In the Senatorial elections of 1984, Senator Walter “Dee” Huddleston of Kentucky was the only incumbent Democrat to lose a Senate seat that year, despite the thrashing that Ronald Reagan delivered to Walter Mondale across the nation. The upstart politician who upset Huddleston, Jefferson County Judge/Executive Mitch McConnell, employed a series of wildly successful TV ads featuring a group of bloodhounds trying to find the supposedly non-attendant incumbent Senator in Washington.
Kentucky Attorney General Greg Stumbo, himself waging an exploratory campaign against Senate Minority Leader McConnell this year, had the good sense to show up with a pair of bloodhounds at the annual Fancy Farm Picnic in the state this weekend. “Hunting For A Real U.S. Senator”, indeed. McConnell himself was at the can't-miss event, of course, supporting embattled and corrupt Republican Gov. Ernie Fletcher in his 2007 re-election campaign. Just another reminder of the hopelessly out-of-touch Senatorial representation that Kentuckians continue to suffer with.
What goes around comes around?
UPDATE: DitchMitchKY’s Matt Gunterman gives his report from the event:
Third, and this was Shawn’s observation at Fancy Farm and I’m highlighting because I think it was a good one: anti-war Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul had an impressive organization at Fancy Farm. In fact, the campaign to “Support Our Troops / End the War” was extremely popular at the event. I was amazed to see 60 year old men and women asking 25 year old activists for every pro-end-of-war sticker and sign they could provide. It truly was an amazing sight. I’ve been at Fancy Farms since 1992, and I’ve never witnessed such a motivated and activist crowd. That’s one of the biggest stories to come out of Fancy Farm this year, quite frankly: even in rural Kentucky, the movement to end Bush’s endless and futile war is gaining in momentum. Senator Mitch McConnell was visibly shaken in his speech by the response.
(H/T: kilowat for the photo)
I think that Greg Stumbo would be quite the top-tier strong candidate against McConnell… A popular statewide elected Attorney General, a long career of a successful legislative record and leadership, and continuing to be insanely popular in Eastern Kentucky (an important region we need to win). It seems that he’d be a better candidate than even Ben Chandler, and I’d be very greatful if he gets into the race definitely.
Geez Mitch, you should probably pretend to remember who the Attorney General of your state is, even if he was only the House Majority Leader for 18 years.
Stumbo based on record is amazing! But as we all know, character also weighs in.
Some negatives Stumbo has to deal with include drunk driving and a child out of wedlock.
I bet you anything this becomes an “issue” in 2008, since McConnel needs every distraction he can get.