Rand Paul: Kentucky Senate 2010 Election BREAKING News

Kentucky's Democratic governor is criticizing Republican U.S. Senate nominee Rand Paul for his comments deriding the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Gov. Steve Beshear described Paul's libertarian leanings Monday as "a fairly radical philosophy." He also bashed Paul for what he termed "unbridled support" of BP in the aftermath of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. Paul, the son of former Republican presidential candidate and Texas Congressman Ron Paul, criticized President Barack Obama last week for holding BP accountable for the spill. A Paul campaign spokesman didn't immediately return a phone call. -- AP

After an appearance on MSNBC's "Rachel Maddow Show" (watch above) in which he suggested that he did not agree with certain parts of the Civil Rights Act, GOP Senate candidate Rand Paul sought to clarify the meaning of his comments on Thursday. "I unequivocally state that I will not support any efforts to repeal the Civil Rights Act of 1964," Paul said in a statement. Paul was questioned about the landmark civil rights law in interviews on both National Public Radio and MSNBC on Wednesday. He said that while he liked the Civil Rights Act and opposes racial discrimination, but he thought a lot of problems could be handled locally instead of nationally. Asked by Maddow whether or not lunch counters should have been desegregated, as in the 1960s in the South, Paul declined to give a yes or no answer. Instead, he said he doesn't believe in discrimination, suggested the issue was abstract, and raised the idea of who decides whether customers can bring weapons into restaurants. Here's an excerpt from Paul's full statement: “I believe we should work to end all racism in American society and staunchly defend the inherent rights of every person. I have clearly stated in prior interviews that I abhor racial discrimination and would have worked to end segregation. Even though this matter was settled when I was 2, and no serious people are seeking to revisit it except to score cheap political points, I unequivocally state that I will not support any efforts to repeal the Civil Rights Act of 1964. “Let me be clear: I support the Civil Rights Act because I overwhelmingly agree with the intent of the legislation, which was to stop discrimination in the public sphere and halt the abhorrent practice of segregation and Jim Crow laws. [...] “My opponent’s statement on MSNBC Wednesday that I favor repeal of the Civil Rights Act was irresponsible and knowingly false. I hope he will correct the record and retract his claims.” Paul's Democratic opponent, Jack Conway, responded with his own statement: "Rand Paul is promoting a narrow and rigid ideology and has repeatedly rejected a fundamental provision of the Civil Rights Act." --AP/Huffington Post

Kentucky GOP Senate candidate Rand Paul emerged from Tuesday's primary in a feisty mood, appearing ready to take on his Democratic opponent in the general election. He also fit in a dig or two at the national Democratic establishment and President Obama. In an appearance on CNN's "John King USA," on Wednesday night Paul rejected suggestions (offered by Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine) that Kentucky GOP voters had nominated an "extreme" candidate. "What I tell to the national Democrats," Paul told John King, "is bring it on, and please, please, please bring President Obama to Kentucky." Paul even offered to pay for the president's plane ticket. --MICHAEL FALCONE

In an appearance on ABC’s “Good Morning America" Wednesday, Rand Paul justified celebrating his victory in Kentucky's Republican primary race for Senate at a country club with a justification that invoked controversy-plagued pro-golfer and Tiger Woods. Here's what Paul told Robin Roberts when the host asked the Tea Party favorite about the irony of commemorating his win at a country club given his self-proclaimed fiscal conservative values: ROBIN: Some people find it a bit ironic that your victory party last night was at a private country club in Kentucky. Doesn’t that kind of send a mixed message there? PAUL: I think at one time people used to think of golf and golf courses and golf clubs as being exclusive. But I think in recent years now you see a lot of people playing golf. I think Tiger Woods has helped to broaden that in the sense that he’s brought golf to a lot of the cities and to city youth, and so no, I don’t think it’s nearly as exclusive as people once considered it to be. -- ELYSE SIEGEL

The DSCC is out with a new attack ad taking aim at Rand Paul less than twenty-four hours since the Tea Party favorite captured the Republican nomination for Senate in Kentucky. The minute-long spot blasts Paul as bad for Kentucky, charging that the GOP hopeful "wants to cut everything, but his own pay." From eliminating the Department of Education to changing the retirement age to 70, the ad features clips of Paul communicating what are arguably some of his most extreme positions. -- ELYSE SIEGEL

UPDATE: Daniel Mongiardo, who was defeated in Kentucky's Democratic primary race for Senate on Tuesday night, said on Wednesday afternoon that he will not ask officials to re-canvass the election despite having demanded votes across the state be recounted earlier in the day. Bluegrass Politics reports: In a news release a few hours later, Mongiardo’s campaign said, “Daniel feels it’s time to move forward.” “This was a difficult decision.,” said Mongiardo. “Many of our supporters have poured their hearts and souls into this campaign and they are heartbroken today. Earlier in the day, Mongiardo asked Kentucky election officials to re-canvass the results to make sure that his opponent, Jack Conway, actually came out on top. "In a race this close, [Mongiardo] owes it to his supporters across the Commonwealth who gave so much of their time, energy and money to our cause, to make sure the results are accurate. With only 3,542 votes between the candidates, let's be sure the votes have been accurately reported," campaign spokesman Kim Gevedan said in a statement, according to Hotline. --NICK WING

