.
(SNIP)
Each of these two men would be a worthy candidate for the Democratic Party. And either would be a preferable alternative to McConnell, who has spent 24 years in the Senate serving his rich friends and campaign contributors far more ably than he has served Kentucky.
The bottom line for Democrats comes down to the question of which candidate has the best chance of defeating McConnell in November.
Lunsford has more name recognition, courtesy of two unsuccessful gubernatorial campaigns. And he probably could put more of his own money into the race.
But baggage accompanies Lunsford into any race he runs, baggage that has been thoroughly vetted in previous campaigns and will not be rehashed here.
Fischer is the fresh face in the race, the untested political novice. And frankly, he hasn't run the best of campaigns in the primary. If he wins, he will need to do far better against McConnell.
But Fischer has a couple of things that speak in his favor.
One is the fact that, as a novice, he delivers the message of change with a fresher voice.
He makes that message resonate with more hope, more idealism, more commitment.
And if "change" is the message the Democrats think can inspire Kentucky voters in November, who better to deliver it than a fresh face with a fresh voice?
The second thing is the simple fact that Fischer lacks Lunsford's baggage.
Whomever the Democrats nominate, McConnell will loose the attack dogs on him, just as he has loosed them on all comers for 24 years. But as Fischer asks, why give McConnell "a target-rich environment"?
Between Lunsford and Fischer, there is no bad choice for Democrats. They're both good candidates who would represent the state well in the Senate.
However, Fischer's fresh voice and lack of baggage for McConnell to target give him a slight edge in this primary race.
A host of prominent Jefferson County Democrats, including former Louisville Mayor David Armstrong, former Congressman Ron Mazzoli, and Speaker Pro-Tem of the Kentucky House of Representatives Larry Clark, endorsed Greg Fischer Thursday in a ceremony on the steps of the Jefferson County Courthouse in Downtown Louisville.
"We're taking this campaign across Kentucky -- courthouse to courthouse-- and the response is overwhelming," Fischer said, addressing the crowd. Fischer promised he would fight for working people in Kentucky to control gas prices and to lessen U.S. dependence on foreign oil, that he would fight for quality, affordable health care for every American and that he would work to bring U.S. troops home from Iraq. He promised to bring meaningful change to Washington.
Mayor Armstrong and Rep. Mazzoli both spoke of Fischer's honesty, integrity and conviction.
Invoking his belief that Fischer is the best Democratic candidate to run againt Mitch McConnell this fall, former State Sen. David Karem stirred the crowd with a ringing endorsement: "If you support John Yarmuth for Congress, you want Greg Fischer on the Democratic ticket. If you support Hillary Clinton for President, you want Greg Fischer on the Democratic ticket. If you support Barak Obama for president, you want Greg Fischer on the Democratic ticket."
The list of endorsers who attended yesterday's event also included: State Representative Mary Lou Marzian, State Senator Perry Clark, State Representative Jim Wayne and State Representative Tom Burch.
For years, I have been demanding that Democratic candidates and elected officials stand up proudly for what they believe. Stand up in front of voters, tell them what you believe and insist that if they share those beliefs, they must vote for you. Stand up in office and vote for what you believe, just because that's what you believe.
How can I do any differently? I will vote in the Kentucky Democratic Primary for Mitch McConnell's Senate seat based on what I believe.
I believe Bruce Lunsford is a turncoat and liar who cannot be trusted as far as a child could throw him (he's pretty short.)
I believe Greg Fischer is what Media Czech calls a "thrillionaire:" in the race for the ego trip, lacking any genuine progressive values.
I believe Michael Cassaro has good intentions, but knows nothing about politics or managing a campaign.
I believe David L. Williams runs for office as a hobby, and desperately needs a new one.
I believe Kenneth Stepp might have potential, but he seems unable to establish, much less build, a base of support even in his hometown.
I believe James Rice is a Republican who saw opportunity in a wide-open Democratic primary.
I believe David Wylie thinks his appointment by Governor Patton to a state commission was way more politically influential than it really was.
I believe Andrew Horne is an honorable man and a great candidate who would have had the financial support of progressives everywhere and who would have beaten Mitch McConnell. I still don't understand exactly why he dropped out, but if he really believed what Governor Steve Beshear and DSCC Chair Chuck Schumer told him about how he couldn't win without their support then he's too gullible to be Senator.
I believe that no matter who wins the Democratic Senate nomination, Mitch McConnell is going to win the general election in November.
So I'm voting for the candidate who has been from the beginning and still remains Democrats' best chance to win. As a bonus, I believe every vote this candidate earns will stick in the craw of Beshear and Schumer, and that will be one small victory.
Andrew Horne.
Cross-posted at BlueGrassRoots.
