US Senate

The current Real Clear Politics poll average gives U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Louisville) a 7.7 percentage point lead over Bruce Lunsford (D-Louisville) suggesting the race at least has the potential to be competitive. And U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) -- the chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee -- is among those who think Democrats have a chance in Kentucky. Today he said that Lunsford is "going to beat Mitch McConnell. We think that this is a winnable race."

He's definitely putting his money where his mouth is. This fundraising quarter the DSCC contributed the maximum allowable amount to Lunsford's campaign: $39,900.

But the DSCC, with over $46 million on hand at the end of the second quarter, has nearly twice their Republican counterparts and can afford to spread it around. So are they legitimately bullish on the race or are they just playing the odds and trying to broaden the playing field?

WASHINGTON – Despite recent polls showing U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Louisville) with a solid lead over Democratic challenger Bruce Lunsford, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee chair Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said today that Lunsford was in a strong position heading towards the fall.

Lunsford “is showing the ability to reach out to people on both sides of the aisle,” Schumer said at an afternoon press conference at the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee. “What we believe is that once people learn who Bruce Lunsford is…he’s going to beat Mitch McConnell. We think that this is a winnable race.”

Lunsford, a businessman who ran unsuccessful campaigns for governor in 2003 and 2007, is coming off a May 20 primary victory over businessman Greg Fischer. He faces an uphill battle in his challenge to McConnell, a fourth-term incumbent who is currently serving as Senate Minority Leader. A recent Republican-commissioned poll conducted after the primary showed McConnell with a 50 percent to 39 percent edge over Lunsford. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report currently categorizes the race as the “Likely Republican.”

U.S. Senate candidate Bruce Lunsford: Politicker PhotoDemocratic U.S. Senate nominee Bruce Lunsford will release his energy plan at a press conference tomorrow in Louisville.

The plan, entitled "Do More, Talk Less: Bruce Lunsford's 8 Point Plan for Energy Independence," will be unveiled at a local Louisville UAW headquarters at 3pm.

Lunsford has been embroiled in a fight over energy policy with his opponent, U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Louisville), since the start of the general election campaign.

U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Southgate): Getty Images PhotoU.S. Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Southgate) will appear on the Fox Business channel at 7pm ET this evening to discuss the proposed federal rescue plan for the troubled mortgage finance lenders, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae.

Bunning has emerged as a chief critic of the bailout plan currently before Congress, recently classifying it as "socialism" because of the extensive proposed government investment in the lenders.

The two firms are the subject of considerable worry given well-publicized troubles in the mortgage market. In recent weeks, shares in the two have undergone significant fluctuation, leading to President Bush's proposal of a rescue plan.

The plan - supported principally by Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson - would allow Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae to borrow from the Treasury and also permits the government to buy equity in the lenders.

"The Treasury Secretary is now asking for a blank check to buy as much Fannie and Freddie debt, or equity, as he wants," said Bunning last week.

Declaring that "the reviews are in," the campaign of Democratic Senate nominee Bruce Lunsford continued to respond to its opponent's recent television ad by circulating negative editorial responses to the spot.

Sampling from one editorial each from today's editions of the Commonwealth's two largest newspapers, Lunsford's camp again derided the attack ad from the campaign of Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Louisville) as a "political smokescreen."

"Mitch McConnell's first ad in this year's Senate campaign in Kentucky is so silly and pointless that it seems like a spoof from a political satirist," reads an editorial cited by Lunsford's campaign from today's Louisville Courier-Journal.

The Libertarian Party of Kentucky has obtained the number of raw signatures necessary to secure ballot access for its candidates, the party's chair told PolitickerKY.com in an email today.

Paid canvassers and volunteer activists have submitted about 5,600 signatures to party organizers, according to state Libertarian Party chairman Ken Moellman.

If approved, the signatures would put the names of former actor Sonny Landham, of Ashland, and former U.S. Rep Bob Barr, of Georgia, on the state's ballots as Libertarian candidates for Senate and president, respectively.

The submission of 5,000 signatures per candidate to the Secretary of State's office is technically sufficient to gain ballot access in Kentucky, though Libertarian activists earlier noted that many signatures are challenged and seeking a total beyond the official mark is typically necessary.

Moellman indicated that he expects between 7,000 to 8,000 total signatures to be submitted by the completion of the ballot accesss campaign.

While some national political analysts seem to be taking longer looks at Kentucky's U.S. Senate race between incumbent Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Louisville) and businessman Bruce Lunsford (D-Louisville), others are speculating another potentially competitive race in the Commonwealth may be done before it has really started.

In an article posted on Roll Call today, political analyst Stuart Rothenberg said Kentucky's 2nd Congressional District race "is over," unless state Senator David Boswell's (D-Owensboro) effort receives a major financial boost.

"Kentucky 2nd district hopeful David Boswell was promoted by some Democrats as a strong contender for retiring Rep. Ron Lewis' (R) open seat. Yes, said Democrats about the Owensboro-Bowling Green district, it's conservative, but the Democratic state Senator is a good fit for it," wrote Rothenberg today. "Well, Boswell's June 30 cash-on-hand total of $45,000 should end that talk. Republican nominee Brett Guthrie's $661,000 in the bank means that, barring a total turnaround of finances, this race is over."

Kentucky AFL-CIO President Bill Londrigan rejected new radio ads launched against Democratic Senate nominee Bruce Lunsford as the product of "anti-labor" forces, in a brief interview with PolitickerKY.com today.

The one-minute radio spots paid for by the Employee Freedom Action Committee started airing late last week. They target Lunsford, of Louisville, for his support of so-called "card-check" legislation - a major issue standing between organized labor and business interests.

"Card-check" policy provisions would remove an employer's option to call for a secret ballot vote during union certification efforts and allow certification when a majority of employees in a workplace have signed union membership cards.

Such provisions were formalized in the Employee Free Choice Act of 2007, which failed to pass the U.S. Senate in June of last year.

"This campaign is being put forth by anti-labor politicians and associated groups spending money to lie and discredit the Employee Free Choice Act," said Londrigan.

In a further sign that Kentucky's U.S. Senate race will feature extensive campaigning from special interest organizations, a new one-minute radio ad began airing late last week targeting candidate Bruce Lunsford (D-Louisville) for his support of so-called "card-check" legislation.

The Employee Freedom Action Committee - a 501 (c) (4) group based out of Washington, DC - is the organization behind the newest salvo in the increasingly active Senate competition between Lunsford and incumbent U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Louisville).

"Union bosses have new scheme that makes it easier for them to harass and intimidate workers into paying costly union dues," says the ad.

"Outraged? You should be. Because Bruce Lunsford supports their new scheme meaning you and millions more may be pressured into a union against your will," it continues.

The ad also hammers on past embezzlement and racketeering charges against labor leaders and says the policy will "take away your right to a private vote."

The ad is an effort by Employee Freedom to target advocates of policy related to union certification in workplaces. "Card-check" legislation - which was formalized in the failed Employee Free Choice Act of 2007 - would remove an employer's option of calling for a secret ballot vote on unionization and permit certification when a majority of employees have signed union membership cards.

Political analyst Charlie Cook recently upgraded Bruce Lunsford's (D-Louisville) chances against incumbent U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Louisville) on The Cook Political Report. Last week, the status of the race was changed from "Solid Republican" to "Likely Republican" due to Lundsford's ability and willingness to self-fund his campaign.

Cook writes: "Even though McConnell has raised an impressive $15.2 million for the cycle and is expected to run a flawless campaign, wealthy Democratic businessman Bruce Lunsford has made a $2.5 million down payment on his race, shifting the contest to the watch list."