Political novice Rand Paul rode support from tea party activists to a rout in Kentucky's Republican Senate primary Tuesday night, jolting the GOP establishment and providing fresh evidence of voter discontent in a turbulent midterm election season. Paul had 59 percent of the vote with returns counted from slightly more than half of the precincts, compared to 36 percent for Secretary of State Trey Grayson, who had been recruited to the race by the state's dominant Republican, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. “I have a message,” Paul said at his victory speech Bowling Green. “A message from the Tea Party. A message that is loud and clear and does not mince words: We have come to take our government back.” Grayson had the support of Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell as well as other establishment figures. But Paul countered with endorsements — and the political energy that flowed from them — from tea party activists, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina, a conservative eager to push his party rightward in advance of the fall campaign. The Kentucky Senate seat is one of 10 or more that appear likely to remain competitive until Election Day, and one that Republicans can ill afford to lose if they are to make a serious run at challenging the Democratic majority. The seat is now held by Sen. Jim Bunning, but McConnell was so concerned about Bunning's ability to win a new term that he muscled the two-term lawmaker to the sidelines and recruited Grayson to run. Paul, the son of Rep. Ron Paul, a former GOP presidential contender, entered the race with other ideas. --AP/Huffington Post

Shortly after Rand Paul's primary victory, the Democratic National Committee posted this video highlighting the fact that the GOP Senate candidate and Tea Party favorite was holding his victory party at a country club. - NICO PITNEY

Attorney General Jack Conway has won the Democratic nomination in Kentucky's U.S. Senate race and will face tea party Republican Rand Paul in this fall's general election. With 98 percent of precincts reporting, Conway had 44 percent of the vote to Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo's 43 percent. Conway, a Louisville attorney and businessman before being elected attorney general three years ago, spent more than $2.4 million on the race. Paul defeated Republican establishment favorite Trey Grayson in the Republican primary, a closely watched race that was a test of the tea party movement's strength. --ASSOCIATED PRESS

Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine expressed optimism Tuesday night about the prospect of facing GOP victor Rand Paul in the general election in November. Kaine said in a statement that "Democrats are now in a better position to win Kentucky’s open Senate seat" because the Tea Party-backed Paul espouses positions that appeal only to the "far-right Republican segment of the electorate." He also fit in a dig at Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Read the full release: “Today, Kentucky Republicans selected Rand Paul as their Senate nominee, handing Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell a stunning loss. In a show of weakness for the Minority Leader, and in a race that symbolized the fight over the heart and soul of the Republican Party, Rand Paul overcame McConnell’s handpicked candidate by a large margin. Unfortunately for Republicans, ordinary Americans are unlikely to be receptive to extreme candidates like Rand Paul in the general election this November. “Rand Paul’s positions fail to resonate beyond the far-right Republican segment of the electorate that supported him tonight. Middle-class Kentucky voters want to elect a Senator with clear ideas about how to create jobs and opportunities for Kentucky families. But Rand Paul is more interested in talking about abolishing the Department of Education and disbanding the Federal Reserve than about supporting economic recovery. “As a result, Democrats are now in a better position to win Kentucky’s open Senate seat. Disenfranchised Republicans and independent-minded voters – as well as long-time Democrats – will have a choice on the Democratic side of a candidate who reflects the values and priorities of Kentucky voters instead of one in Rand Paul whose ideas are outside of the political mainstream and which would do nothing to put Kentuckians to work, help them send their kids to college or make health care more affordable.” --NICK WING

Kentucky's election fraud hotline lit up on Tuesday with claims of numerous election violations, according to the Bluegrass Politics blog on the Lexington Herald-Leader's Web site. According to the Herald-Leader's Janet Patton the charges have varied from vote buying or selling to “electioneering" (campaigning within 300 feet of a polling station) to voter harassment and appear to have been made mostly against Rand Paul supporters. “Some are local but primarily they have been with one campaign: the Rand Paul campaign,” Les Fugate, deputy assistant secretary of state, told Bluegrass Politics of the complaints. Later in the day, Grayson took heed of the continued reports of election fraud and alleged harassment, accusing Paul's campaign of engaging in a "widespread voter interrogation scheme" in a memo to reporters. Paul's campaign shot back with a release of their own, brushing off the allegations as a sign that Grayson had "escalated his campaign of lies and distortions about the Paul campaign." The release continues, knocking Grayson for his supervisory role over elections as Secretary of State: "Grayson either does not know the law he is charged with administering or he is deliberately continuing his litany of lies which have permeated his campaign." --NICK WING

Though Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has repeatedly backed underdog Trey Grayson in the Republican primary, he seemed less excited to discuss his horse in the race Tuesday, telling reporters "There are a bunch of primaries today, and tomorrow we'll talk about the results," when asked about the GOP face-off. McConnell's maneuver comes along with mounting evidence that a victory for Tea Party-backed Rand Paul may stand as a defeat against the current Republican leadership and the GOP party line establishment, including McConnell, its top-ranking member. Last week, Paul supporters were recorded calling McConnell "abhorrent" and "an embarrassment." Though McConnell has said that the results of the election will have nothing to do with him, Paul has himself announced that, if elected, he wouldn't necessarily support McConnell's reappointment as Senate Minority Leader. --NICK WING

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Rand Paul is predicting a big victory in Tuesday's Republican U.S. Senate primary in Kentucky, though his chief opponent hammered the tea party favorite as being overconfident. Paul told The Associated Press that he "would be surprised" if he doesn't win the race with polls showing him up by double digits over Secretary of State Trey Gayson. Paul held a rally at an outdoor park in his hometown of Bowling Green a day before the election. Grayson told a crowd in Louisville earlier Monday that Paul is an overconfident "grandstander" who could lose sight of Kentucky in favor of the tea party movement. The two are seeking the seat of retiring Sen. Jim Bunning, a 78-year-old sports icon who opted not to seek a third term. Grayson characterized GOP Senate front-runner Rand Paul as "clearly overconfident." Grayson, Kentucky's secretary of state, said large numbers of undecided Republican voters were moving toward him as he predicted an election night surprise. "We feel confident about tomorrow," Grayson said. "... I've been around a lot of final weeks in campaigns in Kentucky, and I can tell you this is a campaign that's definitely peaking at the right time." Paul, an eye doctor making his first run for office, had campaign appearances planned Monday in Paducah in western Kentucky and in his hometown of Bowling Green. --AP

