KENTUCKY REPUBLICANS JUMPING SHIP-- AND MORE BAD NEWS FOR THE BAD GUYS IN MINNESOTA TOO, WHERE REP. JIM RAMSTAD ANNOUNCED HE'S RETIRING

Last week we reported on two Kentucky state Representatives, moderate Republicans Melvin Henley of Murray and Milward Dedman, Jr. of Harrodsburg, who abandoned the GOP, currently sinking in a sewer of scandals, and joined the resurgent Democrats. Today two more Republicans announced that they could not support Kentucky's crooked governor, Ernie Fletcher. Former Republican Congressman Larry Hopkins and ex-state Rep Steve Nunn each endorsed Steve Beshear, who leads Fletcher in polls by between 12 and 20 points.

Hopkins, who formerly represented the Lexington area (KY-06) ran for governor himself in 1991. He said "I believe Steve Beshear can provide the leadership Kentucky needs."

Former state Rep. Steve Nunn, the son of the last Republican governor, Louie Nunn, until Gov. Ernie Fletcher's election in 2003, said he also would support Beshear.

Steve Nunn called the last four years during Fletcher's administration "a comedy of errors."

"Four years of failed leadership has led to this decision," Nunn said.

With the GOP reeling in Kentucky, more and more Republicans in Congress are just hoisting the white flag and announcing retirements. It seems like there's at least one a week. Today it was 9 term-incumbent Jim Ramstad (MN-03), from a toss-up district in the suburbs mostly west of the Twin Cities. The district has been trending bluish and while local extremists were eager to get rid of Ramstad, a mainstream conservative, so they could run a far right wingnut, Beltway Republicans were aware there main hope to hold onto this marginal and moderate district was for Ramstad to run again. He outpolled Bush by 18% in 2000 and by 15% in 2004. According to the report by the AP "Ramstad's moderate views on social issues were a good fit for his district." Congresswoman Betty McCollum, from a neighboring district sums it up in a way you didn't hear Illinois Democrats or Arizona Democrats talking about the retirements of Hastert and Renzi. "Losing a wonderful, thoughtful Minnesota-first guy like Jim Ramstad to our delegation... will be not only missed here at home but missed nationally." He was one of only 17 Republicans to vote against the troop increase in Iraq and one of 24 to vote to allow the government to negotiate prices with prescription drug companies.

MN Publius thinks Ramstad's departure is another nail in Norm Coleman's political coffin. They also do a rundown of the various Democrats and Republicans they think are interested in running for the seat.