All Entries in the "Democratic Party" Category

Former Kentucky Democratic Party chief mulling possible bid for U.S. Senate

By Jack Brammer
jbrammer@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT — Former Kentucky Democratic Party Chairman Bill Garmer said Friday he is considering running for the U.S. Senate next year if Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes declines to enter the race against Republican incumbent Mitch McConnell.

“A lot of people have talked to me about the race,” said Garmer, a Lexington lawyer, in a telephone interview. “But Alison is the center of discussion. In my mind, if she wants the nomination, she has my support. She is one of the bright stars in the Democratic party and she wants to serve Kentucky. I would be the first in line to support her.”

Asked if he would consider running if Grimes decides not to run, Garmer said, “that sounds like a lawyer’s question but that would be fair.”

Grimes said April 23 that she is pondering whether to run for the U.S. Senate next year against McConnell. She said she would “take the time to reflect with my family, my supporters on how I can best continue to serve the Commonwealth of Kentucky.”

Veteran national and state consultant joins Kay campaign in special House race

By Jack Brammer
jbrammer@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT – Veteran political consultant Jim Cauley is working for the Democratic campaign of James L. Kay II in the special state House 56th District race in Central Kentucky.

Kay, a Woodford County attorney, confirmed Wednesday that Cauley, a former chief of staff for Gov. Steve Beshear, is his campaign consultant in the race.

That drew an immediate response from state Republican Party Chairman Steve Robertson, who noted that Cauley was campaign manager for President Barack Obama’s 2004 U.S. Senate campaign in Illinois.

Kentucky House redistricting plan would create new district in Lexington

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="466"] Proposed Kentucky House redistricting map[/caption]

By Jack Brammer
jbrammer@herald-leader.com

PDF: Proposed House redistricting map

FRANKFORT — House Speaker Greg Stumbo unveiled proposed new boundaries for House districts Tuesday that pit incumbents against each other in six districts and creates seven districts with no incumbent, including one in Fayette County.

The House State Government Committee approved House Bill 2 on a party-line vote Tuesday afternoon, with Democrats voting yes and Republicans voting no. The Democratic-led House may vote on the bill Wednesday.

All but one of the incumbents who would have to battle each other are Republicans.

The new Fayette County district is 88, located in the southern part of the county.

Proposed districts that pair incumbents include:

Democrats make major changes to Kentucky pension overhaul bill

By Jack Brammer
jbrammer@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT — Democrats on a House committee made major changes Tuesday to a proposed overhaul of Kentucky’s ailing pension system, raising the hackles of Republicans.

The House State Government Committee sent a revised Senate Bill 2 to the full House for consideration on a 17-1 vote. Ten Republicans did not vote.

The latest version of SB 2 would allow future state workers to remain on a defined-benefit pension plan. Senate Republicans has proposed shifting future workers to a hybrid 401(K)-style plan that offered a defined contribution from the state and a guaranteed minimum return on investments.

Committee Chairman Brent Yonts, D-Greenville, said House Speaker Greg Stumbo will present a plan to pay for the policy bill to the House budget committee later in the day.

Stumbo has said the funding plan would rely on money from expanded Instant Racing at horse racetracks, a new Keno game operated by the Kentucky Lottery Corp. and allowing lottery games to be played online.

Beshear: Ashley Judd wants to talk about U.S. Senate race

By Linda B. Blackford
lblackford@herald-leader.com

FRANKKFORT — Gov. Steve Beshear said Thursday that he has spoken with actress Ashley Judd and plans to talk more with her about next year’s U.S. Senate race.

“She’s been trying to arrange and will be arranging some more conversations here in the next month or so,” Beshear told reporters after a bill signing.

Beshear said he spoke with Judd at the Bluegrass Ball in Washington D.C. in January. He declined to say if he would endorse her entry into the race against Republican incumbent Mitch McConnell.

“There are a number of people who are still talking about running for the U.S. Senate and I think she would be a very serious candidate, there may be others who would also… but I’m going to encourage as many as possible to take a look at it and we can come up with the best candidate,” Beshear said.

Various media outlets have reported that Judd met this week with the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee about a possible run.

Ashley Judd thanks American Crossroads for the publicity

By Jack Brammer
jbrammer@herald-leader.com

The conservative Super PAC American Crossroads released an advertisement Wednesday on YouTube that mocks the political stances of actress Ashley Judd, who is considering a run for U.S. Senate next year in Kentucky.

