KY-2

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."

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.

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).

With his general election opponent in the open 2nd Congressional District now set, state Senator Brett Guthrie (R-Bowling Green) will make several campaign appearances this weekend.

Guthrie, who will face fellow state Senator David Boswell (D-Sorgho) will hit two Memorial Day ceremonies this weekend in Leitchfield and Owensboro.

Guthrie will stop in Leitchfield on Saturday for the Grayson County Memorial Day Processional, starting at 10am.

He will then take his campaign to Boswell's home turf on Monday, by attending the Daviess County Veteran's Memorial Day Ceremony at the Owensboro Sports Complex. That event begins at 11am.

State Sen. Brett Guthrie (R-Bowling Green), who did not face a primary challenger in his campaign for the open seat in the 2nd Congressional District, took the opportunity of primary night to launch his general election campaign.

The Republican senator issued a statement laying out his platform, saying, "I am looking forward to the general election campaign where voters will hear from me about ending our nation's unsustainable dependence on foreign oil, keeping taxes low to foster job creation, pursuing solutions to lower the cost of health insurance, and bringing a much-needed change in attitude to Washington D.C."

Guthrie will square off against state Senator David Boswell (D-Sorgho) in the general election. Boswell beat Daviess County Judge/Executive Reid Haire (D-Owensboro) in the 2nd District Democratic primary Tuesday.

State Senator David Boswell (D-Sorgho) has taken the 2nd District Democratic nomination this evening over opponent Reid Haire (D-Owensboro).

With 100% of precints reporting, Boswell took 58.6 percent of the vote to Haire's 41.4 percent.

Boswell will now move forward to face state Senator David Guthrie (R-Bowling Green) in the November general election.

While state Senator David Boswell's (D-Sorgho) opponent in the 2nd Congressional District Democratic primary has focused its efforts on a television campaign, Boswell is hoping to win today off of a different set of tactics.David Boswell (D-Sorgho) at the Owensboro International BBQ Festival Political Forum

"We hung our hat mostly on mail and getting out and working," said Boswell spokesman, Jim Cole. "We've been re-introducing him with mail and personal contact."

Boswell and his opponent, Daviess County Judge/Executive Reid Haire, both hail from the Owensboro area and both have run campaigns that rarely acknowledge the other.

State Sen. David BoswellState Sen. David Boswell (D-Sorgho) is seeking the Democratic nomination in Kentucky's open Second Congressional District with the support of three former Governors of the Commonwealth.

The Boswell camp also says recent internal polling shows their candidate with a "substantive" double-digit lead over primary opponent and Daviess County Judge/Executive Reid Haire.