TEA Party Ponders Loss Of Kentucky Governor's Primary Race That Pitt Their Man, Phil Moffett Against David Williams.
Tea party ponders loss in KY gubernatorial primary
By ROGER ALFORD
Associated Press
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) -- State-level tea party leaders who helped launch U.S. Sen. Rand Paul's meteoric rise from obscure small-town eye doctor to nationally known conservative leader thought they had a sure winner again in Kentucky's Republican gubernatorial primary.
Now, some are miffed that national tea party bigwigs didn't step up to help Louisville businessman Phil Moffett, an articulate political outsider with telegenic good looks and conservative philosophies. He lost Kentucky's GOP primary on Tuesday to state Senate President David Williams, a career politician with more than two decades in the legislature.
"You've got to question how committed they really are to the tea party movement if they're unwilling to come in and help," said Michael Maggard, a factory worker from Boonesborough who took time off to hand-paint signs for Moffett. "If they had focused on this race, we would have pulled it off."
A simple endorsement from the likes of Paul or former Alaska Gov. Sara Palin or any one of several other national tea party figures, Maggard believes, would have generated needed campaign cash for Moffett to pay for TV spots, political consultants, and many other necessities that the campaign went without.
Moffett, outspent 10 to 1, lost by 10 percentage points, a gap that campaign manager David Adams believes could have been bridged with assistance from the national tea party, especially in an election that drew only 10 percent voter turnout.
"I think that hesitation on the part of some national leaders had a devastating impact on the campaign," Adams said Wednesday.
At least two national tea party leaders did show up, winning the allegiance of Kentucky groups. Former Alaska tea party Senate candidate Joe Miller and former Arizona Sheriff Richard Mack campaigned for Moffett in the state during brief visits.
Williams, who spent $1.2 million compared to Moffett's $120,000, navigated around potentially troublesome personal issues to win the primary and the right to challenge incumbent Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear in November. Williams was helped by a third candidate, Louisville political powerhouse Bobbie Holsclaw, who drew 14 percent of the vote, enough to turn the election for Williams.
Williams, the state's best known anti-gambling advocate, was dealt a particularly troubling setback late in the campaign when a judge unsealed financial documents in a decade-old divorce case that showed he had a history of casino gambling. In a Bible-belt state like Kentucky, the juxtaposition can turn off a key voting bloc, conservative Christians.
The GOP candidates differed little on key Republican issues, from cutting state spending to opposing abortion. In campaign appearances, Williams was able to avoid arguing with his Republican opponents and focus instead on attacking Beshear as ineffective. Moffett and Holsclaw didn't attack Williams on the gambling issue, nor on another touchy personal issue involving his running mate, former University of Kentucky basketball star Richie Farmer.
Farmer's wife, Rebecca, filed for divorce last month without giving a reason, triggering a whisper campaign of speculation about the cause of the split. Farmer, who was twice elected state agriculture commissioner, asked in a motion last month that the divorce petition be dismissed, but, if not, that he receive joint custody of their three children.
Lexington political blogger Mica Sims said tea party activists consider Tuesday's election a major win for the movement in Kentucky. Moffett came much closer than polls predicted, and three other tea party candidates won Republican nominations - John Kemper for auditor, James Comer for agriculture commissioner and Bill Johnson for secretary of state. None of those races required the kind of campaign spending needed for a competitive gubernatorial bid. Comer, a state lawmaker, was the leading fundraiser at about $200,000.
"I am proud of the Kentucky tea party," Sims said. "We came within 10 points of knocking of the Republican Party of Kentucky's golden boy. That is something to be totally proud of, and we did it on our own. We didn't have help from the national folks."
Adams called Moffett's finish a moral victory for the tea party in Kentucky.
"We're going to have fits and starts like this," he said. "I remain greatly encouraged for the movement, and I think that establishment politicians overlook or try to ignore the tea party at their own peril."
University of Kentucky political scientist Stephen Voss agreed.
"Moffett's success, despite a lack of resources, should be a real warning message," Voss said. "That he didn't have the national fundraising to mount the kind of campaign Paul did, that should be a real message to the Kentucky Republican Party."
