Jerry Lundergan

BOWLING GREEN - The local Democratic ticket was pushed heavily in Bowling Green today on the occasion of former President Bill Clinton's visit. A handful of high-profile Democrats took the stage in addition to Clinton, talking up the candidacy of Senate candidate Bruce Lunsford (D-Louisville) and 2nd Congressional District candidate and state Sen. David Boswell (D-Owensboro) in particular to the hundreds of attendees in an airplane hanger at the Bowling Green-Warren County Airport.

In addition to Lunsford, Boswell, and Clinton, state Auditor Crit Luallen (D-Frankfort), Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo (D-Hazard), state House Speaker Jody Richards (D-Bowling Green) former Gov. Martha Layne Collins, former state party chair Jerry Lundergan and  current chair Jennifer Moore delivered remarks.

During his own brief speech, Boswell referenced the "change" mantra most of the Democrats on statge articulated.

The Owensboro Democrat targeted growth in the national debt during the Bush administration, and spoke of budget deficits as a primary problem.

"It's time for a change," said Boswell.

The 2nd District candidate also took an interesting tact in front of the crowd, differentiating himself from the keynote speaker on trade policy.

"While I agree with President Clinton about a lot of things, one of the great things about our wonderful dem that we live in is that we can agree to disagree," said Boswell. "I firmly believe that NAFTA was the wrong move for this country."

"Let's restore working America, ladies and gentleman," added Boswell.

DENVER—U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton’s (D-N.Y.) Kentucky campaign chair Jerry Lundergan said there are “lot of hurt feelings” among Clinton delegates to the Democratic National Convention after some supporters of presidential nominee Barack Obama (D-Ill.) pushed them to change their votes in yesterday’s roll call vote.

“The arm-twisting to get that vote – a lot of people are hurt. There are a lot of hurt feelings,” said Lundergan, who previously served as the chair of the Kentucky Democratic Party. “The people that were trying to get everyone to change from Clinton to Obama I think had good intentions. I don’t think those people who were trying to get those vote switched between breakfast and lunchtime realized how deep emotionally the Clinton people are about Hillary Clinton.”

The roll call vote in Kentucky’s delegation went to Obama, by a vote of 36 to 24 – a significant difference from the 40 to 20 delegate advantage Clinton had going into the convention after her 35-point primary win in Kentucky.
Still, 40 percent of the Commonwealth’s delegates went to Clinton.

“I was elected by the people of the 4th District to represent Hillary Clinton and that’s what I did,” said Tyler Murphy, a Clinton delegate from Flatwoods. “I slept soundly last night because I did that.”

DENVER -- The whirlwind of activity surrounding the Democratic National Convention will find Kentucky's delegation all over Denver today, with events capped off by a party jointly hosted by those from the Bluegrass state, Ohio, and Alabama.

Delegates started the day this morning with their daily breakfast at their downtown Denver hotel.

Keynoting today's meeting was U.S. Rep. John Yarmuth, who blasted the Bush administration as a galvanizing force to unify Democrats across the nation.

Kentucky Democratic Party chair Jennifer Moore emceed the event and announced that, during each day's breakfast, she would highlight a different set of races. Today she spoke about Kentucky's state Senate races.

Much of the Kentucky Democratic delegation was also in attendance, including Attorney General Jack Conway (D-Louisville), Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo (D-Hazard), Louisville attorney and Obama fundraiser Matthew Barzun, former party chairs Terry McBrayer and Jerry Lundergan, state Auditor Crit Luallen (D-Frankfort), and several Louisville metro council members.

75th LD nominee Kelly Flood (D-Lexington): Politicker photo

LEXINGTON -- By the accounts from those on stage during Wednesday’s forum for Democratic hopefuls, the 75th state House district is a rarity in the Commonwealth.

The 75th is undoubtedly a Democratic stronghold. The current incumbent from the Lexington district, Rep. Kathy Stein, has faced Republican opposition just once since being elected in 1996, and she topped that rival by 31 points.

However, with the district referred to during the evening forum as the home of the state’s “progressive vanguard” as well as the “conscience of the House,” the 75th’s political uniqueness appears to go beyond mere party loyalty.

“While it is an honor to serve as a state representative from anywhere, it is a once in a lifetime opportunity to be the representative from the 75th district of Kentucky,” said Kelly Flood, a former minister and one of the five candidates standing for the opportunity to replace Stein as the district’s Democratic nominee.

“It’s not a district where powerful people in Frankfort can dictate our choices,” Flood added. “You don’t want just another politician. You want someone who will stand up.”

U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell's (R-Louisville) campaign swung back hard at opponent Bruce Lunsford today, alleging he raised money from a "suspected child molester," after Lunsford's campaign called on the Republican incumbent to return contributions he had accepted from indicted U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska).

"Has Bruce Lunsford ever heard that saying about those who live in glass houses? If not, I suggest he look into it as he explains how he came to raise money from a suspected child molester and from another guy convicted on ethics charges," said campaign manager Justin Brasell, in a response statement.

The response from McConnell most explicitly draws attention to former Campbell County Democratic Party chair Ken Mullikin. While he has not been arrested or charged with a crime, Mullikin's home was raided by police last week based on evidence that someone using a computer with his IP address - an electronic identification number unique to each computer - visited an Internet chat room and wrote about molesting young children.

Coming off a landslide victory in West Virginia, Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign is making its final push before next week's Kentucky primary.

The campaign announced its steering committee today, consisting of more than a hundred leaders that have endorsed the senator from New York.

The committee's co-state chairs include such notables as former Governors Wendell Ford, John Brown, Paul Patton, and Julian Carroll as well as former Attorney General and State Rep. Greg Stumbo.

"We are honored to have the support of so many respected community leaders throughout Kentucky, all dedicated to making Hillary successful in Tuesday's primary," State Director Jonathan Hurst said in a statement.

Former state Democratic Party Chairman Jerry Lundergan will serve as the committee's state chairman.

Top Kentucky supporters of Senator Hillary Clinton's presidential bid participated in a conference call with reporters today to blast assertions from the campaign of Senator Barack Obama that the nominating process could end before the Kentucky primary.Jerry Lundergan

"We disagree," said Lundergan. "We think the people of Kentucky need the chance to have their voices heard. For the first time, Kentucky is going to play a role...Our citizens have the right to participate in the nominating process."

The Clinton supporters also argued today's endorsement of Obama by Kentucky superdelegate and 6th District Congressman Ben Chandler would be balanced out by strong support within his district for Clinton.

"Congressman Chandler knows most likely the 6th Congressional District is going to go in favor of Senator Clinton," said Lundergan.

With the May 20 Kentucky Presidential Primary looming, it was inevitable that the most hyped event during the interim - the Kentucky Derby horse race - would get even more politicized than usual.

The Presidential campaign of Senator Hillary Clinton announced this weekend that surrogate campaigner Chelsea Clinton would return to the Commonwealth to attend the Derby race and festivities in Louisville next Saturday.