Kentucky Gubernatorial Race Is Test for Bush on Economy

[onehandle]

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Aug. 13 — Improbable as it sounds, the first major test of President Bush's vulnerability on the weak economy may come this November in a state that he won handily in 2000, where his favorable ratings are still high and where Republicans hold seven of eight Congressional seats.

No one said Kentucky politics was predictable.

With a tenacity that has surprised his opponent and some supporters, the Democratic candidate for governor, Attorney General Ben Chandler, has attacked Mr. Bush's stewardship of the economy, contending that Republican policies have drained Kentucky of 56,000 jobs, aided the wealthy at the expense of the poor and helped drill a gaping hole in the state budget.

"It's hard to believe that just three years ago, Kentucky had a surplus, had an economy that was growing," Mr. Chandler, 43, said Monday at a campaign event outside a shuttered I.B.M. plant in Lexington. "What has changed is the team in charge in Washington. And my opponent is in the starting lineup."

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/14/national/14KENT.html

[rock]

1. Let me tell you

I work in the Louisville area. Well, when I have a job. I'm a programmer consultant and I've been employed only half the time in the last two years.

[Gin]

2. this is a good campaign slogan.......local and national

"What has changed is the team in charge in Washington

[qb]

3. Isn't it amazing what a Democrat with a spine can do? nt

[PROGRESSIVE1]

4. QUESTION:

How can Kentucky's economy be a key to what happens on the national scale when it comes to Bush's re-"election"? Won't Bush try to make an issue out of terrorism!

[Stumpy]

5. Think of it as a test market.

Chandler will be blaming the Bushistas for the economy and linking Fletcher to Bush via the Republican party.

If it works here, then likely it will work on a larger scale. Like the old saying goes, if it plays in Peoria.

Bush likely will keep trying to scare the shit out of the country by pushing the terrorism issue. Fletcher probably won't be able to do that because let's face it, terrorists probably don't have their sights set on Kentucky.

Stumpy, also in Louisville

[CMT]

8. latest polls seem to indicate a close race

with the GOP candidate ahead by only five-points, I hope that Chandler keeps it up.

[ellie]

6. Ha Ha Ha!

This is my favorite line from the article:

<snip>
Asked if he expected the president himself to campaign for him, Mr. Fletcher said, "I sure hope so." Mr. Chandler said he would also welcome a visit by Mr. Bush.

"We'll ask him if he brought along any jobs," Mr. Chandler said.
<snip>


Ha Ha Ha! Often I get discouraged, but when I read stuff like this, I get heartened.

[jiacinto]

7. Any KY DUers here?

Can you comment on the status of this race?

[Bake]

9. As a recent former-KY DUer

I like Chandler. He's been on the scene long enough to make a name for himself (the Chandler name, of course, is legendary in KY), and I'm glad to see he's giving the Pukes hell!

Bake

[hatrack]

10. Is he related to Happy Chandler? nt

.

[jiacinto]

12. Yeah he is

nt

[Lostnote03]

11. Ben Chandler..(Ky Att. Gen.)

...is the grandson of Happy Chandler, the commissioner of baseball that desegregated baseball by giving Jackie Robinson the opportunity to play the professional sport....look for the Dems to squeeck by in the election...an example that I believe illustrates the above claim is the recent mayoral election in Lexington (Kys second largest city)....in the heated race the overall topic of discussion was the city acquisition of the water company through a condemnation process...The sale of American Water Works to a German conglomerate (RWE)did not sit too well with the voting public, consequently the PRO-condemnation vote carried the candidate into office...also we are dealing with the fallout of the coal companies expansion with 25 power generation permits pending....7 tons of microscopic filament to be released from each facility on an annual basis....rough estimate is that we have lost close to 1,000 miles of fresh water streams within the last decade due to coal mining regulations(or lack of)...in any case we certainly have our hands full here however please do not forget LA. and Miss. this fall as well with their Governor races....

[goobergunch]

13. IMHO Fletcher has a narrow edge in this race...

due to local issues (Patton and inherent Repuke strength in KY). However, Chandler still has a decent chance to win this...and if he does, it's a definite sign that the Repukes are going to be weak in 2004 on economic issues.

And if Fletcher wins, the special election to fill his place in the House will be interesting.