All Entries in the "2011 Statewide Races" Category

Plan redistricts Lexington’s Kathy Stein out of state Senate

By Beth Musgrave
bmusgrave@herald-leader.com

LINK: Close-up map of proposed state Senate districts in Fayette County

FRANKFORT — Under a plan adopted by a state Senate committee Wednesday, one of Fayette County’s longest serving public officials would be out of office by the end of the year.

The Senate State and Local Government Committee on Wednesday passed its version of new congressional and Senate district maps. The new senate district lines would move Senate District 13 — which Democrat Kathy Stein currently represents — to northeastern Kentucky. That new district would include Mason and Lewis counties.

Because Stein is up for re-election this year, she would have to move to northeastern Kentucky to run for that district seat. The district where Stein currently lives becomes Senate District 4 under the new plan, which is currently held by Sen. Dorsey Ridley, a Democrat from Henderson. Stein could run for Senate District 4 in two years when that seat is up for re-election.

Personnel board to decide Ag department investigation in January

By Beth Musgrave
bmusgrave@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT — The Kentucky Personnel Board will hear a report in January on whether agriculture department officials violated state personnel laws when two merit positions were created and given to political appointees.

Mark Sipek, the executive director of the panel, told the board at its meeting on Friday that staff had not yet finished it report on its investigation into alleged improprieties at the Department of Agriculture and recommended that the board take up the issue at its January meeting.

Ag department director charged with ethics violation

By Beth Musgrave
bmusgrave@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT — A division director in the Department of Agriculture has been charged with violating the state’s ethics rules after she allegedly created a merit-based position for herself to protect her job.

Danita Fentress-Laird was one of at least two political appointees who were awarded merit positions in the Department of Agriculture last year. According to charges released Friday by the Executive Branch Ethics Commission, Fentress-Laird used her position to create a merit position and then made sure that she was hired into that job.

Fentress-Laird was appointed as a director of the Division of Personnel and Budget by Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer, who is leaving office this January. Political appointees serve at the will of the commissioner. But the merit system protects employees from being dismissed without cause.

Rep. Cherry decides not to seek re-election

By Beth Musgrave
bmusgrave@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT — The chairman of the powerful House State Government committee will not seek re-election next year.

Rep. Mike Cherry, D-Princeton, announced Thursday that he would not seek another term. Cherry, who was first elected in 1999, said in a statement that he and his wife Gale, the mayor of Princeton, decided that now was the time for him to leave public service.

“There is no single reason behind this hard decision, but I will be almost 70 at the end of this term, and I feel the job requires an energy and enthusiasm more often found in one younger,” Cherry said in a written statement. “I will still look for, and hope to find, opportunities to be of service to my community and state.”

Tea Party candidate says he will run against Thayer

By Beth Musgrave
bmusgrave@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT — An electrical contractor with ties to the Tea Party has filed paperwork with the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance to run in the Republican primary against Sen. Damon Thayer of Georgetown.

Ricky Hostetler, who lost the Republican primary to Rep. Ryan Quarles in the 62nd House District race in 2010, will seek the Republican nomination for the 17th Senate district that currently includes Scott, Grant, Owen and part of Kenton County. Hostetler filed his paperwork with the registry to begin raising funds for the May 22 primary on Nov. 21.

Beshear senior campaign staffer to join lobbying firm

By Beth Musgrave
bmusgrave@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT — The deputy campaign manager of Gov. Steve Beshear’s successful re-election campaign has joined a lobbying firm.

Sherman Brown, who also was a member of Beshear’s campaign team in 2007, confirmed Tuesday that he was joining McCarthy Strategic Solutions, which is also the firm of Skipper Martin, former Democratic Gov. Paul Patton’s chief-of-staff.

New ‘out takes’ video posted of Grimes’ famous ‘granny ad’

FRANKFORT — In his concession speech last Tuesday, Republican candidate for secretary of state Bill Johnson congratulated Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes and two important people in her life and in her campaign — “Elsie” and “Thelma”

Her grandmothers are very effective campaigners, Johnson joked after being beat by Grimes on Nov. 8.

After dud election, Tea Party activists want more influence in Kentucky GOP

By Jack Brammer
jbrammer@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT — Loyalists in Kentucky’s Tea Party movement who helped propel Republican Rand Paul to the U.S. Senate last year say they share no blame for the GOP’s poor showing in Tuesday’s state elections, especially in the race for governor.

Instead, they point to the Republican Party establishment, which they say too often backs and fields candidates who don’t adhere to their call for limited government and fiscal responsibility.

“I’m a registered Republican but my reasoning for Tuesday’s loss is that we saw an establishment candidate, Republican David Williams, get rejected by the Tea Party,” said Lexington conservative radio talk show host Leland Conway. “The establishment part of the Republican Party of Kentucky needs to learn that its candidates have to be true conservatives for the Tea Party to line up behind them and to win.”

Such comments reflect the Tea Party movement’s continuing efforts to gain influence in the Grand Old Party, which dominates the state’s delegation in Washington D.C. but has won Kentucky’s governor’s office only twice since World War II.

David Williams says he has enough support to remain Senate president

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

FRANKFORT — A day after suffering a 21-point drubbing by Gov. Steve Beshear, state Senate President David Williams said he has enough support among the 23-member Republican caucus to remain its leader.

Asked if the caucus might try to oust him when the legislature convenes in January because of his poor showing on Tuesday, Williams said he felt he had plenty of support.

“No one is telling me that,” Williams said. “I have a lot of support out there.”

Williams’ colleagues last elected him president in January. He faces re-election to the leadership post he has held since 2000 in January 2013.

Williams said he is physically, mentally and spiritually stronger after the grueling campaign. After exercising regularly during the campaign, Williams said he will no longer need insulin to control his diabetes beginning next week.

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.