David Williams and Richie Farmer form slate to seek state’s top offices

UPDATED AT 6:45 P.M.

By Jack Brammer – jbrammer@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT — Senate President David Williams and Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer teamed up Wednesday to run next year for Kentucky’s highest elective offices — governor and lieutenant governor.

“We believe this state is adrift, and we need a positive, pro-jobs agenda to put us in competition with other states,” Williams said during a news conference at his Frankfort home near the Capitol.

Known as scrappers in their own right, the well-known Republicans — Williams has been the controversial leader of the state Senate since 2000 and Farmer was a member of UK’s “Unforgettables” team in the 1991-92 season — face a tough fight.

Within minutes after Williams and Farmer announced their slate, Louisville businessman Phil Moffett, who has formed a GOP slate with state Rep. Mike Harmon of Danville, let it be known that his ticket will not be a pushover in next May’s Republican primary election.

“Running against someone who has signed off on all the debt Kentuckians are struggling with now and who has supported lots of tax increases kind of makes me feel like I’m already facing a Democrat,” said Moffett, who has the backing of several Tea Party movement members.

Democrats offered equally harsh words for Williams, who opponents have long-called the “Bully from Burkesville” as he successfully blocked their highest legislative priorities, such as expanded gambling.

“I believe that Kentuckians, both Democrats and many Republicans, are as happy as I am that we finally get a chance to cast a ballot against the man who has turned the state Senate into a place where good ideas go to die,” said state Democratic Party Chairman Dan Logsdon.

Logsdon predicted that Williams’ first major test “will be to convince Republican voters next May that he is a fiscal conservative.

“I find it hard to believe that the GOP’s Tea Party primary faithful will nominate a man whose main legislative accomplishment has been to build record state debt to enrich his road contractor cronies.”

Mica Sims, a Tea Party movement organizer in Lexington, agreed.

“David Williams is not going to run away with the Republican primary,” she said. “He’s an incumbent and a tax-and-spend legislator. He has red ink on his hands.

Sims dismissed the name recognition of Williams and Farmer.

“Look at Rand Paul,” she said of the Republican U.S. Senate nominee. “No one knew him at first.”

Larry Forgy, who lost the Republican race for governor in 1995 and favors Williams, said he has been to about as many Tea Party rallies as Sims, and “they don’t have a monopoly on conservatives.”

Forgy also said he does not know Moffett but expressed concern that he has not been visible in GOP efforts in the past. “I don’t think he should be given the choirmaster’s job the first month he joins the church,” Forgy said.

The early posturing of the candidates and their supporters indicates that Kentuckians “should anticipate a lively race” for governor, said Joe Gershtenson, director of Eastern Kentucky University’s Institute of Public Governance and Civic Engagement.

At this point, the tickets of Williams-Farmer and Democratic incumbent Steve Beshear with Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson have to be the most prominent because of their name recognition, Gershtenson said.

The professor said he sees no successful challenge to Beshear in next May’s Democratic primary election because Beshear already has amassed about $2.5 million in campaign funds.

A consequence of Beshear and Williams in the race, Gershtenson said, is to expect little results in the 2011 General Assembly that begins in January.

“It will be more difficult to find a lot of cooperation in next year’s state legislature,” Gershtenson said. “Most eyes will be on the governor’s race.”

Seated side by side at the news conference, Williams said the ticket offers “two guys who will not be afraid to make bold decisions” and who believe “that we need a change in leadership.”

Williams said he had discussed the ticket in the last 24 hours with state legislators, the state’s congressional delegation and even had left a message with Beshear earlier in the morning.

In the call to Beshear, he said, he gave his commitment to work with Beshear “for the rest of his tenure.”

Farmer, a Clay County native who can’t seek re-election to agriculture commissioner next year because of term limits, said he decided to run for lieutenant governor because of “what Kentucky has done for me.”

The politicians said they will not actively solicit or hold fund-raisers until after the Nov. 2 general elections but would accept campaign contributions.

Williams said he expects strong support from Republicans and moderate and conservative Democrats.
“I don’t expect Democratic politicians to be gleeful about the entry of David Williams and Richie Farmer into the governor’s race,” he said. “They see us as a real threat.”

People who really know him, Williams said, “don’t buy what the Herald-Leader and Courier-Journal editorial boards have tried to paint me as, so it will be my opportunity for the next several months to let the people of Kentucky get to know me.”

Asked about Farmer’s recent comment that he viewed the position of lieutenant governor as a chance to learn more about state government, Williams pounced on the question and said all politicians should try to learn more about state government.

“It’s a continuing process to try to educate yourself,” he said.

Williams said he has watched Farmer operate the agriculture department for seven years, “and he has done a tremendous job.”

Beshear’s re-election campaign took the Williams-Farmer announcement in stride.

“It looks like the Republicans will have a heated primary, and we are looking forward to running next fall against whoever emerges from that primary,” said campaign spokesman Matt Osborne.

Another Democrat in next year’s race is perennial candidate Otis “Bullman” Hensley Jr., a Harlan County demolition contractor. His running mate is Evarts coal miner Richard Robbins.

Lexington lawyer Gatewood Galbraith is running as an independent. His running mate is Dea Riley, a Frankfort political consultant.

Former state Adjutant General Donald Storm will be the campaign chairman for Williams and Farmer, who filed their candidacy with the state Registry of Election Finance Wednesday morning. Williams said the campaign will be managed by Scott Jennings of Louisville, a former aide to President George W. Bush.

Here’s a three-minute video the Williams-Farmer campaign released Wednesday:

Filed Under: David Williams • Dea Riley • Elections • Gatewood Galbraith • Governor's Race • Phil Moffett • Richie Farmer • State Government • Steve Beshear