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Saturday, Jan. 19, 2008

Beshear stumps for candidate

Governor's special visit rankles Republicans

FRANKFORT -- Slipping back into full campaign mode, Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear canvassed the 30th Senate District this week with his party's special election candidate in tow to urge local officials to back "a person I trust."

His message was clear: Democratic candidate Scott Alexander would have his ear if the counties that make up the district -- Bell, Harlan, Perry and Leslie -- needed state money for projects.

"We just pressed upon everyone we campaigned with -- I did -- that Scott is a person of ability and a person I trust and have confidence in," Beshear said Thursday. "And I'm going to know when he comes to me and tells me of the problems and items that are important there, it's going to help me to be able to address those."

That approach has pricked a nerve with Republican Senate President David Williams, who considered Beshear's tactics and message nothing short of "intimidation" or bribery -- especially coming in the middle of a General Assembly session.

Alexander and fellow Hazard resident Brandon Smith, a Republican state representative who has defeated Alexander twice in state House races, are competing in the Feb. 5 special election to replace Daniel Mongiardo, who was elected lieutenant governor.

Mongiardo, who has been laying the groundwork for weeks to help the Democratic Party keep control of his old Senate seat, returned to the district Wednesday with heavy political artillery in the form ofthe governor.

They spoke to civic groups and met privately with local officials, including in Harlan County, where some feelings were still raw from a controversial nomination process that saw Alexander snare the nomination over Harlan native Roger Noe.

Harlan County magistrate Paul Caldwell, a Republican, said it was good to see the governor, even if he was there to advocate for Alexander.

"He mostly said he had to have him because he thinks he can work with Scott better," Caldwell said Thursday while attending a fund-raiser for Smith's campaign.

Caldwell noted that Beshear alluded to the symbolic importance of seeing a Democrat win.

"He said he didn't want to be a governor who goes in and loses a seat right away," he said.

Beshear didn't say whether he felt that Alexander would be another vote for his forthcoming proposal for a bill to allow casino gambling, said Magistrate Chad Brock, a Democrat.

"To be honest with you, if he would have said that, that would have turned me off," said Brock, who is supporting Alexander.

Brock said the magistrates got the chance to list projects for which they're seeking state help, from roads to water lines. And he said Beshear's visit was an added incentive for him to support Alexander.

"It kind of did in my mind because I've seen that he cared so much about the office, that it was that important to his administration to have that seat," he said.

But Williams, who calls Alexander an "inferior candidate," objects to Beshear's hands-on role in the special election campaign in the middle of a legislative session and so-called state budget "crisis."

And that timing was of Beshear's making, considering he could have called the special election for as early as Jan. 8, which would not have interfered with the General Assembly, Williams said.

"The governor has become a tremendous impediment by getting involved in this Senate race," he said. "When the governor comes in and gets so personally involved and uses his office to threaten and intimidate people in these races, it does not engender the sort of atmosphere that people want to have candid conversations or any conversations with him."

Senate Democratic Floor Leader Ed Worley of Richmond said Beshear should be campaigning for Alexander.

"The governor is going to be involved, and we encourage the governor to be involved," he said. Republicans "will recruit candidates and try to win seats. We will try to recruit candidates and try to win."