Ken Winters

Secretary of State Trey Grayson (R-Richwood): Politicker photo

HARDIN -- With fellow party members visiting from around the state in advance of Saturday's festivities, Republicans in Marshall County hosted a Fancy Farm-eve rally Friday night where several elected officials practiced their chops and hinted at what may lie ahead.

Consider it a mere sharpening of the tongues in advance of the real rhetorical contest.

About seventy were in attendance at the ampitheatre at Kenlake State Resort Park in Hardin to hear a brief program of speeches keynoted by Secretary of State Trey Grayson (R-Richwood).

Scott Jennings, political strategist and former special assistant to President Bush, introduced Grayson as "the future of the Republican Party," noting he would play a central role in the party's Fancy Farm appearance.

"He's going carry the banner for us tomorrow at Fancy Farm," said Jennings.

Technically a bar-b-que cookout, Fancy Farm has evolved into a unique political tradition in Kentucky. At an afternoon political forum, prominent politicians deliver fiery speeches usually targeting the opposing party in front of a crowd historically known for heckling and political theatrics.

Grayson got things started early with an assessment of presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama's chances in Kentucky. Obama lost the Commonwealth's May 20 presidential primary by about 35 points to U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.). Clinton ran an active and competitive campaign in the state, though many analysts argued Obama had already essentially locked up the Democratic nomination by the time Kentucky voted.

"We had a record turnout in the primary. A record number of voters came out to vote against their nominee for president," said Grayson. "It was so clear that Barack Obama was the nominee. And they had to have known how embarrassing it would be for their nominee to lose so badly on election night."

"So tomorrow when they start talking about Barack Obama and how excited they are that he is their nominee, they're faking it," added Grayson."

Former U.S. Rep Carol Hubbard (D-Lowes) speaks on Monday in Murray: Politicker Photo

MURRAY -- Speaking to Democratic activists at the Purchase Area Jefferson-Jackson Dinner in Murray on Monday night, former U.S. Rep and state Senator Carroll Hubbard (D-Lowes) put his race for the 1st state Senate district on a list of three key races he said could help swing the Republican-controlled state Senate back to the Democrats.

In addition to his own bid, Hubbard said wins by Democratic challengers Steve Newberry in the 9th district and Kathy Groob in the 23rd district would push the minority party in the Senate to within one seat of a majority.

Republicans currently hold a 22 to 15 advantage over Democrats in the Senate, with one independent. Democratic wins in Hubbard's proposed targets would push that advantage down to 19 to 18.

Then, Hubbard suggested, Democratic Governor Steve Beshear (D-Lexington) might take over the rest of the work in putting the Senate back in Democratic hands.