Pence narrates Northup ad

Republican candidate for governor Anne Northup launched a TV ad this afternoon narrated by Gov. Ernie Fletcher's former running mate, Lt. Gov. Steve Pence.

In the ad,  which first ran on the 5 p.m. newscast of WTVQ-36 in Lexington, Pence says Fletcher "failed" to follow through on his promises to "clean up Frankfort" and "do away with the good ol' boy system."

"Instead, Fletcher risks an even greater scandal with his secret legal defense fund," said Pence, a former U.S. attorney from Louisville.

He goes on to accuse Fletcher of making "false charges" against Northup, referring to a Fletcher TV ad that accuses Northup of "voting against school prayer."

"Anne is a conservative who supports school prayer, and has the votes to prove it," Pence responds.

As a congresswoman, Northup did vote in 1998 against a resolution calling for a constitutional amendment that would have clarified a person's right to pray in school. Northup said she voted against the bill because it would have allowed teachers of any faith to lead classroom prayers.

Northup also points to 21 votes in Congress that she says support school prayer. Most of the votes are for school appropriations bills that say none of the funds can be used to "prevent the implementation of programs of voluntary prayer and meditation in the public schools."

She also supported two non-binding resolutions that say school prayer contributes to the moral foundation of students and urges the Supreme Court to rule accordingly.

The two campaigns traded barbs over the prayer issue for much of the day.

“Anne Northup, regardless of all her rhetoric, voted against the school prayer amendment in 1998," said Marty Ryall, Fletcher's campaign manager, in a news release.  "She also voted against the law to allow concealed carry in Kentucky, and even once told a Louisville reporter that she was not pro-gun."

Earlier, Northup's campaign released a statement questioning Fletcher's decision to use automated phone calls attacking Northup on the prayer issue that were narrated by former Republican congressman Bob Barr of Georgia.

Barr, who co-sponsored the prayer resolution Northup voted against, has since left the Republican party, is a lobbyist for the Marijuana Project and is considered a "friend" by the American Civil Liberties Union.

SEE WEDNESDAY'S HERALD-LEADER FOR MORE ON THIS STORY.

View the ad here:

UPDATE 6:40 p.m.: Ryall dismissed the ad's effect, saying most Republicans already realize he’s endorsed Northup.

“By putting him on TV, maybe people who don’t know that he’s a backstabbing traitor will learn,” Ryall said.

Ted Jackson, senior adviser to Northup’s campaign, said Pence’s words are “very powerful” because he ran with Fletcher. That, he said, could help the remaining undecided voters cut through the confusing, conflicting messages.

- John Stamper

Comments

Now Ernie will have to do another ad for TV showing the boy he thought to be his friend turns his back on him....

Poor Ernie..

I will be so happy when he lives Frankfort and takes Kiddie Kapital with him.

[Jonathan]

Congress has asked Steve Pence to repay the state for the funds he received as L. Governor when he way unloyal and did absolutely nothing for our state. However, Pence did not.... Sounds like he really cares about our state huh?? Must be why he supports Ms.Northup... Seriously he has no credibility with me now, I think Ann picked the wrong person for the add.

Congress? Are you slow?

[Bobby]

Ernie is a lier, he cant clean up nothing. I agree with Pence.

[Rick Johnson]

Jonathan @6:17,Congress? What are you talking about?

[ann]

I wouldn't vote for Northup now because Pence has done this ad.

Pence is a weight that the Northup boat does not need. He will cost her more votes than he will get for her.

Northup has criticized Fletcher for campaigning "on the clock" with taxpayer's money as Governor, but never mentions that Pence has been campaigning for her as a lame duck Lt. Governor.

Her double standard will cost her many votes.
She is desperate, and cannot win in November.

Pence should have resigned a long, long time ago. Pence is a political joke. He owes the taxpayer $$$ he was paid for services he never rendered.

Anne Northup is creepy & so is Pence. By the way, Northup's camp has Mark Nickolas on the payroll so long as he does not write anything neg. about Anne.

Go figure, Anne Northup, Pence & Nickolas all in the same gross dingy.

9:17 Excellent point!

Ernie Fletcher really is Kentucky's David Koresh. He's going down in flames and look at his sheep go with him!

Ryall's right. Pence is a traitorous backstabber who forgot how he got the cushy do-nothing job he has, and that he was not even first choice for that job. If Pence had any decency, dignity, honor or integrity, he would either resign or stay silent.

I'm ashamed to have defended him against critics on other blogs in the past.

I don't think anyone is surprised to hear Pence's voice on the ad. He's proven that he is not loyal, honorable or trustworthy. I was on the fence on this one. He has tipped it for me. I feel I have no choice but to vote for Governor Fletcher.

Word has it that McConnell has intructed all of his staff to back off in their support of Northup. He's turned tail and running. Don't blame him. It's not his habit to hang with political has-beens. Her political career is over - maybe his is too.

Pence is 10 times the man Fletcher is. Pence didn't leave Fletcher, Fletcher left us all. He's the one that failed to do what he said he would do. Pence is a man of honor and integrity that couldn't take Fletcher's mess any longer.

It's never good to have your sitting Lt. Governor doing campaign ads for your opponent, I don't care how Ryall tries to spin it. Go Northup/Pence/Hoover!

10:20 didn't you mean to sign your name as Mark Nickolas. Hey Mark, just how much $$ is the norhtup camp paying you for no neg. comments?

Pence is irrelevant and may go away. Not so with the issues he raises. Can anyone really defend this secret legal fund? Or the fact that Fletcher signed a legal document saying the AG's investigation was justified, but now claims he was the victim of a witch hunt? Combine this with the indictment, pardons, taking the Fifth, etc. and Republicans have a real problem. No one should be asked to defend this.

How much did Leonard Lawson donate to the secret fund to get all that blacktop he has been helping to spread?

Pence is right and has thus moved me into the Northup column.

Eu tu, brutus?

I know Pence probably won't do it, but personally I'd love to see him take on Yarmuth in the 3rd District. I think it would be a really good race. So far the two names I've heard interested in taking the seat back from Yarmuth don't get me real excited.

[GOPer]

Speaking of all these political phone calls, my brother rec'd a call last night from a Greg Harrington to see if he would flip his support from Fletcher to Northup. Apparntly this guy used to work for Fletcher and kept his county visits records or something like that. He is calling Fletcher's supporters from each county to try to flip them or switch them over I guess. My brother is staying with Fletcher but he said Harrington has flipped a few folks, don’t know how accurate that is. I've never heard of this guy.

Travel around this state and say the name Pence. No one will know who you are talking about. He's irrelevent. Has been for a long time. He tried to hijack the Fletcher administration and he couldn't do it. Now he's angry because no one would let him be governor. Maybe he figures he can overtake a girl in the office and finally get to be a leader. Another loser for the Northup bunch.