After KY-2 loss, Boswell considering retirement

State Sen. David Boswell (D-Sorgho) is reportedly eyeing provisions in the state retirement system as he decides whether to retire at the end of this year, according to Owen Covington of the Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer.

According to Covington, Boswell's retirement benefits would decrease if he stayed on as a state Senator into 2009.
Boswell lost a bid to take Kentucky's 2nd Congressional District seat this past general election, losing to fellow state Sen. Brett Guthrie (R-Bowling Green) in a race that surprisingly drew national attention.

Boswell reportedly said he was "considering retirement," but not as a result of that loss. Instead he said "it has to do with my family and my future and my retirement benefits."

On the trail in the KY-2 race, Boswell frequently touted his extensive experience in the state capitol as an asset, though now that is evidently playing a role in his calculations about staying in public service. He served 5 years in the state House before a four year stint as state Commissioner of Agriculture. Since then, he has held his state Senate seat for 18 years.

Because his government service dates back so extensively, Boswell is eligible to receive some of the higher retirement benefits available should he leave his Senate post this year.
One state Senate seat is already going to be left vacant going into the next legislative session - Guthrie's Bowling Green seat.

A special election for Guthrie's seat must be called a minimum of 35 days after when Guthrie officially resigns his position. The same would be true if Boswell decided to retire.

A Boswell retirement would mean each party would have one seat up for grabs in the state Senate, where Republicans currently have control.

This open seat special elections have gotten particularly contentious recently. The contest for the open 30th state Senate district in February of 2008 found Democrats failing to hold on to a seat formerly controlled by now-Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo (D-Hazard) after combining to spend more than a half million dollars with help from Mongiardo and Gov. Steve Beshear (D-Lexington). Republican Brandon Smith won there despite being significantly outspent.

Much of this spending came in the form of in-kind help from state parties, but following the general election of this year, state parties and their donors may be tapped out.

Still, the seats in question look like they could be fertile ground for special election fights.

Though Guthrie cruised to re-election with no competition in his last two elections, he only narrowly won the previously-Democratically held seat in his first election in 1998. Then, he defeated a Democratic challenger by just 130 votes.
As in most places in the area, Guthrie's 32nd state Senate district offers Democrats a registration advantage and still elects Republicans. The advantage, however, is narrower than in other places. Statewide, Democrats outnumber Republicans 57 to 36 percent, but in Guthrie's district the difference stands at 53 to 40 percent.

Boswell won re-election to the 8th state Senate district in 2006 without opposition. In 2002, he  defeated Republican Mark Treesh by just over eight percent.

Boswell's district offers Democrats a wider registration advantage than in the 32nd. In the 8th, Democrats account for 64 percent of registered voters while Republicans comprise just about 30 percent of that figure.

No state Senate seats changed hands in this year's general election, despite some tough contests throughout the state. Republicans currently hold a 22 to 15 advantage in the Commonwealth's upper chamber, with one independent.