In the video, a narrator labels Judd an “Obama-following, radical, Hollywood liberal who’s right at home here in Tennessee … uh, I mean Kentucky.”

Karl Rove, a former senior advisor to President George W. Bush, is a co-founder of the group attacking Judd, who has been coy when asked about possibly challenging Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell in 2014.

“Ashley thanks Senator McConnell, Karl Rove and their negative allies for all the attention as she considers her future political plans, although a decision hasn’t been made yet,” a spokesperson for Judd said Wednesday in an email.

Crit Luallen ‘actively considering’ run for Kentucky governor in 2015

By Jack Brammer
jbrammer@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT — Though former state Auditor Crit Luallen and Attorney General Jack Conway are close friends, his recent comment that he is taking a “very, very serious look” at running for governor in 2015 has not deterred her from considering the race.

Luallen said Monday in an interview in her Franklin County home that she is “actively considering” the race and will make a decision about it by the end of this year. Still, she said she does not expect Conway and her to run against each other in the Democratic primary election for governor in 2015.

“We will work together and talk together as this evolves because friends don’t work against each other, friends work things out,” said Luallen, who is godmother to one of Conway’s daughters, Eva.

Asked if she would skip the race if Conway decides to run, Luallen said “I don’t expect we will ever have to face each other in a showdown. I think we’ll work this out.”

Eastern Kentucky lawmakers get key House committee appointments

By Jack Brammer
jbrammer@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT — Eastern Kentucky is well represented in key positions in the state House, thanks to committee assignments announced Thursday by House Democratic leadership.

Rep. Leslie Combs, D-Pikeville, is the new chairwoman of the influential House Budget Review Subcommittee on Transportation, which helps develop the state’s road-building plan.

Rep. Keith Hall, D-Phelps, will replace Combs as chairman of the House Tourism Development and Energy Committee, giving him an opportunity to work on coal issues.

Meanwhile, Rep. John Will Stacy, D-West Liberty, is the new chairman of the House Budget Review Subcommittee on General Government, Finance and Public Protection, a panel that holds the purse strings for several key areas in government.

Their appointments come from the five-member House Democratic leadership, two members of which are from Eastern Kentucky — Speaker Greg Stumbo of Prestonsburg and Rocky Adkins of Sandy Hook.

Kentucky House elects first woman to leadership post

By Jack Brammer and Beth Musgrave — jbrammer@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT — The 2013 General Assembly began on a historic note Tuesday with the election of the first woman to House leadership.

State Rep. Sannie Overly, D-Paris, was elected majority caucus chairman by her Democratic colleagues. Overly defeated Rep. Bob Damron, D-Nicholasville, who has held the position since 2008.

“It’s a humbling experience,” Overly said of being the first woman elected to leadership. “I am looking forward to uniting our caucus and maintaining our majority through 2014 and beyond.”

Overly was the only challenger who managed to oust an incumbent in leadership races on the first day of the 30-workday legislative session. House Speaker Pro Tem Larry Clark of Louisville survived a challenge by Rep. Arnold Simpson of Covington, and Majority Whip Tommy Thompson of Owensboro turned back a bid by Rep. Johnny Bell of Glasgow. House Speaker Greg Stumbo of Prestonsburg and House Majority Leader Rocky Adkins of Sandy Hook were unopposed.

Tuesday was largely ceremonial with the swearing in of new House and Senate members and the election of leaders in both chambers.

Stein promises apology after calling GOP senator a ‘narrow-minded nimrod’

By Linda B. Blackford
lblackford@herald-leader.com

State Sen. Kathy Stein, D-Lexington, said she will apologize to one of her colleagues after calling him a “narrow-minded nimrod” on Facebook over the weekend.

“I thought it was private,” Stein said Monday about her comment, which she made on an old blog post about Sen. Mike Wilson, R-Bowling Green, on the liberal Hillbilly Report blog. The blog uses a commenting system powered by Facebook, which means the comment also appeared on Stein’s Facebook page.

“This narrow-minded nimrod is now the Chair of the Senate Education Committee — Lord help us,” she wrote.

The blog post included a campaign handout for Wilson that featured a prominent typo. It touted Wilson as “firmly standing for conversative values, vision, faith and integrity.”

Stein’s apology may not cut any ice with incoming Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester.