As if poor beleagured Ernie Fletcher (in the midst of a witch hunt by Partisan Democrats Gone Wild!) didn't have enough to deal with, his lieutenant governor
opted out of a second term last week, but said he would stay in office until his current term expired. Admidst speculation that Pence will run in the 2007 GOP primary against Fletcher, Fletcher asked him to
resign immediately. Pence said no and Fletcher's people essentially had a little fit.
What was big time US Senator and Kentucky political kingmaker Mitch McConnell's response?
U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who championed Fletcher's gubernatorial bid, declined comment through a spokeswoman.
Governor Fletcher today announced his new second in command:
Gov. Ernie Fletcher told state Republican leaders Saturday that he still intends to run for re-election next year, and he named Finance Cabinet Secretary Robbie Rudolph to run with him for lieutenant governor.
So out with the old and in with the...old.
What theme will Fletcher run on? Well, the same theme he's been running on for what must be well over a year now, and the theme that's about as fresh as a Difranco Family album:
"We will not let (Attorney General Greg) Stumbo and his minions run us out of town,"
If you ever see AG Stumbo in your neighborhood with tiny little men who are carrying big spiky objects (who are not working for Fox News Channel), make sure you stand firm. Or, even better, just refuse to endorse the governor:
a number of Republican leaders declined to endorse the governor's re-election plans, including state Republican Chairman Darrell Brock and state Senate President David Williams.
So basically, Ernie Fletcher is still running against Democrats, even as his own party is running away from him. And what of Mitch McConnell's response to the new lt. governor pick?
The role of Mitch McConnell is now being played by Dianne Wiest in Bullets Over Broadway. "Don't speak!" Or, in political terms:
U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., was not at the meeting. His state director, Larry Cox, said McConnell would not have any comment.
I don't know about you, but I think we should start a move to have Dianne Wiest run for governor of Kentucky. She can't be any worse than what they have now...
