Published: November 06, 2007 09:16 pm            

Grayson, Farmer survive Democratic landslide

FRANKFORT — The Democratic avalanche which buried Republican Gov. Ernie Fletcher’s hopes for a second term didn’t over take two other Republican incumbents – Secretary of State Trey Grayson survived a challenge by Pikeville teacher and Mayor Bruce Hendrickson and Commissioner of Agriculture Richie Farmer easily turned back perennial and controversial candidate David Lynn Williams of Glasgow.

But it was sufficient to give easy wins to the other Democrats on the ticket.

Incumbent Crit Luallen easily downed Republican Linda Greenwell who four years ago, riding Fletcher’s coat tails, gave Luallen a scare. But then Luallen was running against the tide as Fletcher downed Democratic nominee Ben Chandler by 10 points and voters registered their disdain for outgoing Gov. Paul Patton’s personal foibles. This time, it was Greenwell – not an accomplished campaigner or speaker – who was running against the tide of Fletcher’s hiring scandal. With more 75 percent of the precincts reporting, Luallen led Greenwell 61 percent to 39 percent.

“What a wonderful night it is,” Luallen said in her victory speech. She said she was “honored to be on a great Democratic ticket. We've brought Democrats back home. We've brought Democrats back to voting for Democrats again."”

The question for Luallen will now quickly become whether she will challenge Republican U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell next year.

“I’m seriously looking at it,” Luallen said Monday during a final campaign swing with Beshear. In her victory speech, she said, She didn't really give any clues Tuesday night about her future plans, but she said Tuesday's Democratic victory will continue change begun by Ben Chandler's and John Yarmuth's congresional victories.

Democrat Jack Conway of Louisville, who worked with Luallen in the administration of Gov. Paul Patton, easily turned back conservative Republican Stan Lee of Lexington for Attorney General. Lee had far less money than Conway and tried to fuel his campaign on social issues and immigration, but it didn’t work – at least in the face of a Democratic landslide. Conway led Lee 62 to 38 percent with nearly three-fourths of the vote reported.

Democrat L.J. “Todd” Hollenbach of Louisville also rode the wave, winning the treasurer’s race by 18 percentage points over Republican Melinda Wheeler who proposed abolishing the office. That may have struck a chord with some voters but it wasn’t enough to over come the Democratic momentum.

But it was the Grayson and Hendrickson race everybody was watching. In the end, Grayson was holding a 12-point lead over Hendrickson mid-evening with 75 percent of precincts reporting statewide.

With polls predicting Beshear’s easy win, both Democrats and Republicans began wondering if Grayson could survive. Seen as a rising star by Republicans and as a likely future threat by Democrats, the Harvard educated, one-time Democrat from northern Kentucky was in jeopardy from Hendrickson even though the Democrat was little known and had even less money.

The Democratic Party of Kentucky began pushing Hendrickson about mid-way in the campaign, working with him on his speech making and taking along with other candidates on swings throughout the state. The party even ran some radio ads on Hendrickson’s behalf, attacking Grayson in the west end of Louisville and in Fayette County;.

But enough Democrats voted a split ticket and there were enough dispirited Republicans who went to the polls and voted for Grayson to pull him through.

In fact, Grayson – and Farmer – ran well ahead of Fletcher and Republicans were trying to take some solace from their performance.

A Farmer loss was improbable. He’s a basketball folk hero in Kentucky, one of the famous “Unforgettables” who battled Duke to a thrilling over time loss in the 1992 NCAA tournament. And enough Democrats knew his opponent – David Lynn Williams of Glasgow.

Williams gave an ill-advised interview to a farm magazine in which he suggested abolishing the legislature and included profanity in his comments. Williams has run repeatedly for office, nearly every election cycle, both as a Republican and as a Democrat. But he often gets votes from people who don’t know who he is or confuse his name with that of Republican Senate President David Lewis Williams of Burkesville.

Democratic sate Sen. Joey Pendleton of Hopkinsville said that interview let people see who Williams is and what kind of gadfly candidate he is. Had he kept a lower profile, Pendleton said, the race might have been close. But in the end, that wasn’t the case.

“Obviously our message resonated from Pikeville to Paducah,’ Farmer said in his victory speech who was leading Williams 63 percent to 37 percent. He praised Fletcher for his commitment to Kentucky agriculture and promised to meet agriculture’s challenges, saying it is not a partisan issue and promising “to build a better future for Kentucky agriculture.”

RONNIE ELLIS writes for CNHI News Service and is based in Frankfort. Reach him at rellis@cnhi.com.

        

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