Matt Gunterman November 8th, 2007

I was talking to my parents last night about the KET coverage of the election on Tuesday, and they said that former state Republican Party chair Ellen Williams’ comment on Larry Forgy’s strong words for Sen. Mitch McConnell (R) was that Forgy is, and I paraphrase since I didn’t see the interview, “a three-time loser.”

That, Ellen, is not how one deals with Larry Forgy. If McConnell’s people continue to mock Forgy, he’ll show them how much of a factor he is. In the end, if he runs as an independent against McConnell, Forgy will likely end up a four-time loser, but he’ll make McConnell a first-time loser — and who has the most to lose?

Mitch McConnell.

Here’s Joe Arnold over at WHAS on how things played out among Kentucky Republicans on Tuesday night.

What’s next for Kentucky’s GOP?

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — So what’s next for Kentucky Republicans after Ernie Fletcher’s loss?

Prominent Republican Larry Forgy says the party is fractured. And in her first interview since she lost to Fletcher in the primary — former congresswoman Anne Northup says it’s time to move on.

Northup has kept mum for nearly six months since losing in the primary to governor Fletcher. Today, she responded to criticism that the primary fight contributed to Fletcher’s loss.

“Forgiveness is, and moving forward with confidence and pulling together is something you really shouldn’t be in politics if you can’t do,” she says.

But prominent Republican Larry Forgy is not moving on to forgiveness just yet. “The party is fractured today, and it was fractured by a few people at the Republican headquarters in Louisville. This did not have to happen.”

Forgy says he is angry with Northup, Senator Mitch McConnell and Lieutenant Governor Steve Pence. He calls Northup’s primary challenge a “fratricidal war,” which drained energy and $5 million from the Fletcher campaign.

“The primary is so long ago, it’s over! And so is the election over,” says Northup. “And the administration. And so in a sense, we have a chance to start fresh.”

Forgy says the time for party unity was years ago, at the outset of the merit hiring investigation.

“And everybody had said, that’s absurd, and we had all stood as a party and moved forward together, we’d have a totally different outcome tonight,” he says.

“You know, I really don’t want to talk about the past, but clearly, the polls have been the same for a year,” Northup says.

The governor himself had no cross words last night for Republicans who didn’t support him. “There’s no question, as I said tonight, I helped create some of that distraction myself,” Fletcher says. “I have no one to point to or to criticize. The important thing is to come together and let’s move Kentucky forward.”

“Clearly, Trey Grayson’s win says that the people of Kentucky have not lost faith in Republicans and are eager and willing to vote for Republicans,” Northup says.

Northup tells me she would love to run for office again, but is now helping others run. She defended U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell, calling him a “unifying force.”

And when I asked if she voted for Ernie Fletcher, she said she voted straight Republican.

Meanwhile, Larry Forgy tells me he might run against McConnell next year.

###

• 2008 KY U.S. Senate Race , Larry Forgy
• Comments(1)