David Boswell

State Sen. Brett Guthrie: Campaign photoOne day after a new public poll from SurveyUSA showed it's candidate in a neck-and-neck race and two days after it released a memo warning against any public poll results, the campaign of state Senator Brett Guthrie (R-Bowling Green) reiterated today they are not worried at this point in the campaign.

"Any survey taken in June, before either candidate has begun advertising - and shows 9% undecided - has no credibility," said Guthrie's campaign manager, Brian Smith, in an e-mail to PolitickerKY.com.

In the race for the open 2nd Congressional District seat, Guthrie was shown trailing state Senator David Boswell (D-Sorgho) 47 to 44 percent in the SurveyUSA poll of 545 "likely" voters. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.3 percent.

Smith's comments reinforce the Guthrie camp's belief that they have an advertising advantage in the race, based on a $300,000 second quarter fundraising estimate and a total of over $700,000 raised since January.

The first indication of the climate in Kentucky's 2nd Congressional District may offer a boost to Democrats holding out hope of picking up the seat left open by the retirement of U.S. Rep Ron Lewis (R-Cecilia).

A new poll by the New Jersey-based firm SurveyUSA gives state Senator David Boswell (D-Sorgho) a 47 to 44 percent advantage over his colleague, state Senator Brett Guthrie (R-Bowling Green).

Nine percent of the 545 "likely" voters polled indicated they were undecided in the race, while the poll's margin of error is plus or minus 4.3 percent.

The results come after Guthrie's camp dispatched a memo yesterday saying any public polling done now would be "unreliable."

Much of the noise from the open 2nd Congressional District race between state Sens. David Boswell (D-Sorgho) and Brett Guthrie (R-Bowling Green) has revolved around financial expectations, and the case remains the same, as second quarter books close today.

Today, a memo circulated by Guthrie's campaign claims their candidate has rallied $300,000 in 2Q contributions.

The authors of the memo - strategist Scott Jennings and pollster Jan van Lohuzen - say the amount raised thus far offers a media advantage to Guthrie, arguing he "is in a financial position to be on the air long before his opponent."

Reaction to the United States Supreme Court's decision in the D.C. v. Heller case emanated from prominent Republicans in Kentucky quickly today, after the high court overturned a Washington, D.C., law banning handgun ownership in a 5-4 decision.

"Today the Supreme Court ruled that the Second Amendment protects the individual right of law-abiding citizens of the District of Colombia to protect themselves in their own homes," U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Louisville) said in a statement. "This landmark ruling will ensure that regardless of where citizens reside, the government will respect their rights that are guaranteed by the Second Amendment."

In the court's majority opinion, Associate Justice Antonin Scalia concluded "the District's ban on handgun possession in the home violates the Second Amendment, as does its prohibition against rendering any lawful firearm in the home operable for the purpose of immediate self-defense.

State Sen. David BoswellIn the public lull before the coming storm of campaign season, the candidates vying for the open 2nd Congressional District seat are balancing fundraising and their duties as state senators during this week's special legislative session.

Both contenders for the seat are scheduled to attend to their elected duties at legislators in Frankfort this week under the auspices of hammering out a final deal on pension reform. The special session is scheduled to last just the week, with draft legislation on pensions already agreed upon by House and Senate leadership.

Aside from those efforts, state Senator David Boswell (D-Sorgho) has scheduled a series of fundraisers culminating in a June 30 event in Daviess County hosted by state Rep. Tommy Thompson (D-Owensboro).

"We are just trying to raise money right now," said Jim Cole, Boswell's campaign manager.

The sudden closure of the Executive Inn of Owensboro means possibly difficult economic times for the western Kentucky city, but will also come as bad news for state Senator David Boswell (D-Sorgho), who was employed as sales and marketing director at the facility.

The hotel announced its closure abruptly on Friday afternoon - so abruptly that a representative from Boswell's campaign was not aware of the change when contacted for for comment.

"I didn't have an inkling about that," said Jim Cole, current campaign manager for Boswell's bid for the 2nd Congressional District seat left open by the retirement of U.S Rep Ron Lewis (R-Cecilia).

Both Cole and Boswell are currently out of the state for brief vacations. Cole indicated he would likely contact Boswell to inform him of the closure, if the Senator did not already know.

On the brighter side of things for the campaign, a selection of strategists are being locked in for the race, which is likely to be a high-profile one, given its targeting by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee as a potential pick-up.

State Senator Brett Guthrie's (R-Bowling Green) bid for Kentucky's open 2nd Congressional District will be bolstered by the help of an ally with proven success in the Commonwealth and the district.

The campaign announced last week that Jan van Lohuizen, founder of the Texas-based Voter Consumer Research firm, will serve as pollster for their efforts. van Lohuizen is also the long-time pollster incumbent U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Louisville), and had previously worked with the retiring 2nd District incumbent, U.S. Rep Ron Lews (R-Cecilia), since he was first elected in 1994. Most significantly, van Lohuizen also was regarded as the "personal pollster" for President George W. Bush.

Guthrie's team will also be joined by Brad Todd, a media strategist who co-founded the firm OnMessage. According to the campaign, Todd will handle television and radio advertising for the race.

Under the shadow of a potential special legislative session in Frankfort - should an agreement on pensions be reached by state legislators - the campaign of state Senator Brett Guthrie (R-Bowling Green) indicated its candidate wouldn't neglect his current job even as he seeks a new one - specifically the 2nd Congressional District seat for which he is the Republican nominee.

"Brett is State Senator for Warren and Butler Counties, and he will continue to provide leadership for his constituents as a member of the General Assembly," said Guthrie's campaign manager, Brian Smith.

The race for the 2nd Congressional District in Kentucky is targeted by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee as a potential pick-up, after the seat was left open by the retirement of incumbent Republican Ron Lewis (R-Cecilia). State Senator David Boswell (D-Sorgho) seized his party's nomination for the 2nd on May 20, and now is working to raise funds and assemble a team to face a well-supported opponent in fellow state Senator Brett Guthrie (R-Bowling Green).David Boswell (D-Sorgho) at the Owensboro International BBQ Festival Political Forum

"We have a dual focus," said Boswell's campaign spokesperson, Jim Cole. "We are fundraising and working on getting the team we want to use for the fall election. We are adding some people and hope to be done by next week."

As the race for the open 2nd Congressional District gets rolling, state Senator Brett Guthrie (R-Bowling Green) has launched a re-designed web site, accessible at guthrieforcongress.com.

"We are encouraging folks to log on and join the Brett Guthrie for Congress team," said Guthrie's campaign manager Brian D. Smith in a release dispatched in conjunction with the news.  "If you can donate financially, volunteer your time, or just need to learn more about why Brett Guthrie is the right choice in the upcoming election, please log on."  

The site essentially has the same content as earlier incarnations, including a list of prominent Republicans who support Guthrie's candidacy. That list is topped by Kentucky's two U.S. Senators, Mitch McConnell (R-Louisville) and Jim Bunning (R-Southgate).