Charlene Rabold

MINNEAPOLIS – U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Southgate) told PolitickerKY.com he has been hard at work fundraising for candidates for Kentucky’s state legislature.

“I’ve been going around trying to assist some of our down-ticket people so they can run a competitive race and hold their seat or win a new one,” Bunning said.

The two-term U.S. senator said he had headlined five fundraisers for state legislative candidates in the last three weeks, noting he is hopeful Republicans can make gains in a series of targeted districts.

Bunning spoke enthusiastically about the candidacy of former state Rep. Bob Heleringer, who is seeking a state Senate seat in the 19th district – part of metro Louisville.

“It’s looking a heck of a lot better than most of them do in Jefferson County,” said Bunning about Heleringer’s bid against incumbent Tim Shaughnessey (D-Louisville).

DENVER – Several Republican-held state House districts were named by state House speaker Jody Richards (D-Bowling Green) as targets for Democratic campaign efforts during an interview with PolitickerKY.com today.

Richards said campaigns for the legislature were on his mind as he met with fellow Kentuckians as a delegate at the Democratic National Convention in Denver.

"I talk about house races because that is my interest - that is my main focus. That is my responsibility," said Richards.

The races pointed to by the speaker include Travis Calhoun’s (D-Hopkinsville) run to unseat state Rep. Myron Dossett (R-Pembroke) in the 9th District, Mike Weaver’s (D-Elizabethtown) campaign to knock off Rep. Tim Moore (R-Elizabethtown) in the 26th, Merrick Krey’s (D-Erlanger) effort against state rep. Adam Koenig (R-Erlanger) in the 69th, David Sparrow (D-Danville) and his race against Rep. Mike Harmon (R-Junction City)in the 54th, and Charlene Rabold’s (D-Bowling Green) bid counter to Rep. Jim DeCesare (R-Rockfield) in the 21st.

The losing Democratic challengers in 2006 in each of those districts all finished within 6 points of the Republican winners, with some losing margins sitting at less than 2 percent.

“We feel really good about where we are,” said Richards, who noted some other Republican-held districts were also under consideration.