Pol Watchers

Lunsford airs new ad in his U.S. Senate campaign

FRANKFORT —  Louisville businessman Bruce Lunsford, a Democratic candidate in this year’s race for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Republican Mitch McConnell, has a third campaign ad starting Wednesday in Lexington and Louisville on cable and network television.

The new ad, titled “Two Sides,” focuses on the differences between Kentucky’s working families and politicians that get "gold-plated health care" and ride in "chauffeured limousines."

The ad features film clips of everyday American families juxtaposed against clips of President George W. Bush and McConnell shaking hands after Bush signed into law controversial bankruptcy reform legislation.

The legislation, which McConnell helped pass in the Senate, has been criticized as favoring credit card companies and millionaires over hardworking American families who already face rising debt, record levels of home foreclosures and the ever looming threat of losing their jobs.

Both the Lunsford campaign’s previous ads, “Real World” and “Bottom Line,” will continue to air outside of the Louisville and Lexington markets.

--Jack Brammer

DGA invests at least $2 million in Kentucky race

The Democratic Governors Association pumped "in the ballpark" of $2 million to $3 million into the Kentucky governor's race mostly through the Bluegrass Freedom Fund, said Nathan Daschle, the DGA's executive director.

The Bluegrass Freedom Fund, a so-called 527 group set up under an IRS loophole commonly used by political activist groups, ran TV ads throughout the fall election calling for ethics reform in Frankfort.

The ads specifically referred back to the state hiring investigation that plagued Gov. Ernie Fletcher's administration, resulting in a grand jury indicting 15 people, including the governor and prompting Fletcher to issue pardons his aides.

Daschle wouldn't reveal the specific total of how much the DGA pumped into the race. But in a conference call with national reporters Wednesday morning, he said they sought to spend "significant sums" in Kentucky because it was the party's "number one priority" race.

Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, the DGA chairwoman, said on the conference call that, overall, the DGA surpassed its traditional "off-year" fund-raising goal of $9 million in 2007.

In contrast, the Republican Governors Association, raised more than $11 million this year, but ran less than a month's worth of TV ads on Fletcher's behalf in September. The RGA mostly focused on keeping the governor's office in Mississippi and picking up the post in Louisiana -- the other two governors races this year.

- Ryan Alessi

National figures weigh in on KY election

A host of national political players added their voices to the various analysts and officials who have commented on yesterday's election.

That included the chairwoman of the Democratic Governors Association, the Republican National Committee chairman who hails from Kentucky, U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, union leaders and even a presidential contender. They offered words of praise for Democratic governor-elect Steve Beshear and consolation for Republican Gov. Ernie Fletcher.

Here are some statements e-mailed to reporters last night and this morning:

• Democratic presidential candidate, U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York: “I want to congratulate Steve Beshear on a hard-fought victory. I know he will provide the strong, new leadership that Kentucky needs."
• RNC Chair, Robert "Mike" Duncan of Kentucky: "Democrats targeted Ernie Fletcher from day one, but even with the unique circumstances of the governor’s race, they could not stand in the way of the Republican Party’s fundamental strength in the state.  Voters in Kentucky will continue to support lower taxes, limited government, strong national defense, and individual responsibility."
• DGA Chair, Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius: “Steve brought forth a message of restoring honesty and integrity to government, and voters overwhelmingly responded to his brand of leadership.  We look forward to welcoming him to the ranks of Democratic governors."
• McConnell, the U.S. Senate Republican leader: "Ernie Fletcher ran a hard-fought campaign that showed a deep commitment to the Commonwealth and to the principles that propelled him into office four years ago. He lost the race, but won our respect by fighting hard to build on the achievements of his term — achievements that will benefit Kentucky for many years to come."
• Kentucky AFL-CIO president Bill Londrigan: "Working people seized the opportunity to elect a governor who understands how difficult it is to make a paycheck stretch from month to month. That's why union families mobilized at workplaces, in neighborhoods, and in communities to get out the vote."
  

- Ryan Alessi

Farmer is top vote getter in election

As the final votes were counted, one stat is becoming clear: Richie Farmer will end up with more votes than any other candidate and Farmer will win by a bigger margin.

- Janet Patton

Grayson holds on as secretary of state

By Ashlee Clark
aclark@herald-leader.com

Republican incumbent Trey Grayson was re-elected as secretary of state Tuesday, defeating Democrat Bruce Hendrickson, a high school biology and chemistry teacher who formerly was Pineville mayor and a city council member.

In the Herald-Leader/Action News 36 Election Poll conducted last month, Grayson led Hendrickson by only 6 percentage points, the closest margin in all the races on the ballot.

According to the poll, many Republicans backed Grayson even though he considered running for governor against incumbent Ernie Fletcher.

Grayson had raised more than $500,000 toward his campaign as he entered October, compared to the $12,000 Hendrickson had raised.

As secretary of state, Grayson is responsible for corporate, land grant and other records, along with fulfilling the duties of the chief elections officer.

Grayson, during his four years in office, has overseen widespread changes in voting machines used across the state and implemented several programs aimed at increasing civics education while becoming an officer in the National Association of Secretaries of State.

In that national role, he has pushed a plan that would create a rotating presidential primary system by region of the country so certain states can’t determine the nominees in each election by holding early primaries.

Farmer re-elected as agriculture commissioner

By Janet Patton
JPATTON1@HERALD-LEADER.COM

Republican incumbent Richie Farmer held onto his seat as agriculture commissioner Tuesday night.

According to unofficial results, Farmer, best known as a former University of Kentucky basketball player, defeated retired businessman David Lynn Williams of Glasgow, a perennial candidate in both parties.

Williams won the Democratic primary in a surprising upset, and party officials publicly distanced themselves from him.

