Proving Speculations Wrong, Jack CONway Files For Re-Election.

Conway wavered, but decides to seek re-election
By Joseph Gerth

After wrestling with a decision about whether to seek re-election, Attorney General Jack Conway filed Friday for a second term — but said the decision came only on Tuesday after talking it over with his family.

His candidacy will come with a new campaign team after a disappointing U.S. Senate race last year that he said may have damaged his “brand” when he ran the controversial “Aqua Buddha” ad linking his opponent to a college prank.

“I did give some consideration to whether or not I had enough gas in the tank after November to run again for election as attorney general,” he said. “We decided jointly, at this time, public service remains in our blood.”

Conway, a Democrat, announced shortly after he lost the November election to Republican Rand Paul that that he would seek another term.

But with his wife pregnant with their second child, and having just finished a grueling two-year campaign, Conway said he was uncertain about his decision until earlier in the week.

He said he toyed with the idea of not running but added that he “didn't come that close” to deciding not to run.

“I certainly took a look on the other side of the fence,” he said. “I took a look and tried to envision what my life would be like, how I would serve out the year as (attorney general), what I would want to do after that. I thought about it, and I made the decision that felt right in my gut.”

Among other things that led him to reconsider the race, Conway said, were the idea of being around his daughter and new child and spending more time in the courtroom.

Conway said he believes he's accomplished a lot in his three years as attorney general and has plans for a second term.

“I think there is much to recommend our re-election and there is still much to do,” he said.

Among things on his second-term agenda, Conway said he wants to crack down on for-profit colleges that aren't serving the needs of their students and push for all 50 states to adopt prescription drug databases in an effort to crack down on abuse.

Word that Conway was thinking about not running for a second term spread in recent weeks, climaxing on Jan. 14. By then, Conway had told several Democrats who had expressed interest in running that he was reconsidering.

Speculation that he wouldn't run was fueled by the fact that several of his top staff members had announced in recent weeks that they were leaving to take jobs elsewhere in government or in the private sector.

Conway said Friday that his indecision had nothing to do with those departures.

The Senate race taught him that he is better-suited to be an executive rather than a legislator, Conway said.

While he is turning around quickly to run for attorney general, Conway said he will have a new campaign manager, a new media consultant and a new pollster.

He said one of the few things he regretted from the Senate race was the “Aqua Buddha” ad, which highlighted a prank Paul allegedly played on a female student at Baylor University, having her bow down to a false god.

Conway said the ad was “as strong as mule's breath.”

At the time the ad began, Conway was gaining in the polls. But his momentum stopped after Paul ran ads claiming that Conway had attacked his religion.

Conway said the decision to run the ad went against his “gut reaction” and was made in haste and late at night.

“A lot of people didn't think the ad was in line with the kind of public servant I've always been,” he said.

The only person who has filed so far to run against Conway is Republican Todd P'Pool, the Hopkins County attorney. The filing deadline is Tuesday.

Reporter Joseph Gerth can be reached at (502) 582-4702.