By ROGER ALFORD
Associated Press
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) -- State-level tea party leaders who helped launch U.S. Sen. Rand Paul's meteoric rise from obscure small-town eye doctor to nationally known conservative leader thought they had a sure winner again in Kentucky's Republican gubernatorial primary.
Now, some are miffed that national tea party bigwigs didn't step up to help Louisville businessman Phil Moffett, an articulate political outsider with telegenic good looks and conservative philosophies. He lost Kentucky's GOP primary on Tuesday to state Senate President David Williams, a career politician with more than two decades in the legislature.
"You've got to question how committed they really are to the tea party movement if they're unwilling to come in and help," said Michael Maggard, a factory worker from Boonesborough who took time off to hand-paint signs for Moffett. "If they had focused on this race, we would have pulled it off."
A simple endorsement from the likes of Paul or former Alaska Gov. Sara Palin or any one of several other national tea party figures, Maggard believes, would have generated needed campaign cash for Moffett to pay for TV spots, political consultants, and many other necessities that the campaign went without.
Moffett, outspent 10 to 1, lost by 10 percentage points, a gap that campaign manager David Adams believes could have been bridged with assistance from the national tea party, especially in an election that drew only 10 percent voter turnout.
"I think that hesitation on the part of some national leaders had a devastating impact on the campaign," Adams said Wednesday.
At least two national tea party leaders did show up, winning the allegiance of Kentucky groups. Former Alaska tea party Senate candidate Joe Miller and former Arizona Sheriff Richard Mack campaigned for Moffett in the state during brief visits.
Williams, who spent $1.2 million compared to Moffett's $120,000, navigated around potentially troublesome personal issues to win the primary and the right to challenge incumbent Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear in November. Williams was helped by a third candidate, Louisville political powerhouse Bobbie Holsclaw, who drew 14 percent of the vote, enough to turn the election for Williams.
Williams, the state's best known anti-gambling advocate, was dealt a particularly troubling setback late in the campaign when a judge unsealed financial documents in a decade-old divorce case that showed he had a history of casino gambling. In a Bible-belt state like Kentucky, the juxtaposition can turn off a key voting bloc, conservative Christians.
The GOP candidates differed little on key Republican issues, from cutting state spending to opposing abortion. In campaign appearances, Williams was able to avoid arguing with his Republican opponents and focus instead on attacking Beshear as ineffective. Moffett and Holsclaw didn't attack Williams on the gambling issue, nor on another touchy personal issue involving his running mate, former University of Kentucky basketball star Richie Farmer.
Farmer's wife, Rebecca, filed for divorce last month without giving a reason, triggering a whisper campaign of speculation about the cause of the split. Farmer, who was twice elected state agriculture commissioner, asked in a motion last month that the divorce petition be dismissed, but, if not, that he receive joint custody of their three children.
Lexington political blogger Mica Sims said tea party activists consider Tuesday's election a major win for the movement in Kentucky. Moffett came much closer than polls predicted, and three other tea party candidates won Republican nominations - John Kemper for auditor, James Comer for agriculture commissioner and Bill Johnson for secretary of state. None of those races required the kind of campaign spending needed for a competitive gubernatorial bid. Comer, a state lawmaker, was the leading fundraiser at about $200,000.
"I am proud of the Kentucky tea party," Sims said. "We came within 10 points of knocking of the Republican Party of Kentucky's golden boy. That is something to be totally proud of, and we did it on our own. We didn't have help from the national folks."
Adams called Moffett's finish a moral victory for the tea party in Kentucky.
"We're going to have fits and starts like this," he said. "I remain greatly encouraged for the movement, and I think that establishment politicians overlook or try to ignore the tea party at their own peril."
University of Kentucky political scientist Stephen Voss agreed.
"Moffett's success, despite a lack of resources, should be a real warning message," Voss said. "That he didn't have the national fundraising to mount the kind of campaign Paul did, that should be a real message to the Kentucky Republican Party."
Labels: Conservatism, GOP, Republicanis, Tea party
posted by KYJurisDoctor at 8:42 PM
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