No matter what your opinion on the auto bailout, one lasting image of that fight was Mitch McConnell, and his fellow facist neo-con flock "informing" Americans how we are too fat and sassy because we strive to create, and sustain a viable middle-class. Yes, the same group that supports bailing out the bankers, and for outrageous CEO pay that milks the very companies they run were telling us that the real problem were the greedy American workers, who god forbid want fair wages and some kind of benefits for their efforts.
This is the same group that actually WANTS the outsourcing of American middle-class jobs because the American worker won't work for peanuts.

House Speaker Jody Richards emerged from a Capitol Annex room after losing his speaker position by just three votes, telling reporters he's not the "super counter I thought I was."

"Obviously I felt like I had enough votes to win and it didn't work out that way," he said.

When asked whether he thought Gov. Steve Beshear meddled in the race between him and Rep. Greg Stumbo, Richards declined to comment. His wife, Neva, however, stood next to him and swiftly nodded her head up and down.

Asked whether some members may have lied to him about their votes, Richards said, "I had a whole lot more commitments than that.

Per the Herald-Leader, Greg Stumbo has defeated incumbent Jody Richards to become the Speaker of the House

commentary forthcoming...

Rep. Greg Stumbo won the seat by three votes, according to Rep. Jim Wayne, D-Louisville.

Rep. Larry Clark won with 47, he said.

Rep. Bob Damron reclaimed his position as caucus chair, beating Charlie Hoffman by a close vote, Wayne said.

Rep. John Will Stacy won the vacant whip position by one vote, Wayne said. 

Majority Floor Leader Rocky Adkins was re-elected without opposition.

State Rep. Jimmy Lee, D-Louisville, said it's "unprecedented" that there are now three legislators from eastern Kentucky in leadership positions and none from western Kentucky. 

Dozens of lobbyists and reporters are waiting outside a Capitol Annex room, eager to hear who has won the race for House speaker.

At about 4:30 p.m., House Democrats broke for a restroom break and told reporters they expected the closed-door meeting to last another 30 minutes.

Stay posted to www.courier-journal.com/polblog for updates. 

Greg Stumbo was just nominated by Susan Westrom.
Check back for updates

Newly-elected state Sen. Kathy Stein, D-Lexington, said she has brought her own wireless microphone to Frankfort because "sometimes when you need to be heard, you need to be heard."

Stein, who previously served in the House as one of the most vocal and liberal members, said her predecessor, former Sen. Ernesto Scorsone, "sometimes found his voice stilled when he attempted to speak out on behalf of his constituents."

On at least one occassion in the past, Senate President David Williams, R-Burkesville, has cut the microphone of a Democratic senator during debate.

Williams in 2002 also ordered Scorsone to "take your seat and be silent" and then threatened to ask the Senate to censure Scorsone for remarks that Williams deemed inappropriate.

Today, the next Speaker of the Kentucky House will be concluded. It has been a bruising fight between two Democratic heavyweights in Kentucky, and can only produce one winner. No matter what  your opinion on Jody Richards and Greg Stumbo, the new speaker will have a lot on his plate, and a lot to deliver on.
As of now, both men seem to be claiming victory:

"Not only do I have enough votes to win, but a very good cushion," boasted Richards. "I don't count votes until they look people in the eye and tell me they're for me."

Stumbo, who became known as an expert vote-counter during his record 18 years as House majority floor leader between 1985 and 2003, said he, too, has locked up more than the 33 Democratic votes needed to get the caucus's endorsement for the speakership.

Senate President David Williams this afternoon set Feb. 10 as the date for the special election to fill the vacancy in the state Senate's 32nd District. That seat was formerly held by Brett Guthrie, R-Bowling Green, but it became vacant as a result of Guthrie's election in November as U.S. representative for Kentucky's 2nd Congressional District.

The Senate Democratic Caucus this afternoon elected Sen. Jerry Rhoads, of Madisonville, to the leadership job of minority whip for the Senate. Rhoads replaces Sen. Joey Pendleton, of Hopkinsville, who had considered seeking re-election but withdrew from the race.