Polls last month predicted Farmer would win by a comfortable margin.

Farmer easily won his first term four years ago, winning more than 55 percent of votes against Democrat Alice Baesler.

The commissioner heads the Kentucky Department of Agriculture. The department’s diverse responsibilities, include checking all the state’s gas pumps, fair rides and grocery-store scanners, promoting farm products, and maintaining food safety and biosecurity.

Democrats retain Treasurer's office

By Andy Mead
AMEAD@HERALD-LEADER.COM

Democrat Todd Hollenbach, who promised to push for a better understanding of mortages, interest rates and other every day finances, was elected state treasurer Tuesday.

Hollenbach, 47, a Louisville lawyer, ran a campaign centered on financial literacy, also known as household economics.

According to unofficial results, he defeated Republican Melinda Wheeler, 59, a retired director of the Administrative Office of the Courts.

She campaigned on a platform of eliminating the treasurer’s office, a move that would require amending Kentucky’s constitution.

In an interview shortly before he claimed victoryTuesday night, Hollenbach said polls has repeatedly shows that Kentuckians want to elect their state treasurer.

The election results, he said, show that people liked his financial literacy ideas.

“I really feel great,” he said. “I feel like our message resonated with the voters.”

Wheeler’s campaign manager, Brett Hall, refused to call Wheeler to the phone.

“There’s nothing to talk about yet,” he said

Hollenbach will replace fellow Democrat Jonathan Miller, who was prohibited by term limits from seeking re-election.

It was Hollenbach’s first foray into elective office. His father, also called Todd Hollenbach, was a Jefferson County judge-executive who twice ran statewide races for lieutenant governor.

Son of last GOP governor cheers Beshear

FRANKFORT - Ernie Fletcher is Kentucky's first Republican governor in more than three decades, since the late Louie Nunn, who served from 1967 to 1971.

But don't look for Nunn's son, former state Rep. Steve Nunn, R-Glasgow, at Fletcher's party tonight in Lexington. Nunn is shaking hands and sharing cheer with Democrats in Frankfort who are rooting for Steve Beshear to become the next Democratic governor.

"I'm getting more hugs and kisses tonight here than -- well, let me rephrase that, I'm getting as many hugs and kisses tonight here than I would at a Republican event now," said Nunn, who did, indeed, just share hugs with several well-wishers.

Nunn, a moderate Republican, lost to Fletcher in the 2003 GOP gubernatorial primary. In this year's election, he was one of the state's Republican politicians to back Beshear.

Asked if he would serve in a Beshear administration -- Beshear's running mate, Daniel Mongiardo, tonight said some Republicans will be invited to join Democrats in the Capitol -- Nunn said he was open to the idea, although nobody has asked him yet.

"I'd be glad to talk to him. All you want to do is help a governor be successful, and all I'd want to do is help Steve Beshear be a good governor," Nunn said. "I love public service, even if I've never been particularly good at the political side of it."

For Democrats, a happier Election Night

FRANKFORT - U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler, D-Versailles, just trotted through the press room with an ear-to-ear grin, saying hello to everyone, slapping backs and wishing folks a great evening.

The congressman bolted into a V.I.P. crowd faster than I could follow, but he's clearly enjoying Election Night 2007 more than he did Election Night 2003. That's when Ernie Fletcher clobbered him by a 10-point margin and became the first Republican governor in a generation.

Four years later, Chandler has Fletcher's old seat in the U.S. House representing Central Kentucky; he's in the majority party in Congress; and he belongs to the powerful House Appropriations Committee, which decides federal spending. By contrast, the evening's election returns suggest Fletcher soon could be looking for work.

"I think we've brought the Democrats back home tonight," said Democratic State Auditor Crit Luallen, who is cruising to re-election tonight over Republican Linda Greenwell.

Chatting in Frankfort's civic center, Luallen said her office would continue to look for waste, fraud and abuse in government spending and conduct "performance audits" that try to determine how well particular programs are achieving their stated goals.

"We're very gratified by the way voters have responded to our message," Luallen said, regarding her likely chances for re-election. "I think people recognize integrity and competence when they see a strong record."

Like Chandler, Luallen might have her eyes set on Washington. She is talked of as a  possible challenger to U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who stands for re-election next year. Tonight, Luallen said she is getting "lots of encouragement" to run against McConnell, but she declined to say if she will do so -- or when she will make a decision.

"I've just been completely focused on this (state auditor's) race," she said.

However, she added, "This vote tonight shows that the people of Kentucky are ready for change. I think there is a sentiment nationally that is also calling for change. And I think the momentum coming out of this governor's race will put the winds at the back of a Democratic candidate for the United States Senate."

- John Cheves

Luallen will continue as auditor

By Linda B. Blackford
lblackford@herald-leader.com

With four years of experience, state Auditor Crit Luallen persuaded voters to give her another term and a commanding win over challenger Linda Greenwell.

Greenwell, who narrowly lost to Luallen for the same seat four years ago, stopped campaigning last week after her mother was hospitalized. She was not available for comment Tuesday night.

Luallen led in polls and campaign cash throughout the campaign.

The auditor, who is paid $101,596, is charged with checking the books of all state agencies, school districts and county governments as well as performing special investigations.

Luallen, 55, has served in a variety of roles in state government for 30 years, including executive cabinet secretary for Gov. Paul Patton and finance secretary and tourism secretary for Gov. Brereton Jones. However, she has raised her profile as auditor, with numerous audits that have ended in legal action.

Luallen has not committed to serving a full term. Her name has come up as a potential challenger for U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, a Republican up for re-election next year. She also has declined to rule out a run for governor.

For now, Luallen says, she will focus on financial and performance audits, particularly in the realm of education.