Monday, 22 January 2007
Battle Lines Are Forming
« Congress is Bad For the Economy | Main | Bush on Energy and Alternative Fuels »In the upcoming Republican Gubernatorial war, the battle lines are being drawn. Apparently the war will be a fight between urban Republicans and their rural counterparts. Fletcher has gotten the endorsements from 15 of the 20 Republican senators. Most of which are from rural Kentucky. Meanwhile Northup has gotten the backing of a few senators from Louisville and Lexington, and of course Jim Bunning (Although I don't know how that helps her any) In addition she appears to have the backing from the state party and the Louisville GOP, while Fletcher has rounded up support from the Republican Judge Executives in Northern and Southern Kentucky. All of which leaves Harper's campaign on life support.
It will be interesting to see if Northup will be able to shed her moderate label and make inroads out in the state. Especially the rural parts which have a strong distrust of Louisvillians. On the other hand Fletcher will have to take his message to the urban areas to pick off enough votes to guarantee a win and avoid a run off. Of course, I don't know what Northup's message is going to be? Other than the scandal, how has Fletcher been a poor Governor? Where has Fletcher been less than conservative? I don't see a lot of people talking about what a poor governor he has been. Which makes this whole thing seems absolutely pointless to me.
I don't see how anyone wins in this whole mess and that saddens me. That amount of money that will be spent on this primary is going to be astronomical. The winner will have at best a divided base. Making you wonder if the victor will have only won a Pyrrhic victory. You think that the Republicans would have need to be in power for more than 3 years before this bitter infighting would occur. I guess not.
