Beshear endorses Mongiardo for U.S. Senate
Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo
FRANKFORT — Gov. Steve Beshear threw his weight behind Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo’s run for the U.S. Senate Friday, delivering a preemptive blow to would-be Democratic competitors.
Beshear endorsed Mongiardo’s run for the 2010 Democratic U.S. Senate primary in a statement released Friday afternoon, saying “more than ever, we need strong representatives in Washington D.C. to give voice to Kentucky priorities and values.”
The seat is held by embattled Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Southgate, who has so far resisted intense pressure from within his own party to drop his re-election bid.
Mongiardo, a former state Senator from Hazard who lost to Bunning by only 1.4 percentage points in 2004, welcomed Beshear’s endorsement, calling his boss “a trusted mentor and partner.”
Kim Geveden, a spokesman for Mongiardo’s campaign, said Mongiardo will stay on as lieutenant governor “until he wins the November 2010 election.”
He said Beshear’s endorsement is “expected to help unify Democrats around Mongiardo in the coming months as he begins to launch a more vigorous campaign.”
At least one political analyst is skeptical that Beshear’s endorsement will be enough to “scare off” other potential Democratic candidates.
Western Kentucky University political science professor Scott Lasley said Beshear’s endorsement “helps Mongiardo but the key question about this is whether it will parlay into fund raising.”
Lasley said it will be interesting to see “if Beshear will be active for Mongiardo’s campaign or if his endorsement is in words only.”
Other Democrats mentioned as possible candidates in the race are state Attorney General Jack Conway, state Auditor Crit Luallen and U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler of Versailles.
Mark Riddle, a Louisville political consultant who said he is Conway’s media adviser, issued a statement downplaying the significance of Beshear’s endorsement.
“People will have to decide for themselves whether a tepid statement honoring a long-standing political commitment, done on a Friday afternoon while the governor is out-of-town is indeed newsworthy,” Riddle said.
“Most expected the governor would have to say something on his running mate’s behalf. However, in a larger sense, many Democratic leaders believe their party should have a choice in selecting the nominee who can best lead our Commonwealth into the future, and Attorney General Conway is seriously considering this race for the U.S. Senate.”
Riddle declined to comment when asked if Conway’s hiring of him meant that Kentucky’s top law enforcement officer was going to enter the Democratic race.
Luallen said Friday that she has not made a decision on whether she would enter the race. Both Luallen and Conway have said that they would wait until after the General Assembly adjourns to make a decision. The legislature wrapped up on Thursday.
“I think it will be soon,” Luallen said. “I think each of us will take in consideration where the other stands,” Luallen said. “We are all allies.”
Chandler could not be reached for comment about the endorsement.
Although Mongiardo doesn’t plan to immediately step down as Lt. Governor, Beshear would have to name a new running-mate before he begins raising funds for the 2011 election.
Beshear spokesman Jay Blanton said the governor has not yet made a decision about re-election.
“If, and when he does, I’m sure he will fully comply with the law regarding a slate,” Blanton said.
In his endorsement statement for Mongiardo, Beshear said the Hazard doctor has been a leader in the push for e-health technology, has promoted Kentucky through Adventure Tourism and has spoken out about energy challenges.
Beshear said those concerns mirror priorities articulated by President Obama.
Bunning was not immediately available for comment on Friday. The Kentucky senator and Hall of Fame pitcher is regarded as one of the most vulnerable Republicans in the upper chamber. In recent months, Bunning has feuded publicly with his own party over raising funds for the race.
Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson, Senate President David Williams and U.S. Rep. Geoff Davis of Hebron have been mentioned as possible GOP candidates if Bunning drops out of the race.
– Jack Brammer and Beth Musgrave
Filed Under: Barack Obama • Crit Luallen • Daniel Mongiardo • Democratic Party • Featured • Jack Conway • State Government • Steve Beshear
About the Author: 
The Commonwealth will not vote in TWO Senators from Louisville. Sorry Jack and Mark Riddle (campaign manager, not advisor)
Mongairdo has non chancen of carrying eastern ky aftern his negative stereotypical comments regarding appalachians and their disapproval with Obama. Hopefully Congressman Chandlern will jump inn the race.
I would say that an announcement made late in the afternoon on a Friday that UK fires its basketball coach and UofL plays a Sweet Sixteen game is a great way to bury a news story. That smacks of a perfunctory endorsement at best. I think your lede is substantially overblown and until we see the Governor actively campaigning and raising money for the Lt. Governor, it’s best to reserve judgment as to whether this is any more than the pro forma endorsement of a running mate that, on the surface, it appears to be. It certainly will not preempt the field or keep anyone else out of the race, nor should it.
I spoke with Ben about this race today and Heather French Henry is going to throw her bra into the race and if so with conway and maybe others he is considering the race strongly.
My friend Kelsey is correct. Heather baked me cookies last night and served Dean’s milk and said she was getting in because what the hey, why should boys have all the fun.
Heather French Henry? Hahahahahaha, you have to be kidding me? The Republican who became a Democrat out of convenience. If she even gets one Democratic vote, it will prove what a joke the party is in this state.
Hey now Mark, Dr. Dan married a young Republican too. Don’t know about Conway’s wife, but if she’s a Republican that will make me mad. Leave our women alone, stinky Democrats.
Democrats beware! Money is tight and it will be stupid to slaughter each other in a primary and let some Repub slip in. Mitch ain’t dead, especially in-state. Luallen missed her boat last time. She could have been Gov. It might have been better to be KY’s second lady Gov. than to be an also ran Senate canidate. Ben’s doing OK and Conway needs to pay more dues. It’s Dans turn to smash the old A-Hole Bunning. Heather? a laugh, HA
Mongiardo only pointed out the fact we went against the winning team as a state, not as much as a region. He is from East Kentucky and I have never heard him trash East Ky. Mitch is just a no man and killing us with the new administration. Monjiardo is more progressive and I believe can bring home the bacon for Kentucky. At least he won’t be seen as a thorn in the side of the people who are in power nationally.
I thought we had finally put the troll known as Kelsey to sleep.
The office of the scholar is to cheer, to raise, and to guide men by showing them facts amidst appearances.
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