Louisville Courier Journal Editorial Supports "Two [Senators Ernie Harris And Julie Denton For Kentucky] State Senate", And We CONCUR. Read More Below

Two for state Senate

By the Courier-Journal Editorial Board

Two veteran Republican state senators face challenges in the May 18 primary:

District 26: Ernie Harris of Brownsboro was first elected to the Senate in 1995, and he has not faced a challenger since 1998.

Mr. Harris, who is a pilot for United Parcel Service, is well regarded by senators on both sides of the aisle in Frankfort, where he chairs the Transportation Committee. He's known for having an easy disposition.

This newspaper has disagreed with him on the issue of expanded gambling, which he opposes. However, in other ways he reflects the conservatism of his district, and Republican voters there have little reason not to renominate him. His opponent, Don Godfrey of Goshen, says he supports some kind of wider gambling, but he is fuzzy on the specifics. His day job is as a computer information security officer at Humana, and we encourage him to keep doing that.

District 36: Julie Rose Denton of Lake Forest went to Frankfort the same year as Mr. Harris. She has been a thoughtful chairman of the Senate Health and Welfare Committee, which covers everything from Medicaid to immunizations.

A dental hygienist by training, Ms. Denton began working last year for a Florida firm that handles dental services for a managed care group that runs the state's Medicaid program in Louisville.

Her opponent, Shawn Slone of St. Matthews, has made an issue of Ms. Denton's employment, saying that it constitutes a conflict given her committee post in Frankfort. Mr. Slone, who has a company that sells cellular telephones, has not mounted a significant campaign. We recommend voters stick with Ms. Denton.

Editor's comment: Unlike Senator Mitch McConnell who "doesn't endorse candidates in the primary", we do and look out soon for our endorsements.

And unlike the Courier Journal, we do NOT invite any unendorsed candidates to respond.

As far as we are concerned, unendorced candidates can try again later.

"Cheers" (glasses clicking). ;)