David Williams/Richie Farmer Win HUGE Endorsement From Northern Kentucky's Enquirer Newspaper.

Editorial: Williams has edge in GOP's Ky. governor race
ENQUIRER ENDORSEMENT

The race for the Republican gubernatorial nomination in Kentucky isn't much of a race, say the latest polls. State Senate President David Williams, R-Burkesville, has a commanding 47 percent to 21 percent lead over his nearest rival, Louisville businessman Phil Moffett, with less than a week to go before the May 17 primary. Jefferson County Auditor Bobbie Holsclaw trails badly at 12 percent.

The contest is somewhat closer, however, when you consider certain qualities each candidate brings to the campaign - qualities that could be attractive in a governor.

Moffett's policy expertise, business acumen, and commitment to reform could benefit Frankfort.

Holsclaw's administrative skill and collaborative, low-key style could be a balm for nerves rubbed raw for decades in the legislature.

But experience and savvy count greatly in the rough-and-tumble of Kentucky politics, so our nod goes to Williams, the state's quintessential political operator.

This endorsement comes with a qualifier: Williams' reputation as an arrogant, divisive, grudge-holding "Bully from Burkesville."

It isn't simply a matter of "not smiling enough," as Williams facetiously puts it. It has been earned (though probably exaggerated by his critics) through a decade of tough dealing at the top of Kentucky's political food chain. Yet in person he can be charming, witty, even self-effacing - when he wants to be.

He needs to prove to Kentuckians that he understands there's a big difference between being an effective partisan player in a fiercely divided legislature and serving as a chief executive whose duty is to unify the state and represent a broad range of interests - and he needs to show that he will act accordingly, especially if he hopes to defeat the affable Beshear.

Williams, who's led the Senate since 2000, is a very accomplished legislator with national stature - he was the 2010 chairman of the Council of State Governments - and he knows the system inside out. He can give you an insightful lecture comparing the economic histories of various states in our region - and show how that should guide Kentucky policy.

He's conservative but pragmatic, more about power than about ideology.

He knows Northern Kentucky issues (such as the Brent Spence Bridge) better than the other candidates, and could work effectively with other states' leaders. He has a better understanding of how the larger national picture - including federal issues such as Medicaid and health care reform - will affect Kentucky. And he can display a "softer" side, supporting initiatives from adult literacy to diabetes education to trauma centers.

Moffett is a policy wonk's dream - keen on drilling down into the numbers and trends. He has Libertarian leanings and is the favorite of various Tea Party groups (though Williams claims their support, too), but he avoids the most extreme rhetoric and focuses on "common-sense" budgeting and business-friendly results.

Central to his platform is a plan to replace income taxes, along with various business fees and the sales tax, with a consumption tax that at 7.2 percent would bring in the current level of revenues while encouraging economic and job growth. He would fix the state pension's $34 billion in unfunded obligations by switching to a 401k-type plan.

On education, he's a big advocate of vouchers, having founded a scholarship program that has placed 3,600 disadvantaged kids since 1998 into private schools, where he claims dramatic achievement gains for them in math and reading.

Moffett is inching up in the polls as his name recognition improves, and if turnout in Tuesday's primary is as low as predicted (10 percent of registered voters), he could do well if a strong Tea Party base comes out to vote.

The third candidate, Holsclaw, could teach her two male opponents a few things about civility and collaboration, if Monday's shouting match between Williams and Moffett on a KET forum is any indication. As county auditor, she's run a nonpartisan, efficient operation, returning $7 million to the county in unspent budget allocations over 13 years. She's been elected four times in a heavily Democratic county - leading the ballot in votes, in fact. Her experience and personal skills are attractors, but on policy, her platform is less specific and thought-out than her opponents - partly because she's only been in the race for 10 weeks. She doesn't figure to be much of a factor outside of the Louisville area.

All three candidates, in their own ways, touch on the major themes we addressed in Sunday's editorial "What we're looking for in Kentucky's leaders": education, economy, health, state budget and leadership.

Moffett's outline, articulated in his "Four Corners" platform, is easily the most specific, particularly on the economy and state budget. But Williams' is the most practical, grounded more in what's politically possible. Most important, he says, is to show investors the state has a solid, long-term plan to solve its budget woes - then follow through.

If Williams were to become governor, he'd have a battle getting his policies enacted, given the feathers he's ruffled and enemies he's made. If he wins the GOP nomination, which appears likely, we expect him and Beshear to conduct a substantive campaign that helps illuminate their policy differences in a tough but civil way, then lets Kentuckians decide whom they want to lead them.

Editor's note:
Ky. statewide candidates

Here are the candidates in the major races on Tuesday's ballot in Kentucky. For more information, visit our Voter Guide at nky.com Governor

Democrat: Steve Beshear (incumbent, unopposed)

Republicans: David Williams, Burkesville, state Senate president; Phil Moffett, Louisville, businessman; Barbara Holsclaw, Louisville, Jefferson Co. Auditor

Attorney General

Democrat: Jack Conway (incumbent, unopposed)

Republican: Todd P'Pool, Madisonville, Hopkins Co. Attorney (unopposed)

Secretary of State

Democrats: Alison Lundergan Grimes, attorney; Elaine Walker (incumbent)

Republicans: Hilda Legg, telecommunications consultant; Bill Johnson, teacher

Treasurer

Democrats: Steve Hamrick, book executive; Todd Hollenbach (incumbent)

Republican: K.C. Crosbie, Lexington, county councilmember (unopposed)

Auditor

Republicans: Addia Wuchner, Florence, state rep; John T. Kemper, homebuilder

Democrat: Adam Edelen, Lexington, former Beshear chief of staff (unopposed)

Secretary of Agriculture

Democrats: Bob Farmer, Louisville, ad agency executive; John Lackey, Richmond, attorney; Stewart Gritton, Anderson Co., farmer; B.D. Wilson, Montgomery Co., former cattle farmer

Republicans: James Comer, Tompkinsville, state representative; Rob Rothenburger, Shelby Co. Judge-executive.