THINGS ARE LOOKING UP IN... KENTUCKY!

There's so much wrong with Kentucky politics-- between Bush's #1 congressional obstructionist, closet queen Mitch McConnell; convicted criminal governor Ernie Fletcher; a U.S. senator still serving who may have passed away last year or-- at the very least-- has been in a persistent vegetative state for at least two years... that it is hard to imagine the Democratic gubernatorial primary is as important a focus of attention as any of this. But it is; and it's this Tuesday.

If you've been following the story here at DWT for the last few months, you know that moderate Steve Beshear is battling reactionary fake-Dem Bruce Lunsford. Yesterday there were some important developments to report, each of which bodes well for folks in the Bluegrass state.

If you ever wondered how any Republican couldn't beat a convicted felon-- and the most disliked and distrusted governor anywhere in America-- you don't know much about bumbling imbecile Anne Northup. Many of us came in contact with this rubber stamp nonentity last year when progressive Democrat Steve Yarmuth dispatched her from the U.S. Congress where she had compiled an unblemished record of having done nothing whatsoever other than agreeing with Bush and Cheney on every single hideous agenda item they ever puked up. Kentucky Republicans decided she was the best they could do against walking, breathing disgrace, crooked Ernie Fletcher (who will do all he can to stay in the governor's mansion since he will be headed for prison as soon as his term expires).

With the latest polling (more on that below) showing that Republicans have already decided that for all his obvious flaws Fletcher is still better than Northup, the Northup campaign gave the state a great big demonstration of why she would make an absolutely horrendous governor. Basically, her campaign went wild and made late-night serial robo-calls to Republicans all over Kentucky-- and kept doing it all night... to the same people. She spent an awful lot of money to guarantee an awful lot of people would never vote for her under any circumstances. "Every way we can, we're telling people how sorry we are," Northup said yesterday while campaigning in Corbin. "We just feel terrible about it." Not nearly as bad as she's likely to feel when the polls close on Tuesday evening.

Now about the new poll numbers. Not only do they show Fletcher convincingly ahead of Northup (as of Tuesday, with a 10% lead)-- proving the Republicans positively embrace the criminality of their elected officials-- but that there is more good news for Democrats. On Tuesday, Democrats who were asked who they are likely to vote for next week, have started abandoning Lunsford. Steve Beshear now leads him 32%-23%, with 44% spread out among other candidates and undecideds. Keep in mind that even with Beshear slightly ahead, this is going to be a very low turnout election (15% is expected), and it's impossible to predict how things will play out on the ground. Lunsford has invested a ton of money in a field operation, and he has the not-so-tacit support of the state party. If neither ticket gets over 40% next Tuesday, there will be a run off on June 26.


Why has the bottom finally started falling out of Lunsford's cash-rich campaign? No one tells this story better than Cliff Schechter, who admits that he once worked for Lunsford and well-knows what a corrupt and unethical scoundrel he is-- and how utterly unfit for public office or to hold the banner of the Democratic Party. Keep in mind that Lunsford worked with mental patient Zell Miller, as Finance Chairman of Democrats For Bush. Please take a look at Cliff's latest explanation of the Kentucky election. Cliff will be our Blue America guest at Firedoglake this Saturday at 2pm EST (11am on the West Coast).


UPDATE: FLETCHER AND BESHEAR LEADING THE PACK IN THE HOME STRETCH

Today's Louisville Courier-Journal confirmed other recent polls: Fletcher is ahead of Northup and Beshear looks like he can beat the odious fake-Dem, Lunsford. "The poll, conducted May 10-15, found that 41 percent of likely Republican voters will vote for or are leaning toward voting for Fletcher, while 26 percent favor his closest rival, former U.S. Rep. Anne Northup of Louisville." The Democrats will probably face a run-off. "Former Lt. Gov. Steve Beshear has a modest lead over Louisville businessman Bruce Lunsford in the Democratic race for governor-- but it might not be enough to avoid a runoff. Twenty-seven percent of Kentucky Democrats say they likely will vote for the ticket of Beshear and state Sen. Daniel Mongiardo in Tuesday's primary, according to a Courier-Journal Bluegrass Poll. Lunsford and his running mate, Attorney General Greg Stumbo, were preferred by 21 percent of Democrats."