Wednesday, 18 November 2009

Meanwhile On The Democrat Side

While the media continues to play up the "rift" between conservatives and the GOP, the Kentucky Democrat primary continues to get bloodier and bloodier.

Attorney General Jack Conway failed to report on a state Executive Branch Ethics Commission form an investment in a Texas energy company, his chief Democratic opponent in the U.S. Senate race, Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo, said Tuesday.
Conway reported in August with the U.S. Senate clerk that he had investments worth between $1 million and $5 million in Kinder Morgan Energy.
But Mongiardo's campaign said Conway did not list the stock purchase on a financial disclosure report filed in April with the state ethics commission. The state requires officials to list investments of at least $10,000.
"Jack Conway has serious questions to answer," Mongiardo spokesman Kim Geveden said in a telephone news conference.

Of course Conway hit back.

It also released copies of 2007 news stories that said Mongiardo, as a candidate for lieutenant governor, failed to disclose with two state agencies a financial interest he held in a $725,000 Frankfort apartment complex.
Mongiardo at the time said it was "just an oversight" on his part and that he was "a passive investor" in the apartments.

I think the GOP primary is going to be a real snooze compared to the epic pissing contest between Conway and Mongiardo. All I can say is pass the popcorn!

Posted by brians at 10:26 PM in Kentucky Politics

Responses (0)

GOP Split In Kentucky?

The national media can see their Democratic party falling apart at the seems as the Dem leaders push a radical leftist agenda. But instead of reporting on the problems of the Democrats, they have instead turned their attention to the looming battle between conservatives and the GOP.

Underdogs trying to ride a wave of anti-establishment fervor are mounting challenges to the Republican Party's hand-picked Senate candidates in several states.

The trend suggests that conservative surges in a New York House race and a Senate primary in Florida were not isolated incidents and pose a dilemma for the GOP. Party leaders have stopped endorsing candidates, and in some cases establishment candidates have shifted to the right.

I understand this story in Florida where conservative Rubio is taking on ultra squish Christ. I understand this story in Illinois where Kirk is another squish running in the primary. I understand this story in Pennsylvania where Specter left the part because he couldn't win the primary against Toomey. But does the same story apply in Kentucky?

The state media and the Paul campaign want you to believe it is happening in Kentucky. Paul wants people to believe it so he can set the race up as a conservative against a squish. The Paul campaign is using the fact that Grayson used to be a Democrat as proof of his squishiness. To me that argument is a red herring. I was at one time a registered Democrat. I dont' think anyone would confuse me for one today.

Of course the media are pushing the story as a way of damaging the one they think has the best chance to win the general. They believe Grayson will win and they want to try and hurt him with the base heading in the fall campaign. But is does this meme apply here? Or is it a myth?

First off, Grayson doesn't have any legislative record upon which to base an opinion. All one can do is surf over to his web site. A quick perusal of his stand on the issues you would see an across the board conservative. Not exactly a raging moderate.

I just don't see this as a battle between the right and middle. It is looking more like a battle between two conservatives. I doubt we will find many policy differences between the candidates during the campaign. I am sure there will be some differences, but I am imagine most of them will be minor. I just don't see the split among the rank GOP developing over this primary.