Republican candidate Trey Grayson is charging that Fox News, in addition to nepotism, is responsible for primary opponent Rand Paul’s electoral success in the fight to secure Kentucky’s GOP Senate nomination. In an interview with the Washington Post, Grayson suggested that Paul’s frequent appearances on Fox News and the network’s softball line of questioning to the Tea Party favorite have given him an advantage in the race. Perry Bacon Jr. reports: Grayson says he's not just facing the Paul family in his race to replace retiring Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.), but an even more powerful force in conservative politics: Fox News. 
 By frequently putting Rand Paul, the son of Ron Paul and Grayson's opponent, on its air, Grayson says the network has all but endorsed Paul and given him an easy way to tout his candidacy without actually meeting Kentucky voters in person. Grayson also alleged that the one time he appeared on Fox he was treated in a relatively unfair capacity as compared to Paul. "I've been on Fox News once, on a live feed on one of the shows, and I was told I was to expect a certain line of questioning, and I was given a different line of questioning," the Republican hopeful explained. Dave Weigel offers an assessment of Grayson’s remarks: Why did Rand Paul become a sensation when he could have just as easily become what he was portrayed as one year ago, a novelty candidate with a fun personal story? Because he hustled, he dealt quickly and decisively with staff problems, he plugged into the tea party movement before doing so was obviously a political benefit, and he beat Grayson to the punch on multiple opportunities. […] Lots of conservatives get softballs on Fox News. Few have the hustle to run a serious Senate race. At the 11th hour, it's like Grayson still doesn't take Paul seriously. -- ELYSE SIEGEL

Upstart candidate Rand Paul said a clear-cut victory by him in Kentucky's Republican primary for U.S. Senate would be a strong showing for the tea party movement, which has flexed its muscles already in other races across the country. The mood of the country and the Republican Party strengthen his position heading into Tuesday's race. He said the outcome will carry clear national implications. "I think the larger the victory the more the mandate for the tea party," he said. His main rival in the hard-fought Senate primary, Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson, is backed by Kentucky's most powerful Republican, Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell. Paul has the backing of Kentucky's other Republican senator, Jim Bunning, who is retiring after two terms. A political outsider, Paul entered the race as a long shot against Grayson, who has long been considered a rising star in the Kentucky GOP. An antiestablishment mood that swept the country quickly turned the tables in favor of Paul, who leads some polls by double-digits. Paul, the son of Texas congressman and former GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul, said he has the clear momentum heading into the election. "The mood of the country is in our favor," Paul said in an interview at his campaign headquarters in his hometown of Bowling Green, where volunteers busily worked the phones. "The mood of the Republican Party is in our favor. The tea party movement is enormous and in our favor. ... Just at every turn everything has gone our way." U.S. Senate hopeful Trey Grayson portrayed his main Republican rival Monday as a "grandstander" who could lose sight of Kentucky in favor of the tea party movement as candidates made their final push before the state's primary election Tuesday. During a stop in Louisville as part of a trip around of Kentucky, Grayson characterized GOP Senate front-runner Rand Paul as "clearly overconfident." Grayson, Kentucky's secretary of state, said large numbers of undecided Republican voters were moving toward him as he predicted an election night surprise. "We feel confident about tomorrow," Grayson said. "... I've been around a lot of final weeks in campaigns in Kentucky, and I can tell you this is a campaign that's definitely peaking at the right time." -- AP

Rand Paul called for checking big government spending and Trey Grayson took last jabs at his top Republican rival for the U.S. Senate, revisiting their main campaign themes at a GOP dinner Saturday night as their primary showdown loomed. Sharing a stage for a final time before Tuesday's contest, both gave campaign pitches honed from months of crisscrossing Kentucky. In back-to-back speeches, Paul repeated themes of ending government bailouts and balancing the federal budget while Grayson criticized his top foe for his opposition to the Patriot Act and for comments he once made about coal. In Georgetown, Kentucky Paul painted a dark picture of the nation's future unless Congress reins in spending. "I think that the times we live in are troubling," he said. "I think we face a day of reckoning." An anti-establishment mood that swept the country quickly turned the tables in favor of Paul, said Lexington attorney Larry Forgy, a Republican leader and former gubernatorial candidate. "This is not an election; this is an uprising," Forgy said. "People are afraid for their country. They're not just fed up. They're deeply concerned, and they're looking for relief." Despite trailing in the polls, Grayson campaigned tenaciously Saturday, braving a hail storm that halted interstate traffic as he traveled to the Georgetown dinner. There Grayson reminded the crowd that Paul once called coal "one of the least favorable forms of energy." Grayson even used that comment, made years ago, in a TV ad, hoping to appeal to some 17,000 Kentuckians who work in the coal industry. During the campaign, both Grayson and Paul have criticized the federal Environmental Protection Agency and the Obama administration for policies they say hurt the coal industry. "We must do whatever we can to stop this war on Kentucky coal," Grayson said. Paul has based his campaign to succeed retiring GOP Sen. Jim Bunning largely on fiscal concerns. On Saturday, he complained to central Kentucky Republicans that Congress, through earmarks, has sent Homeland Security money to private a private petting zoo. "It would be funny if it weren't so tragic," he said. The eventual Republican Senate nominee will likely face a well-funded Democrat in the general election. Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo and Attorney General Jack Conway are the front-runners in a close race for the Democratic nomination. -- AP

