Kentucky Businessmen Look To Unseat McConnell
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. — When some prominent Democratic officeholders backed off from challenging the minority leader of the Senate, Republican Mitch McConnell, two businessmen stepped up for a crack at Kentucky’s political kingpin.
Having put part of their fortunes into their campaigns, entrepreneurs Bruce Lunsford and Greg Fischer will find out tomorrow if the investments will yield a primary election victory and a fall matchup with Mr. McConnell.
Mr. McConnell, a politically savvy four-term incumbent with a big campaign bankroll and a penchant for bare-knuckled tactics, drew one opponent in the Republican primary, a little-known truck driver, Daniel Essek.
“It’s McConnell’s race to lose,” a Northern Kentucky University political scientist, Michael Baranowski, said about the November general election.
Elsewhere, Republican Anne Northup is seeking a rematch against Democratic Rep. John Yarmuth, who ousted the former five-term congresswoman two years ago in the Louisville-area 3rd District. Ms. Northup faces three opponents in the Republican primary while Mr. Yarmuth is unopposed.
In a more conservative region of Kentucky, two Democrats are in a primary for an open seat in the 2nd District, a national bellwether 14 years ago when little-known Republican Ron Lewis won a special election months before the Republican takeover of the House. Mr. Lewis decided not to seek another term this year.
In the Democratic primary, David Boswell, a longtime state senator, and a Daviess County judge-executive, Reid Haire, are competing to face Republican state senator Brett Guthrie.
In the Senate race, seven Democrats in all are competing for the party’s nomination, though Mr. Lunsford and Mr. Fischer far outdistanced the others in fund-raising and exposure.
Not to be outdone, Mr. McConnell started running TV ads last November, touting his Senate leadership post and ability to deliver assistance for medical research, tobacco farmers, and sick nuclear plant workers.
Mr. McConnell’s fund-raising machine kicked into overdrive, netting him over $12 million in campaign cash through March.
Mr. Lunsford staked out a double-digit lead in a statewide poll last week, and sounded undaunted at the prospect of taking on Mr. McConnell.
