Heather Ryan

This week's Winners & Losers | CLICK HERE

A spokesperson from Kentucky Educational Television confirmed that U.S. Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-Hopkinsville) declined the invitation to the network's 1st Congressional District forum scheduled for Oct. 13.

Whitfield's opponent, Heather Ryan (D-Paducah), released a statement today declaring she would still attend the forum.

"The reason for why Mr. Whitfield will not attend is unclear, but what is certain is that he owes the people of Kentucky's First Congressional District answers to their questions about the current economic mess but has thus ignored," read a statement from the Ryan campaign.

KET's forums air statewide and are available to be streamed on the network's website.

Whitfield is not the first incumbent to skip the KET forum designated for his race this year. U.S. Reps. Geoff Davis (R-Ft. Mitchell), Ben Chandler (D-Versailles), and Hal Rogers (R-Somerset) all skipped their allocated forums while U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Louisville) announced an unspecified "scheduling conflict" would keep him away from the U.S. Senate forum.

Updated, 4:31pm, with response from Whitfield camp.

First Congressional District candidate Heather Ryan (D-Paducah) announced she was five-months pregnant at a press conference held today at which the candidate sought to "respond" to criticisms of her weight.Heather Ryan (D-Paducah) sports a t-shirt reading "I'm not fat, I'm pregnant. What's your excuse?": Campaign Photo

Ryan's campaign claims "physical features" have been made an issue in the campaign by supporters of 1st District incumbent U.S. Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-Hopkinsville). Whitfield's campaign said it was unaware of any such criticism, however.

"When our economy is reeling from the worst economic crisis in modern history and when our men and women are dying in an unending war in Iraq, I believe our discourse should be about more than weight," said Ryan in a statement dispatched by her campaign.

Ryan said the press conference was a reaction to an increasing amount of chatter on online forums and websites like YouTube about her weight.

"One of my staff members had noted someone called me a ‘fatass' because I had not walked in a parade," said Ryan, of a comment left online.

Updated, 4:40pm, with Whitfield camp's response.

MINNEAPOLIS – U.S. Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-Hopkinsville) will not be joining Kentucky’s Republican delegation in St. Paul this week for his party’s national convention.

A spokesperson from Whitfield’s Washington office indicated the Congressman will be travelling in his 1st Congressional District throughout convention week.

Whitfield was initially selected as an “at-large” delegate to this week’s event at the state Republican convention in June.

The seven-term incumbent will face long-shot opponent Heather Ryan (D-Paducah) in November’s general election. Ryan also did not make the trip to the Democratic National Convention last week in Denver.

DNC Chair Howard Dean speaks to Kentucky's delegates today: Politicker photo

DENVER -- As the surprise opening speaker at this morning's Kentucky delegation breakfast, Democratic National Committee chair Howard Dean spoke with familiarity about Kentucky politics, referencing races up and down the ballot and laying out strategic suggestions for the assembled delegates.

At the beginning of his remarks, Dean referenced the campaign of Democratic Senate candidate Bruce Lunsford as a priority for the state.

"He's in striking distance. How about that?" Dean asked about the challenger to incumbent U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Louisville).

Lunsford was last shown 12 points behind McConnell in a mid-August poll, though his ability to self-finance his campaign has led many analysts to predict an ultimately competitive race.

Beyond that, Dean said another top priority for Kentucky Democrats was more local in scope.

"The first thing that people need - in addition to electing Bruce - is we really want to take back the state Senate," said Dean, referencing the state legislative body currently in Republican hands.

1st Congressional District candidate Heather Ryan will open a campaign heaquarters in Ryan's hometown of Paducah next week - the first the campaign will have in the district.

Ryan, a Democrat, is running a low-budget effort against incumbent U.S. Rep. Ed Whitfield, who has represented the 1st District since 1995.Heather Ryan (D-Paducah): Politicker photo

Her campaign nerve center will be located at 4509 Clarks River Road in Paducah. The office's grand opening is scheduled for August 21 at 5pm.

"Men, Women, Children and Check Books Welcome!" reads an invitation to the grand opening event dispatched by Ryan's campaign.

Governor Steve Beshear (D-Lexington) at Fancy Farm: Politicker photo

FANCY FARM -- The Fancy Farm picnic offers an array of activity for the politically-inclined, and bingo and barbeque for those who are not. Saturday's raucous political speaking provided plenty of political fodder for the interested, including some 2011 politicking and a heated exchange from the 1st Congressional District race.

Governor Steve Beshear (D-Lexington) delivered the first blows for the Democratic side during the Saturday speaking. He was the first speaker from either side, but was no rookie to the event. During his own run last year for Governor, he faced off with then-incumbent Ernie Fletcher at Fancy Farm. This year, he seemed well-accustomed to the rhetorical style required to face down the event's notorious heckling.

As the damp heat lingered in the air, Beshear referenced the "funeral home fans" used by Republicans in attendance. He said "they're going to need them" because "we will bury their candidates."

Beshear also took aim at U.S. Senator Jim Bunning (R-Southgate), in attendance for the first time since 2004, when he said was assaulted by supporters of then-opponent Dan Mongiardo. He pledged to never come back after that incident, but was nonetheless seated on the front row on Saturday.

"I called his office and offered to call out the National Guard to protect him down here," said Beshear.

Bunning seemed unmoved at the remark until U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Louisville) - seated next to him - playfully nudged his colleague.

The 128th annual Fancy Farm picnic is scheduled for this Saturday, and legions of Kentucky's politicians and political junkies are headed to western Kentucky for the event's uniquely participatory political forum. With November's general election looming, some politicians have been hyping their speeches at the event for months, but the news that U.S. Senators Mitch McConnell (R-Louisville) and Jim Bunning (R-Southgate) may not be attending could put a damper on the potentially rowdy affair.

The Fancy Farm picnic - located in Fancy Farm, Kentucky - began as a bar-b-que and barn dance that has since morphed into one of the state's most important political traditions. Candidates for office in western Kentucky and those running statewide are expected to attend and speak before an audience of thousands notorious for rowdy heckling and theatrical behavior.

Legend has it that any politician not braving the crowd at the event will not be elected.

U.S. Rep. John Yarmuth's (D-Louisville) race for the 3rd Congressional District is still the only U.S. House campaign in Kentucky on the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's list for targeted television ad buys, even after the list was expanded by 20 in recent days.

Yarmuth's re-election effort against former U.S. Rep Anne Northup (R-Louisville) was included in the DCCC's initial target list of 31 races, for which the organization aims to buy ad time in September and October. The DCCC reportedly allocated $659,000 for ad buys in the 3rd District.

The liberal news outlet Talking Points Memo reported yesterday that the DCCC had expanded their list to include 20 more races, but none of the additions are in Kentucky.

According to reports, the DCCC has now allocated a total of $53 million towards ad buys for the 51 targeted races.