The Coalition For Kentucky Values, an independent state-based PAC, is out with a new television ad attacking Republican primary candidate Rand Paul for raising campaign cash from so-called "extremists." The 30-second spot features footage of talk show host Alex Jones and ties Paul to the "extreme" radio personality. "I know what tyranny means," Jones charges in the ad. "I know that bankers are putting poison in our food and water. I know they staged those terror attacks." In response to the television attack, Paul campaign manager David Adams described the ad as "silliness," adding that it's the kind of thing he's "come to expect from the Grayson campaign." -- ELYSE SIEGEL

Republican Rand Paul is phasing out TV ads attacking his chief GOP primary opponent in the Kentucky Senate race. He's opting instead to run affable spots featuring some of his more prominent supporters. It will be a radical change in tone in a bitter fight for the nomination to run for retiring Republican Sen. Jim Bunning's seat. Polls show Paul, a tea party favorite, with a double-digit lead over Secretary of State Trey Grayson, his top rival in a five-way primary Tuesday. The ads he's taking off the air paint Grayson as a desperate career politician who is part of the Washington political machine. Grayson campaign manager Nate Hodson says he's pleased Paul decided to pull the ads. -- AP

Just days ahead of a key Kentucky GOP primary, Mitch McConnell cast a symbolic vote against auditing the Federal Reserve -- the issue that is most closely associated with Ron Paul, whose son Rand Paul has surged past McConnell's preferred candidate, Trey Grayson. With that vote, McConnell, who effectively founded the Kentucky GOP, passed up a prime opportunity to show home state Republicans that he and Grayson are both willing to battle entrenched interests in Washington, political activist Grover Norquist said. "Mitch McConnell is a surprise. I don't understand what went on," Norquist told HuffPost after McConnell voted against an amendment put forward by Louisiana Republican David Vitter that was a Senate version of a measure sponsored by Ron Paul in the House. "And for crying out loud, he's trying to elect a guy who's running against Ron Paul's son. This would've been the way to go: 'Well, we disagree on, say, occupying Afghanistan for the next 500 years, but we can agree on auditing the Fed. I just thought it would have strengthened your case, not the other way." A McConnell spokesman, asked about the vote, noted that McConnell had voted for a compromise audit put forward by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). Paul, however, pushed the Senate to go further and Norquist said his organization, Americans for Tax Reform, will only be scoring the vote on the Vitter amendment. McConnell gets no credit, in other words, for voting for the weaker version, which passed 96-0. A Rand Paul spokesman said that Paul would have voted for both amendments, but declined to comment on how McConnell's vote reflected on the race. McConnell, for months, has been quietly support Trey Grayson in the GOP primary but recently came out of the closet, declaring his support in public. Paul's support has continued to surge. Once a longshot, the most recent survey has him blowing by Grayson by 16 points, his biggest lead of the race. McConnell's vote only solidifies the impression that Senate leadership is out of touch, said RedState.com blogger Erick Erickson, who's backing Paul in the primary. "Republicans in the Senate have decided they're smarter than the people back home," he told HuffPost. Erickson's traveled a windy road with the Paul family. During the 2008 presidential campaign, he banned Ron Paul followers from commenting on the blog, fed up with their boisterous evangelism of Paul in every comment thread, regardless of the topic. But Erickson was perked up by the Fed bailout of AIG and its aggressive interventions in the market and fully backs an audit. "I was never big into the audit-the-Fed thing, thought it was Ron Paul nuttiness, but frankly I think they made a case," said Erickson. "God bless him. He was actually on to this." -- RYAN GRIM

The progressive political action group MoveOn.org came out on Friday to endorse Jack Conway over Dan Mongiardo in Kentucky's Democratic primary race for Senate. In Kentucky, 62% of the group's members voted to support Conway in his May 18 primary fight. -- ELYSE SIEGEL

Republican Trey Grayson has received the endorsement of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in his race to become the GOP nominee in Kentucky's U.S. Senate race. Grayson announced the endorsement on Tuesday, a week ahead of next Tuesday's primary election. Chamber President Thomas Donohue said in a letter that Grayson's stands on pro-business issues earned him the support of the national business group. Grayson, Kentucky's secretary of state, faces four other Republican candidates, including Bowling Green eye surgeon Rand Paul, in the race. The winner of the Republican primary will face one of five Democrats in the November general election, including Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo and Attorney General Jack Conway. -- AP

Front-runner Rand Paul said in a U.S. Senate debate Monday night that he may not support Kentucky's other senator, Mitch McConnell, for minority floor leader if he's elected. "I'd have to know who the opponent is and make a decision at that time," Paul said in a sometimes testy televised debate, the final face off in what has become an increasing acrimonious race to replace Sen. Jim Bunning. His chief Republican opponent, Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson, said he "proudly" would vote for McConnell. McConnell endorsed Grayson in the May 18 primary. South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint, who endorsed Paul, has been mentioned as a potential McConnell opponent for minority leader, though DeMint has said he has no such intention. Paul is considered an outsider to the Republican political establishment, which has supported Grayson. Paul, a Bowling Green eye surgeon, is leading in the polls. Paul has strong backing from tea party activists, who have been increasingly showing their political power this year. They most recently helped topple three-term Republican Sen. Robert F. Bennett of Utah at that state's GOP convention over the weekend. Paul took a hard line against congressional earmarks during the debate, saying he is philosophically opposed to pork barrel projects that have been used to pay for programs across Kentucky unless Congress has the money in hand to pay for them. Grayson said some of the earmarks, like those used to fight drug trafficking, are vitally needed and he would support them. The eventual Republican nominee will face one of five Democratic candidates, including Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo and Attorney General Jack Conway. Paul and Grayson are the only two Republicans who have enough money to run competitive campaigns. Each candidate had raised about $2.4 million as of mid-April, with most of the money being spent on TV advertising. Both sides have been airing attack ads in recent weeks. Grayson ads have accused Paul of being unfriendly to the coal industry, a key segment of the Kentucky economy employing some 17,000 people, and of being soft on abortion, an important issue among the state's evangelical voters. Paul ads have accused Grayson of being part of the Washington establishment and have tried to connect Grayson, a former Democrat, to President Barack Obama. Kentucky's two sitting Senators are on opposite sides in the race, with Bunning giving Paul his endorsement. Bunning, who was considered politically vulnerable to potential Democratic challengers, dropped his re-election bid because he had been unable to raise enough money to mount a formidable campaign. Bunning blamed McConnell and other Republican leaders for drying up his fundraising, so when the Republican establishment got behind Grayson, a chafed Bunning threw his support to Paul, calling him "a man of integrity" and "the only true conservative" in the race. Paul is the son of Texas congressman Ron Paul, who made an unsuccessful bid for the GOP presidential nomination in 2008. The younger Paul has capitalized on his father's political base for fundraising. Besides McConnell, Grayson has won endorsements from former Vice President Dick Cheney and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. He also has the endorsement of U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers, a revered political figure in heavily Republican southeastern Kentucky. Paul has endorsements from former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, former GOP presidential candidate Steve Forbes and evangelical leader James Dobson. - AP

