Stumbo forms exploratory seat for U.S. Senate

McConnell says he's fully prepared to defend his seat

By RONNIE ELLIS

FRANKFORT — Greg Stumbo is considering taking on Kentucky’s most powerful Republican – and one of the most powerful men in Washington – in next year’s U.S. Senate race.



Stumbo, Kentucky’s Attorney General who is not seeking election after running as a candidate for Lieutenant Governor on the unsuccessful gubernatorial primary slate with Bruce Lunsford, announced Monday he was forming an exploratory committee to challenge Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.



“I am keeping my options open,” Stumbo said in an e-mailed press release. “I am excited about gathering the facts and doing the ground work on this important election. It is time we remind Mitch McConnell that he represents Kentucky, not George Bush.”



Other Democrats who have indicated an interest in opposing McConnell next year include Louisville businessman Charlie Owen and Andrew Horne, who ran unsuccessfully in the 2006 primary for the Third District Congressional seat.



Julie Adams of McConnell’s office said he would have no comment on Stumbo’s announcement.



But earlier in the day, before Stumbo sent out his announcement, McConnell said he is prepared for a tough re-election bid next year in what he has previously called a tough environment for Republicans.



“This race is not just going to be about me,” McConnell said. “It’s going to be about the opponent and I’ll be fully prepared and ready to step up to the plate.”



Stumbo led the investigation into alleged improper hiring practices by Gov. Ernie Fletcher’s administration, an investigation which produced indictments of 15 people, including Fletcher, and 14 unnamed persons in sealed indictments. Fletcher pardoned all but himself, but Stumbo eventually entered an agreement with Fletcher which dismissed those charges. Stumbo also is likely to face attacks for various personal problems. He fathered a child out of wedlock and faced a paternity suit for failure to provide child support.



McConnell, the Republican Leader in the Senate, has a tough job holding together the Republican caucus and trying to support Bush’s programs while Republican members grow anxious over their re-election prospects next year. There will be 22 Senate Republican seats on the ballot to just 12 for Democrats. One of those Republican seats is McConnell’s.



McConnell has been criticized by Democratics for his support of the war and for Bush. Chris Cillizza, on his political blog on the Washington Post web site, ranks McConnell as the 10th most vulnerable Republican Senator next year. Larry Sabato, the University of Virginia political science professor whose Crystal Ball political web site is widely read and quoted by political reporters, ranks McConnell’s seat from “leans Republican” to “safe.”



Stumbo’s press release echoed comments of Democratic Senate Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., in his criticism of Republicans’ ability to thwart Democrats’ attempts to force an up or down vote on bringing home U.S. troops from Iraq.



“Our Senator from Kentucky, Mitch McConnell, led a group of Republicans on the Senate floor to block an up or down vote on the War in Iraq,” the press release stated. “He showed he would rather protect the White House, instead of our troops.” That parallels Reid’s statement this past week that Republicans would “rather protect the President instead of our soldiers.”



McConnell said Monday – again before Stumbo’s announcement – that Democrats have concluded the war is lost while Republicans would rather “wait for the facts” in the September report by Lt. Gen. David Petraeus on the progress in Iraq after the troop surge which began a couple of months ago.



McConnell said he will try to persuade Kentucky voters they are better off with a Senator with the power of Republican Leader than with a freshman Democrat in next year’s campaign.



“People in Kentucky are overwhelmingly proud of the fact that only for the second time in history, they have one of the leaders in the U.S. Senate,” McConnell said. “I’ll certainly try to persuade them that’s good for them.” Earlier this year, McConnell’s office released internal polling which showed more than 70 percent of Kentucky voters take pride in McConnell’s role as Republican Leader.



Stumbo alluded to another McConnell advantage – his campaign fund-raising – in his press release. McConnell has raised nearly $7 million already for his re-election bid and has about $5.7 million in the bank.



“With McConnell’s overwhelming war chest, we must start now” to raise money, Stumbo’s statement said. He said he would concentrate his fund raising on out-of-state sources or from “my close friends and family” in order not to interfere with the 2007 elections for governor and other state-wide constitutional officers.



Stumbo did not return messages left at the number listed on his press release nor on his personal cell phone.



Ronnie Ellis writes for CNHI News Service and is based in Frankfort, Ky. He may be contacted by email at rellis@cnhi.com.

Text Only