KY 2008: Charlie Owen for Senate?

Two years ago, I wouldn't have thought this but given the events of the past few years, I am a Democrat who believes that Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell is vulnerable.

Last night, at a event to officially kick off the 2007 Governor's race given that the filing deadline has come to an end, Louisville businessman Charlie Owen, a former candidate in three different races, was sure sounding like a candidate for Senate against Mitch McConnell.

Here's a link to my blog with some background on Charlie Owen.

Last night, Owen spoke with Ryan Alessi of the Lexington Herald-Leader about the governor's race and the 2008 Senate race.

While opting not to jump in the governor's race yesterday, Democrat Charlie Owen, a Louisville millionaire, instead began lobbing sharp criticism at Republican U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, who is up for re-election next year.

"We need serious people," Owen said. "We should replace our senior senator."

When asked if he will enter the 2008 race against McConnell, Owen said only that "if people in this state want to get serious, they better take note of some of this."

Specifically, Owen said McConnell willingly participated in piling up of a record national debt, while "doing nothing to fix a broken-down health care system" and failing to help the country keep up with growing economies of China and India.

In addition, Owen called McConnell "the staunchest, steadiest, strongest supporter of the president." He noted that a majority of Americans think Bush erred in the handling of the Iraq war.[...]

"What we in Kentucky should do is say enough of the man who has been the strongest supporter of the president, and a supporter of this governor -- both of whom have put us on the wrong path," Owen said.

Here's a related article on Pol Watchers, the political blog at the Herald-Leader.

"I feel like I should say something," he told me Tuesday night.  "In going and talking to hundreds of people around Kentucky — maybe over a thousand — I’m grateful to those who encouraged me."

He then said he had to make a decision about how best to serve the state. And later in the interview, he launched criticism at McConnell before finally declaring: "We should replace our senior senator."

When pressed, he would not say whether he plans to offer himself up as the opposition candidate. Owen’s first two attempts at public office were aimed at Washington. He lost the Democratic primary for Congress in 1994 and the primary for U.S. Senate in 1998.