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Jack Conway released a television ad Monday featuring an endorsement from one of Kentucky's most renowned Democrats - former longtime Sen. Wendell Ford. The commercial displays Ford's picture alongside other prominent Democrats who are backing Conway - U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler, Kentucky Auditor Crit Luallen and state House Speaker Greg Stumbo. Ford makes no comments in the ad, but Conway's campaign released a one-sentence statement from the former senator in which he calls Conway "the best candidate for Kentucky and that's why I am supporting him." With the campaign in its final stretch before the May 18 primary, Conway is locked in a hard-fought race with Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo for the Democratic nomination for the Senate seat occupied by Ford for years. Reacting to Conway's latest endorsement, Mongiardo campaign spokesman Kim Geveden said that Mongiardo has "great admiration and respect for Sen. Ford and his decision today does nothing to change that." "Daniel knows that on the morning after the primary, if there's one person he can count on to stand with him as he leads our Kentucky Democratic Party into the fall, it is Wendell Ford," Geveden said. -- AP

After toppling three-term Republican Sen. Robert F. Bennett in Utah, tea party activists and other conservative critics shifted their sights Sunday to a mid-May primary in Kentucky, their next big challenge to a political establishment they have vowed to upend. In contrast to Utah, where about 3,500 party activists determined which candidates would qualify for the ballot, the May 18 contest in Kentucky is a traditional primary election, open to all registered Republicans. There, Secretary of State Trey Grayson has the support of Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Rep. Hal Rogers, a veteran lawmaker and dozens of local political leaders. "I rarely endorse in primaries, but these are critical times," McConnell said in a television ad that began airing in rent days. "President Obama's spending threatens to destroy more jobs. ... We need Trey's conservative leadership to help turn back the Obama agenda." Grayson's challenger, Rand Paul, the son of former presidential candidate Ron Paul of Texas, has the backing of tea party activists, as well as former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, former GOP presidential candidate Steve Forbes and – after a switch last week – evangelical leader James Dobson. Additionally, South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint has endorsed Paul as part of an attempt to push the party rightward, calling him "a true conservative who will stand up to the Washington establishment." "Rand is exactly the kind of leader Americans are looking for right now," DeMint said. "He's not a career politician and he's got the guts to stand up to the massive spending, bailouts and debt that are being forced on us in Washington." While some public polls show Paul with a healthy lead, private surveys show a much closer race with more than two weeks remaining. To continue reading click here. -- AP

A rather alarming new ad by Republican candidate Rand Paul painting his primary challenger Trey Grayson as a weak opponent of the big government beast. - NICO PITNEY

Democratic U.S. Senate rivals Daniel Mongiardo and Jack Conway took turns talking tough against illegal immigration and a cap-and-trade approach to a climate bill during a faceoff Thursday night, less than two weeks before Kentucky's primary. Mongiardo, a doctor, also warned that the historic health care legislation passed by Congress will fail without follow-up measures to make the health care system more affordable and to improve its quality. After weeks of long-distance sniping, Mongiardo and Conway avoided attacking one another during a debate featuring all five Democratic Senate candidates, who answered questions in front of a crowd of about 225 in Paducah. The tone was set during the opening remarks, when Mongiardo said he wanted to keep the debate positive. He then extended his right hand to Conway, who was sitting next to him, and said, "How about it Jack, will you join me?" The two men, who have targeted one another in recent attacks, shook hands. Fielding a question about immigration, Conway said he has "real concerns" about Arizona's new immigration enforcement law. He said a patchwork of state immigration laws is an unworkable system. The Arizona law makes it a state crime to be in the country illegally and directs local police to question individuals about their immigration status and demand documentation if they suspect a person is in the country illegally. Conway said he would support an immigration bill that is tough, fair and "makes sense." "We have 12 million illegal immigrants in this country right now," he said. "The problem is we're not going to be able to round them all up and ship them away." Conway, the state's attorney general, advocated an immigration bill that "says to those people who came here legally, 'you're going to get the benefit of our laws, and if you came here illegally, you need to go to the back of the line because we're not going give you some benefit by being here illegally.'" Mongiardo said the Arizona law reflected frustration with the federal government's inaction on immigration. "We need to shut down our borders, we need to make sure that our borders are inpenetrable to illegal aliens, period," said Mongiardo, the state's lieutenant governor. He said the companies that hire illegal aliens also should be "held accountable." "They wouldn't be coming over here if they didn't have a job here to come to," he said. -- AP

"A new Kentucky Poll shows novice political candidate Rand Paul with a commanding 12-point lead over Trey Grayson (44%-32%), the Republican Party establishment's choice in the GOP race for U.S. Senate in Kentucky," the Lexington Herald-Leader reports. The state's Democratic primary to replace U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning is closer, with Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo holding a seven -point lead over Attorney General Jack Conway, according to the poll commissioned by the Lexington Herald-Leader, WKYT-TV in Lexington and WAVE-TV in Louisville. With less than two weeks to go before the May 18 election, Conway remains within striking distance of Mongiardo, who leads 39 percent to 32 percent — a result that is within the poll's margin of error of plus or minus 4.5 percentage points. An additional 17 percent remain undecided, and 12 percent favor three lesser-known candidates. Much more analysis of the race here.

