Top Challengers In Kentucky Senate Race Unlikely To Run
The Lexington Herald-Leader reports that Kentucky state Auditor Crit Luallen, who was being recruited by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, is telling party leaders that she has decided not to challenge Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R) next year. Additionally, outgoing state Attorney General Greg Stumbo, who was exploring a campaign, is now expressing a desire to return to the state legislature instead.
The news leaves Democrats without a top flight challenger to put McConnell on the defensive. Louisville attorney Andrew Horne, an Iraq veteran who lost the Democratic primary in Kentucky's Third Congressional District to now-Rep. John Yarmuth in 2006, says that he will consider running if Luallen makes her decision final.
Late Update: Luallen issued a statement today saying that she has "no plans" to enter the race.
My best guess is that McConnell will likely get pushed out as minority leader after the next election anyway, if Republicans lose more than another seat or two. Seems like 9 times out of 10 those guys resign after being deposed from a top leadership position -- Lott was unusual in that respect -- so Kentucky Democrats could end up getting a Mulligan on this one if they don't succeed in picking old Mitch off next November.
December 7, 2007 10:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
Oh no! This is ridiculous. You can't flirt with the race for weeks and then pass on it. Remember, the latest poll from the race had Luallen and Stumbo within 5 points!!
December 7, 2007 10:46 AM | Reply | Permalink
James Lambert's dismissal of Andrew Horne as not being a "top flight challenger" is laughable, and shows a complete lack of familiarity with the state of Kentucky.
For real analysis of KY politics, go to BlueGrassRoots.org, DitchMitchKY.com and PageOneKentucky.com, for starters. You won't read crap like this.
December 7, 2007 9:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
This race was tempting for Democrats who viewed it as payback for the defeat of then Minority Leader Tom Daschle in South Dakota. The diffence is that McConnell is a Republican in a Republican state and Daschle was a Democrat in a Republican state.
Both Luallen and Stumbo could have run competitive races but they evidently decided that they did not want to invest a lot of time, money, and effort just to lose a 54-46 percent race.
December 7, 2007 9:33 PM | Reply | Permalink