Matt Gunterman November 8th, 2007

Chris Cillizza over at the Washington Post’s political blog The Fix helps spread the word that Steve Beshear’s victory on Tuesday and the general resurgence of Democrats in Kentucky severely complicates Sen. Mitch McConnell’s reelection picture. Read it, it’s pretty good, but I do take issue with the one bit on potential challengers that I highlight below.

Kentucky: Will Dems’ Bandwagon Roll Over McConnell?

Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher’s (R) lopsided defeat at the hands of former Lt. Gov. Steve Beshear (D) last night already has the political community — both here and in the Bluegrass State — buzzing about what it all means for the ‘08 reelection chances of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

McConnell’s decision to begin running TV ads late this week is sure to fuel talk that he is nervous and getting more so after Fletcher’s loss. McConnell is spending roughly $117,000 on the 60-second ad, which The Fix has yet to see. That cost includes 500 gross ratings points (meaning the average viewer will see the ad five times in a week) in the Louisville media market and 600 points in the Lexington market.

[...]

Beshear’s win will almost certainly energize the Democratic political establishment and the activist base in the state, and could also provide encouragement for candidates considering the race.

At the top of that list is state Auditor Crit Luallen, who was reelected overwhelmingly to a second term last night, with 59 percent. Luallen visited with officials from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee earlier this year to talk about a race, and the DSCC has commissioned two polls in the state — perhaps in an attempt to convince Luallen to take the plunge.

Democratic strategists like Luallen for several reasons, including a compelling personal story — she has twice battled cancer in recent years — and believe her tenure in her current post gives her a nice launching pad from which to challenge McConnell. (A recent poll by Research 2000 for the Lexington Herald-Leader showed Luallen trailing McConnell by a 45 percent to 40 percent margin.) One potential hiccup in that plan, however, is that Luallen served as executive secretary in the administration of disgraced Gov. Paul Patton (D) — a connection Republicans would be sure to make if she decided to challenge McConnell.

Although Luallen appears to be Democrats’ first choice, there is also serious talk about a candidacy by Greg Fischer, the CEO of Dant Clayton, which, judging from their Web site — stadiumbleachers.com, appears to specialize in “stadium and bleacher solutions.” Fischer is a political novice but is apparently quite wealthy and might be willing to spend significant funds on a race against McConnell.

State Attorney General Greg Stumbo, wealthy businessman Charlie Owen and Andrew Horne, an Iraq war vet and unsuccessful congressional candidate in 2006, are also in the mix for Democrats, but not as highly regarded as Luallen or Fischer.

[...]

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Yes, Chris, Kentuckians hold Greg Fisher — he of “stadium and bleacher solutions” fame — in much higher regards than Greg Stumbo, the outgoing attorney general who held the corrupt Fletcher administration accountable, than Charlie Owen, who’s used his wealth to fight the good fight for Democrats in the past, and former marine and progressive activist Andrew Horne.

Yes, Chris, if Fisher jumps into the race, his virtual non-history in the Democratic movement in Kentucky will inspire so many. I myself will just be beside myself with enthusiasm.

• 2008 KY U.S. Senate Race , Crit Luallen , Dant Clayton , Mitch McConnell
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