Republican Rand Paul will begin airing a TV ad Wednesday attacking "senior GOP leaders" for lying to evangelical leader James Dobson. Dobson, founder of the Colorado-based Christian group Focus on the Family, had endorsed Secretary of State Trey Grayson in the Senate race last week. Dobson called that endorsement "an embarrassing mistake" on Monday and instead threw his support behind Paul. In the ad, Dobson says he was given misleading information about Paul that led to the errant Grayson endorsement. A narrator says when Dobson learned the truth, he rejected the lies. Dobson hasn't identified who gave him the misleading information. --AP

U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint is at odds with Kentucky's Sen. Mitch McConnell over who should be the GOP nominee for U.S. Senate in Kentucky. DeMint, a South Carolina Republican, endorsed political outsider Rand Paul on Wednesday, a day after Minority Floor Leader McConnell threw his support behind establishment candidate Trey Grayson. DeMint, chairman of the Senate Conservatives Fund political action committee, called Paul "a true conservative who will stand up to the Washington establishment." Paul and Grayson are among five Republicans seeking to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning, the 78-year-old sports icon who opted not to seek a third term. The winner will face one of five Democratic candidates, including Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo and Attorney General Jack Conway. -- AP

Democratic U.S. Senate contender Daniel Mongiardo ratcheted up the attacks on his main rival Tuesday, filing an ethics complaint claiming Attorney General Jack Conway "violated the public trust" by accepting campaign contributions from utility interests. Conway campaign spokeswoman Allison Haley called the accusations "false and baseless" and belittled the complaint as "a political stunt" just two weeks before Kentucky's primary election. Mongiardo, the state's lieutenant governor, said Conway has accepted more than $70,000 in campaign contributions from utility companies, their executives and lobbyists. Mongiardo has pounded away at Conway on the matter because the attorney general, through his Office of Rate Intervention, routinely weighs in on whether rate increases are warranted in cases before the Public Service Commission. "It is a clear conflict of interest for Attorney General Conway, who is supposed to negotiate rate increases on behalf of Kentucky ratepayers, to have accepted over $70,000 in campaign contributions from utility companies he is negotiating with," Mongiardo said. Haley countered that in his two-plus years as attorney general, Conway has saved Kentucky consumers more than $100 million from proposed utility rate increases. Mongiardo's complaint also pointed to Conway's role in a pending rate case involving Atmos Energy that Mongiardo claims would reap personal financial benefits for Conway. Mongiardo said Atmos Energy is a business partner of Kinder Morgan, a Texas natural gas company in which Conway has invested millions. "The better Atmos Energy does, the better Kinder Morgan does, the better Jack Conway does," Mongiardo said. Haley accused Mongiardo of "throwing out conspiracy theories" that don't "check out." In the Atmos Energy case, Conway's staff was involved in negotiating a settlement that proposes a $5.9 million rate increase for Atmos. The proposed settlement is scheduled to come before the PSC next week for review. Atmos' initial rate request was significantly higher than $5.9 million. Atmos Energy distributes natural gas across a broad section of western and central Kentucky. Mongiardo's attack is the latest in a series of salvos with Conway in a hard-fought campaign for the Democratic nomination to run for the seat of retiring Republican Sen. Jim Bunning. Dana Nickles, general counsel with the Executive Branch Ethics Commission, said she could not confirm or deny whether Mongiardo had filed the complaint because the process is confidential. The commission's next meeting is scheduled for May 14 - just four days before the primary. Nickles said it would be likely that a complaint filed Tuesday would come up at that meeting. -- AP

U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell publicly endorsed his hand-picked candidate for Kentucky's other Senate seat Tuesday. McConnell said in a written statement that Trey Grayson "has a track record of leading by example," and called on Kentucky voters to choose him as the Republican nominee in the May 18 primary election. Grayson, Kentucky's secretary of state, faces five Republicans - including political outsider Rand Paul - who are seeking the GOP nomination to run for the seat of U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning. Bunning, 78, retired under pressure from McConnell and other Republican leaders. "Trey Grayson has a proven conservative record as Secretary of State, cutting his office budget by 15 percent and ensuring that Kentucky's taxpaying families have easy access to information about his office and budget," McConnell said. "He understands that Kentuckians are his first responsibility and has worked to make his office more efficient and effective to meet their needs." The Grayson campaign planned to begin airing a television ad Tuesday featuring McConnell. The endorsement puts McConnell and Bunning at odds. Bunning has endorsed Paul, and will appear in TV ads on behalf of the tea party favorite. Grayson picked up another key endorsement Monday from Republican U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers, a revered political figure in Kentucky's mountain region, which will be a key battleground in the May 18 Republican primary. -- AP

