All Entries in the "Democratic Party" Category

Secretary of State-elect Alison Lundergan Grimes

Secretary of State-elect Alison Ludergan Grimes made numerous references to her grandmothers Thelma Lundergan McHugh and Elsie Crawford Case, who were seated next to her, during her victory speech Tuesday night.

McHugh and Case starred in Grimes’ hugely popular campaign commercial, and in her speech, the secretary of state elect promised to make them proud of her.

“Grandmothers, I promise as secretary of state, we will continue to be about all Kentuckians,” Grimes said in an assertive address.

Re-elected Attorney General Jack Conway

Attorney General Jack Conway, who lost a bitter 2010 U.S. Senate race to U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, took the stage at the Frankfort Convention Center to the pounding beat of Chumbawumba’s Tubthumper – “I get knocked down, but I get up again … ”

Conway derided attempts to frame the attorney general race into a national race and said Kentucky voters saw what it means to be a state attorney general.

“You watch what Steve Beshear and I are about to do together!” Conway said, highlighting plans to ramp up a fight against illegal prescription pill distribution.

Conway touted his office as an advocate for Kentuckians against oil, gas and pharmaceutical companies and said, “a lot of people have wanted to write my political obituary … But rumors of my demise are woefully premature.”

Auditor-elect Adam Edelen

Introduced by U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler and with his predecessor Crit Luallen on stage, auditor-elect Adam Edelen was the first Democrat to deliver a victory speech Tuesday night.

Edelen started by saying Luallen’s early endorsement was a key to him not having a primary challenger, and he called her, “the gold-standard of public service in Kentucky.”

Edelen continued, “I won’t let her down, and I won’t let you down either.” Citing his own humble roots, he said, “as long as I’m in public life, my work will be to make sure we capitalize on human potential.”

Democrats are hanging tight in Frankfort waiting for more results while listening to Tom Petty and the Beatles.

Conway – national Democrats vs. KY Democrats

It was just a year ago Attorney General Jack Conway experienced Kentuckians’ preference for Republicans over Democrats in Federal elections when he lost to Rand Paul in the U.S. Senate race.

While noting his re-election race against Republican challenger Todd P’Pool is not decided, he said Democrats were doing better in Statewide races this fall because Kentuckians, “can walk and chew gum at the same time” and recognize a difference between national Democrats and Kentucky Democrats.

Conway said he was proud of his re-election campaign and that he had not, “run a single negative ad,” and focused on his record, “that merits re-election.”

Abramson: It’s not over ’til it’s over

Former Louisville mayor and Lt. Gov. Candidate Jerry Abramson was the first to whisk into the Frankfort Convention Center, where Democrats are awaiting results.

In a casual round of interviews, he sounded an optimistic tone but cautioned that despite he and Gov. Steve Beshear’s healthy lead in polls, “it isn’t over ’til it’s over.”

Abramson did express disappointment in the low turnout Tuesday saying people in countries around the world fight and die for the right to vote.

After many Louisville mayoral races, Abramson said he enjoyed getting out into the Commonwealth and “discovering that we’re not all that different.”

Election night coverage #kyelect

We’ll have up-to-the-minute vote results starting at 6 p.m. on Kentucky.com.

Also, reporter Rich Copley will be filing reports on this blog from the Democratic Party rally in Frankfort tonight. Reporter Greg Kocher will have the latest from the Republican Party rally in Lexington.

Rich, Greg and the entire Bluegrass Politics team will be tweeting at @bgpolitics.

Have a great evening.

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Democrats allege collusion between Williams and outside political group funded by father-in-law

By Jack Brammer
jbrammer@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT — The Kentucky Democratic Party filed a complaint Friday with the state alleging that Republican gubernatorial nominee David Williams has illegally coordinated and cooperated with his father-in-law, Terry Stephens, and an outside political group that Stephens is funding.

Stephens has acknowledged being the sole contributor to Restoring America, which has spent $1.365 million on television ads that criticize Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear and compliment Williams.

“He now claims … it is mere coincidence that the group is spending every dime supporting his son-in-law and attacking his opponent,” Democratic Party Chairman Dan Logsdon said in a news release announcing the complaint with the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance.

New Beshear TV ad focuses on Restoring America ads

By Jack Brammer
jbrammer@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT – The re-election campaign of Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear is airing a new TV ad addressing an outside political group’s legal hurdles this week in running TV ads in support of Republican challenger David Williams.

The 30-second Beshear, called “Clear Violation,” contends that ads by Restoring America are misleading and a violation of Kentucky law.

It says the court “ordered them off the air as an illegal attempt to influence the election and help David Williams.”

Judge lifts ban on political group’s TV ads

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

FRANKFORT — A Kentucky judge agreed on Thursday to lift a restraining order that barred an outside political group from running campaign advertisements in the state.

At a hearing Thursday, Franklin Circuit Court Judge Thomas Wingate agreed to lift his restraining order against Restoring America after the group disclosed that its sole donor was the father-in-law of Republican gubernatorial candidate David Williams. The group has spent more than $1.3 million to air television ads critical of Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear and complimentary of Williams.

Restoring America filed an amended 32-day pre-election campaign finance report late Wednesday showing that Terry Stephens, a Russell County businessman, was the sole contributor of $1.365 million to Restoring America Inc., which was originally listed as Restoring America’s sole donor.

Stephens has given more than $2.3 million to groups pushing his son-in-law for governor.

Father-in-law of David Williams says he gave to group whose ads have been banned

By Beth Musgrave
bmusgrave@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT — The father-in-law of Republican gubernatorial candidate David Williams acknowledged Wednesday that he is the sole donor to Restoring America, a political group that has been ordered to take its ads off the air by a judge.

Terry Stephens, a Russell County businessman and owner of Stephens Pipe and Steel, said in an email that he was the sole donor to the group, which has spent more than $1.3 million on television ads criticizing Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear and complimenting Williams.

Stevens said he supported Restoring America because of its conservative values. Stephens said he did not direct the group to support a particular candidate or campaign.

Restoring America updated its 32-day pre-election campaign finance report on Wednesday in an effort to get its ads back on the air, but the update did not include any donor names.