The 2015 race for governor took center stage on this week’s edition of Comment on Kentucky. The panel discussed the details of state Agriculture Commissioner James Comer’s official campaign launch, as well as how the Republican primary is shaping up in that contest.
“A big-time production with a small-town feel” is how Lawrence Smith of Louisville’s WDRB-TV described Comer’s announcement in his native Tompkinsville last Tuesday. Smith says about 1,000 people turned out for the highly orchestrated event at the Monroe County Courthouse near the Kentucky-Tennessee border.
Despite the hometown ambiance, Adam Beam of the Associated Press says the event featured a number of notable Republicans from around the state, including Kentucky House Minority Floor Leader Jeff Hoover, Sen. Julie Denton of Louisville, coal magnate Joe Craft, and prominent GOP fundraiser Kelly Knight. Beam says part of the message Comer hoped to convey with his announcement is that he has the political connections to challenge the personal wealth of fellow Republican gubernatorial candidate and Louisville businessman Hal Heiner.
Comer’s running mate is state Sen. Chris McDaniel from the Kenton County community of Taylor Mill. Scott Wartman of The Kentucky Enquirer says McDaniel has enjoyed a rapid rise through the Republican ranks since being elected to the General Assembly in 2012. He describes McDaniel as a perfect running mate: a businessman and Army veteran whose family includes foster children, and whose brief time in Frankfort should limit potential political attacks.
Wartman says McDaniel may offer a tactical advantage to Comer’s campaign as the first northern Kentuckian on a gubernatorial ticket since 1991. Wartman sees the choice of McDaniel as a way to boost turnout in the Republican-heavy region, especially in the GOP primary.
The Health Care and Wage Tightrope
With Comer and Heiner now vying for the Republican nomination, could any other GOP contenders enter the race? Lawrence Smith says former U.S. Ambassador Kathy Bailey’s name continues to be mentioned, but he’s not seen any official campaign moves on her part. And Smith says former U.S. Senate candidate Matt Bevin is considering a run for governor.
The Affordable Care Act and the minimum wage are shaping up to be significant issues in the 2015 contest. While national Republicans continue to push for a repeal of the health care law, Smith says state GOP candidates will have a tougher time with the ACA because Kynect has benefited so many Kentuckians. Instead of pushing a repeal of the ACA, Smith expects state Republican leaders to focus on the problem of paying for expanded Medicaid coverage after 2017 when the federal government begins to shift that burden to the states.
On increasing the minimum wage in the state, both Comer and Heiner say they’re opposed to the idea. But Smith reports that Heiner has already questioned Comer’s commitment to that stance since Comer voted to raise the minimum wage during his time as a state representative.
Tackling Wage and Work Issues on a Local Level
While state politicians debate the issue, lawmakers in Metro Louisville are considering increasing the minimum wage in that city. Five Democratic metro council members proposed the increase after the Jefferson County Attorney said it would be legal to make the change on a local basis.
Lawrence Smith says the proposal could pass the council, where Democrats hold the majority, and that Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer has indicated he would approve the measure. But Smith says Greater Louisville Inc., the city’s chamber of commerce, is threatening to sue over the matter saying the action would be illegal and would drive business away from Louisville.
Adam Beam says the idea that local governments could tackle issues that state and federal officials avoid could present some interesting questions for the commonwealth. As another example, he reports that Sen. Robert Stivers (R-Manchester) has requested Attorney General Jack Conway’s opinion on whether local communities or counties could institute their own right-to-work laws.
U.S. Senate Race Update
A new NBC News/Marist Poll released last week puts incumbent Sen. Mitch McConnell up by eight points over his Democratic challenger Alison Lundergan Grimes. In response to that news, Lawrence Smith reports that the Grimes camp promoted an internal poll that puts her ahead of McConnell by one point. Smith says Grimes released those polling numbers to calm the nerves of her supporters and potential donors.
As last week concluded, the Democrat visited Washington on a fundraising trip, and courted female voters in northern Kentucky and African Americans in Louisville.
Meanwhile, McConnell made a speech on the Senate floor about the threat posed by Islamic State terrorists and participated in a White House meeting with President Obama about the American response. Adam Beam says the McConnell camp promoted those events as further proof of the incumbent’s experience and background in leading the nation and representing Kentucky.
–The opinions expressed on Comment on Kentucky and reflected in this program synopsis are the responsibility of the participants and do not necessarily reflect those of KET.