Evangelical leader Dr. James Dobson on Monday retracted his endorsement of establishment candidate Trey Grayson in Kentucky's Republican primary race for Senate and instead threw his support behind Tea Party favorite Rand Paul. Dobson justified his switch by claiming Republicans gave him "misleading information" on Paul's candidacy. In statement he explained: Have you ever made an embarrassing mistake? I did just that last week. I was given misleading information about the candidacy of Dr. Rand Paul, who is running in the Republican Primary for the U.S. Senate. Senior members of the GOP told me Dr. Paul is pro-choice and that he opposes many conservative perspectives, so I endorsed his opponent. Dobson also officially declared his support for Paul in Kentucky's heated GOP match-up. "Now I've received further information from OB/GYN's in Kentucky whom I trust, and from interviewing the candidate himself," the evangelical leader explained. "If I lived in Kentucky, I would vote for Dr. Rand Paul. Would you consider sending him to the U.S. Senate to shake things up in Washington?" Dobson's remarks come just one week after he announced he'd back Grayson in Kentucky's Republican primary race. "Trey Grayson is the only candidate with the conviction to lead on the issues that matter to Kentucky families," he said in a statement at the time. Paul thanked Dobson for changing his endorsement in a statement on Monday morning. "I thank Dr. Dobson for his support and for his thorough investigation of the views of the candidates in this race," Paul said in response to Dobson's decision to back his campaign. "I believe his message and his explanation for his new endorsement says it all.“ ELYSE SIEGEL

Attorney General Jack Conway's mind may have strayed from the May 18th Democratic primary over weekend, as his sights were set on winning a different race, the Kentucky Derby. Stately Victor, a race-horse co-owned by Conway and his father, Thomas Conway, took an unexpected victory at last month's Blue Grass Stakes to lock up a spot at the 2010 Derby, where the thoroughbred finished eight out of the 20 horses. Present at this year's race as well were fellow Senate competitors Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo, Secretary of State Trey Grayson and Bowling Green eye surgeon Rand Paul, Bluegrass Politics reports, none of whom called him to "say congrats," Conway says. According to Bluegrass Politics, a Mongiardo spokesperson said “Daniel wishes Jack, his daddy and their horse all the best of luck on Derby Day,” while Grayson gave his praise to Conway by reportedly picking Stately Victor to finish third. Paul’s campaign manager, David Adams, however, gave a more political answer: “Rand Paul’s trifecta for the big race is a real sure thing: balanced budgets, term limits and a strong national defense,” Adams said, "That way, all Kentuckians can finish in the money.”

Controversy over whether GOP candidate Rand Paul fully filled out an endorsement survey from anti-abotion group, Right to Life, continued this week with Paul continuing to refute claims by the group that he returned an incomplete survey in February. “It is beyond absurd to think I would leave a simple question like banning human cloning and embryonic stem cell research blank, especially since I had already answered this question multiple times previously in public, in letters and in the surveys of Northern Kentucky Right to Life, National Right to Life and others,” he said through a spokesman Wednesday. But, as the Kentucky Enquirer reports: Kentucky Right to Life produced a tracking slip this week that shows Paul didn’t mail the completed survey until Friday, and the group has repeatedly produced documents that back up its claim that Paul submitted an incomplete survey in February.

Grayson and Paul recently have been arguing of late about who is most opposed to abortion, a key issue among the state's evangelical voting bloc. Both describe themselves as "100 percent pro-life," and both say they would support a constitutional ban on abortion. Despite mirrored stands on the hot-button issue, anti-abortion advocates have given conflicting endorsements. Grayson has the support of Kentucky Right to Life and Dobson, founder of the Colorado Springs, Colo.-based Christian organization Focus on the Family. Paul is favored by Concerned Women for America and Northern Kentucky Right to Life. Grayson and Paul are among five Republicans seeking the GOP nomination to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning, who opted not to run for a third term. The Republican winner will face one of five Democrats in the race, including Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo and Attorney General Jack Conway. "Trey Grayson is the only candidate with the conviction to lead on the issues that matter to Kentucky families," Dobson said in a written statement released Monday. "His unwavering commitment to the sanctity of human life and the family resonates with me." The Paul campaign shrugged off the Dobson endorsement. "Interestingly, this is the second time in two weeks Dr. Dobson has ventured abroad to endorse an establishment moderate in a U.S. Senate race," Paul campaign manager David Adams said. "As far as reaction from Rand Paul's campaign, I'd say we will stick with our conservative pro-life endorsements from Sarah Palin, Jim Bunning" and others. The contrast that's lacking on abortion among Republican candidates will likely be abundant in the fall general election. Democratic front-runners Mongiardo and Conway support the right of a woman to decide whether to get an abortion. "As a doctor, I understand that a federal ban on abortion could imperil some women's health," said Mongiardo, a Hazard physician. "The fact is, however, the United States Supreme Court has ruled that women have the right to make their own reproductive decisions." Both Mongiardo and Conway have said they oppose late-term abortions. "I believe abortion should be as rare as possible, but should be kept safe and legal," Conway said. "I do not support a constitutional amendment to ban abortion. I do support a woman's right to make her own reproductive health choices in consultation with her family, her doctor and her spiritual adviser." -- AP 4/26/2010

James Dobson, founder of the socially conservative organization Focus on the Family, has announced that he will be supporting Secretary of State Trey Grayson for Senate. Dobson, who has given up his leadership position at Focus on the Family, said that his endorsement is personal, and doesn't come on behalf of the group as a whole. "Trey Grayson is the only candidate with the conviction to lead on the issues that matter to Kentucky families," Dobson said in a statement released Monday by the Grayson campaign. "His unwavering commitment to the sanctity of human life and the family resonates with me. I know that he will be a leader on these issues, not just another Senator who checks the box. As a matter of conscience, I encourage Kentuckians to support Trey Grayson on May 18th.” 4/26/10

