Brett Guthrie

DENVER – While a good deal of the political discussion among Kentucky Democrats and their counterparts from other states at the Democratic National Convention has touched on the state’s U.S. Senate contest, some delegates are continuing to push to get the 2nd Congressional District race more attention.

Owensboro Attorney and Obama delegate Charlie Moore and Hindman Attorney Bill Weinberg, a Clinton delegate, both said they discussed the open seat contest between state Sen. David Boswell (D-Owensboro) and state Sen. Brett Guthrie (R-Bowling Green) with U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Cali.) at a party yesterday and planned to follow up on their discussion with her at another function today.

“She was receptive,” Moore said.

“I am excited about the potential of this race,” he added. “We want to do what we can to make sure that race is on the national radar and that it shines as bright as we can make it shine.”

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.

U.S. Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.)U.S. Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) is in the Commonwealth today to support the Congressional campaign of state Sen. Brett Guthrie (R-Bowling Green). The two will be in Elizabethtown this afternoon to hold a joint press conference on energy policy.

As reported earlier by PolitickerKY.com, Minority Whip Blunt is also expected to headline a fundraiser for Guthrie.

DENVER – Some Kentuckians at the Democratic National Convention are talking up the possibility of the party winning the open-seat race in the 2nd Congressional District.

State Auditor Crit Luallen (D-Frankfort) told PolitickerKY.com that she and Kentucky Democratic Party chair Jennifer Moore spoke with Brian Wolff, the executive director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, about the race between state Sen. David Boswell (D-Owensboro) and state Sen. Brett Guthrie (R-Bowling Green) at a Sunday night fundraising reception in Denver.

“Jennifer Moore -- and I was with Jennifer Moore -- we spoke to the executive director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee about the 2nd district, and encouraged their support and participation there,” said Luallen.

“They are very aware of that race. They see it as one that has real possibilities for pick-up,” she added. “So, I think that is one that people are watching.”

Luallen and Moore were not the only ones lauding Boswell’s chances in the 2nd. U.S. Rep. John Yarmuth (D-Louisville) referenced the race during his address at the Kentucky delegation’s breakfast today.

“We can win that 2nd district seat,” Yarmuth told the crowd of influential Kentucky Democrats. “David Boswell’s got a great chance.”

Retiring U.S. Rep. Ron Lewis (R-Cecilia) finally endorsed state Sen. Brett Guthrie (R-Bowling Green) as his successor for the 2nd Congressional District seat. Lewis, who has held the seat since 1994, said in a statement that it's important to "[make] sure we have a voice for conservative values representing us in Congress."

Lewis probably understands the importance of winning this particular election and the power of incumbency better than most. His successor, U.S. Rep. William H. Natcher (D), served in the House for 41 years and set a record by casting 18,401 consecutive votes.

U.S. Rep. Ron Lewis (R-Cecilia), left, and 2nd Congressional District candidate Brett Guthrie (R-Bowling Green): Campaign photo

The campaign of state Senator Brett Guthrie (R-Bowling Green) says they now have the endorsement of current 2nd Congressional District incumbent Ron Lewis (R-Cecilia), following a joint appearance by the two at an event in Hardinsburg.

"This good man is going to Washington, and he's going to do a great job. This really is the most important election in my lifetime, and Brett Guthrie is a big key to making sure we have a voice for conservative values representing us in Congress," Lewis said, according to a statement from the Guthrie campaign.

On the January 29 candidate filing deadline this year, Lewis surprisingly announced he would retire after fourteen years representing the 2nd District in Congress, despite assurances to national Republicans that he would seek re-election.

His announcement was timed in an effort to ensure Daniel London, his chief of staff, would be the only Republican on the ballot. The Republican National Campaign Committee reportedly had prepared Guthrie for that very scenario, however, and the Bowling Green Republican filed his candidacy papers with literally minutes to spare.

Two weeks after the deadline passed, it seemed Guthrie and London would be pitted against each other in a Republican primary, but Lewis apologized to his constituents for his "poor judgment," while London withdrew from the race.

Thus, Lewis' endorsement of Guthrie for his seat carries some significance beyond that of a retiring incumbent endorsing his party's candidate to succeed him.

House Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) is planning a late-August visit to Louisville to headline a fundraiser for 2nd Congressional District candidate and state Sen. Brett Guthrie (R-Bowling Green).

Blunt will be in Kentucky on August 27 for the event, though specific details are not yet confirmed. He is the latest high-profile national Republican to visit in support of Guthrie.

Earlier this year, both Vice President Cheney and House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) appeared at seperate fundraising events for Guthrie.

Blunt's appearance will likely provide a further fundraising boost to Guthrie's 2nd District effort against fellow state Sen. David Boswell (D-Owensboro). Guthrie already showed a significant advantage over Boswell at the close of second quarter reports, showing over $660,000 in cash on-hand to Boswell's $45,000.

Former U.S. Sen. Candidate Greg Fischer (D-Louisville) will stay involved in Kentucky politics through the general election after all, following his announcement yesterday that he will serve as volunteer finance chair for state Senator David Boswell's (D-Owensboro) bid for the open 2nd Congressional District seat.

"David and I were doing a lot of campaigning in the same places during the Senate race," Fischer told PolitickerKY.com. "He has a great reputation and is a stand-up guy."Senate candidate Greg Fischer (D-Louisville): PolitickerKy.com photo

Fischer comes on board after Boswell has struggled in his fundraising battle against opponent and state Senator Brett Guthrie (R-Bowling Green).

At the close of the second fundraising quarter on June 30, Boswell had just $45,000 in cash on-hand compared to $661,000 for Guthrie.

Boswell was also outraised by his Democratic primary rival, Daviess County Judge/Executive Reid Haire (D-Owensboro).

Fischer, meanwhile, had some fundraising success in his own Democratic primary effort this year. His campaign rallied more contributions than that of the eventual Senate nominee, Louisville businessman Bruce Lunsford, with Fischer collecting over $800,000 in funds.

State Sen. David BoswellAfter being omitted from two rounds of television ad buys by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the campaign of state Sen. David Boswell (D-Owensboro) is finally rallying some national attention for their efforts in the 2nd Congressional District race.

According to campaign advisor Jim Cole, a fundraiser hosted by former governor and U.S. Sen. Wendell Ford (D-Owensboro) and U.S. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Maryland) is in the works for Boswell.

Ford currently holds the record as Kentucky's longest serving U.S. senator, having held that office for four terms until his retirement in 1998, while Hoyer packs his own fundraising punch as the second-ranking U.S. House Democrat.

Boswell is aiming to end a fourteen-year Republican hold on the 2nd District, which is open after current incumbent U.S. Rep. Ron Lewis (R-Cecilia) announced his retirement in January.

The Bluegrass state is projected to favor Republicans in three of four key federal races, according to national political analysts at CQ magazine. U.S. Rep. John Yarmuth (D-Louisville) is the only Democrat those analysts expect to carry one of those four targeted federal races in Kentucky.

After two new polls each showed presumptive Republican presidential nominee and U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) leading in the Commonwealth by at, CQ rates the state "safe Republican" for the Presidential race.

"Although politically competitive for many down-ballot offices, Kentucky has shown repeatedly that it doesn’t care for Democratic presidential nominees, especially those not from the South," writes the article's author.