Greg Stumbo

State House Speaker Jody Richards (D-Bowling Green) reiterated today that he thinks he has enough support to hold on to his leadership position even as former Attorney General and State Rep. Greg Stumbo (D-Prestonburg) announced he intended to run for the slot.

"It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as Kentucky House Speaker, and I am confident I will be re-elected in January," said Richards in a statement. "For several months I have had meaningful, in-depth discussions with members, and I have more than 40 solid commitments."

Richards told PolitickerKY.com that he was working the phones for votes even while in Denver for the Democratic National Convention last month, when Stumbo's candidacy was only rumored.

"Between now and the November election, I will continue to work diligently to elect Democrats to the Kentucky House," added Richards. "I look forward to articulating the values and ideas of our Democrat caucus and our chamber to move Kentucky forward."

State Rep. Greg Stumbo (D-Prestonburg) will run for state House speaker, according to Larry Dale Keeling of the Lexington Herald-Leader.

Stumbo reportedly sent letters to Democrats in the House, but does not yet have vote commitments sufficient to win. Still, he told Keeling he was confident he would prevail over current House Speaker Jody Richards (D-Bowling Green).

Speculation had been brewing about Stumbo's intentions for months, though this is the first indication he is seriously seeking the Speaker's post.

While Stumbo was deciding, Richards was rallying support of his own. He told PolitickerKY.com last month that he thought he had enough votes to hold onto his leadership position.

"I have more than enough votes to win and they are solid," Richards said. "I would take them to the bank."

DENVER - Kentucky state House Speaker Jody Richards (D-Bowling Green) sounded a note of confidence for his race to be re-elected to his leadership post in the legislature.

Richards, in Denver for the Democratic National Convention, said he has support sufficient to win against his rumored potential competition, former Attorney General and state Rep. Greg Stumbo (D-Stumbo).

"I feel very comfortable. I've spent most of the day, even here, on the cell phone calling people in Kentucky," Richards told PolitickerKY.com. "I have more than enough votes to win and they are solid. I would take them to the bank."

Stumbo has hinted that he may be interested in the speakership, though he has not officially announced a run.

Prestonburg Democratic state Rep. Greg Stumbo and House Speaker Pro-Tem Larry Clark (D-Louisville) exchanged volleys of support for House leadership positions this week, according to a report in the Louisville Courier-Journal - though Stumbo's bid for House Speaker remains hypothetical to this point.

Clark is seeking re-election to his Speaker Pro-Tem position against state Rep. Joni Jenkins (D-Shivley).State Representative Joni Jenkins (D-Shivley)

After she announced her challenge to Clark, Jenkins collected the support of current House Speaker Jody Richards (D-Bowling Green), but could not rally an endorsement from Stumbo, a former Attorney General and candidate for Lt. Governor.

Stumbo earlier told the Lexington Herald-Leader he did not endorse Jenkins when she contacted him for support because he was considering the Pro-Tem spot for himself.

With speculation mounting that Stumbo now will instead challenge Speaker Richards, Clark said he would support Stumbo "if he's running."

According to Clark, the joint endorsements occurred at Clark-sponsored golf outing on Monday.

House Democrats expect to tap into a reliable base of financial support in eastern Kentucky tonight, when the House Democratic Caucus holds its first fundraiser of the 2008 election cycle in Prestonburg.

The Caucus’ Prestonburg event has served the organization well in recent years, according to Caucus director Jonathan Hurst.

“This is traditionally our best fundraiser,” said Hurst. “We always turn to eastern Kentucky to help us.”

Unlike many fundraisers, there is no required admission charge for tonight’s event at the Stonecrest Golf Club in Prestonburg. However, pre-arranged sponsors and a group of hosts with significant clout in the Commonwealth give the caucus high hopes for the evening.

“We haven’t set any goals, but it’ll be an extremely successful fundraiser for us,” said caucus director Jonathan Hurst.