Kentucky Right to Life has clashed with Senate candidate Rand Paulover a survey the Republican U.S. Senate candidate answered for the group. Kentucky Right to Life sent out a statement Wednesday saying Paul didn't complete the endorsement survey. Paul sent a fundraising letter recently saying he "scored 100 percent" on the group's questionnaire. Paul's campaign manager David Adams told The Kentucky Enquirer that it is an unnecessary "he said-she said" situation. He says that Paul "is 100 percent pro-life." Kentucky Right to Life provided a copy of the questionnaire that it said indicates the question that wasn't answered. Kentucky Right to Life is the largest anti-abortion group in the state. In February, its political action committee endorsed Secretary of State Trey Grayson. -- AP AP 4/22/2010

Republican candidate Rand Paul is out with a new television ad flaunting Sarah Palin’s endorsement of his campaign for Senate in an increasingly heated race. The 30-second spot features footage of then-vice presidential candidate Palin in 2008 declaring, “He wants limited government. I respect that, and I’m proud to support him.” Palin first endorsed Paul over Republican primary opponent Trey Grayson in February and since has become enmeshed in the politics of the candidates’ increasingly bitter fight. Just last week, Grayson tried to score points with voters when he said that the ex-Alaska governor lacks the credentials to be president, despite her popularity among Kentucky conservatives. The surprising characterization of Palin can perhaps be seen as an effort to minimize her impact on the success of Paul’s campaign. “Governor Palin is providing tremendous leadership as the Tea Party movement and constitutional conservatives strive to take our country back,” Paul said when she first endorsed his candidacy. “Sarah Palin is a giant in American politics. I am proud to receive her support.” -- Elyse Siegel 4/21/2010

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani announced his endorsement of Trey Grayson last week, pointing to the Secretary of State's strong record on national security. "Trey Grayson is the candidate in this race who will make the right decisions necessary to keep America safe and prevent more attacks on our homeland. He is not part of the 'blame America first' crowd that wants to bestow the rights of U.S. citizens on terrorists and point fingers at America for somehow causing 9/11," Giuliani said in a statement released by the Grayson campaign. 4/20/10

Is Sarah Palin qualified to be president? "Not today," said Trey Grayson, the Republican establishment candidate battling Ron Paul's son Rand in the Kentucky GOP primary for Senate. The Louisville Courier-Journal editorial board pressed the question in their sit-down with Grayson. Was she equipped for the job in 2008? Grayson demurred. "She wasn't running for president," he said. "I think she had the position to be vice president, but she wasn't running for president. I thought Sen. McCain was the best candidate to be president in the last election." Grayson is obviously not the first conservative to call Palin unqualified. Still, as Dave Weigel points out, Grayson's base disagrees with that assessment: Palin appears to be their top choice for the presidency. -- Jeff Muskus 4/14/2010

Retiring Sen. Jim Bunning passed over the GOP establishment's pick to replace him in Washington and endorsed outsider Rand Paul on Wednesday. Bunning remains popular in Kentucky even though he became something of a pariah in Washington earlier this year when he single-handedly held up a $10 billion spending bill that had money for jobless benefits. He said in his endorsement that Kentucky residents need a strong, principled conservative to stand up to liberals and establishment politicians in Washington. "Dr. Paul will be his own man in Washington, not beholden to the special interests and beltway insiders who come looking for handouts on a daily basis," Bunning said in a written statement. The endorsement by Bunning, a Kentucky sports icon enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame, is a major boost for Paul. He was once considered a longshot but now leads his Republican opponents in the May 18 primary by double digits in public opinion polls. Bunning's backing is key in heavily Republican northern Kentucky, an area that Paul's chief GOP rival, Secretary of State Trey Grayson, had counted on winning. Grayson campaign manager Nate Hodson objected to Bunning's endorsement, saying Paul has "strange views" that do not match those of most Kentuckians. "We've always respected Senator Bunning's fiscally conservative views, but even as a major league pitcher, he'd occasionally misfire," Hodson said. "He is flat-out wrong about Rand Paul." Bunning said in his statement that Paul is the only conservative in the race who will stand against bailouts and wasteful spending and for traditional values and the rights of the unborn. "Dr. Paul shares those same core values and has the courage and conviction necessary to make sure the voices of Kentucky's workers, families, retirees, and children are heard in Washington," Bunning said. -- AP 4/14/2010

Finally, Grayson's out there in earnest, working to wedge his base away from Paul. Last week, Grayson touted the endorsement of former Vice President Dick Cheney and characterized Paul's opposition to neoconservative international misadventures as Paul's "strange ideas." But it's a previous ad that you might see back in play, now that the University of Kentucky has been eliminated from the NCAA Tournament. Yes, Rand Paul obtained his M.D. from Duke University, like his father. Had Carly Fiorina's people made this ad, they probably would have included a shot of Christian Laettner eliminating Kentucky in the 1992 tournament while flashing red demon-sheep eyes. But in a basketball-mad state, maybe Grayson can drive up Paul's negatives by associating him with the hated Blue Devils. That said, it's worth noting that Grayson actually attended Haa-vahd University as an undergraduate. He received "a JD/MBA dual-degree" from Kentucky. Of course, Paul attended Baylor as an undergraduate, so he will have a team in the Final Four no matter what happened this weekend. -- Jason Linkins 3/29/2010

Former Vice President Dick Cheney formally announced his support for Republican candidate Trey Grayson in Kentucky’s race for Senate on Wednesday. According to a statement released by Grayson’s campaign, Cheney backs the GOP candidate because of his positions on fiscal and national security issues. "I’m a lifelong conservative, and I can tell the real thing when I see it,” Cheney proclaimed. “I have looked at the records of both candidates in the race, and it is clear to me that Trey Grayson is right on the issues that matter -- both on fiscal responsibility and on national security," said Vice President Dick Cheney.” 3/24/2010

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3/4/2010