Lexington Herald Leader - Vote Fischer in Senate primary
Seven Democrats are seeking the opportunity to run against Republican U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell this fall, but just two of the candidates have a legitimate shot at winning their party’s nomination in the May 20 primary.
Greg Fischer and Bruce Lunsford have much in common. Both are Louisville businessmen capable of self-financing part of their campaigns.
Both have lived the American dream in achieving their wealth but fear that opportunity is slipping away from those who aspire to do so now, thanks to the policies of President Bush’s administration. Both view McConnell, the Senate minority leader, as one of Bush’s chief enablers.
In their campaigns, both offer a message of change—change that brings our troops home from Iraq, change that improves our image internationally, change that eliminates tax cuts for the rich, change that produces universal health care and energy independence.
One issue on which they disagree is the “gas-tax holiday.” Lunsford favors it. Fischer says it would send the wrong message by encouraging consumption.
Each of these two men would be a worthy candidate for the Democratic Party. And either would be a preferable alternative to McConnell, who has spent 24 years in the Senate serving his rich friends and campaign contributors far more ably than he has served Kentucky.
The bottom line for Democrats comes down to the question of which candidate has the best chance of defeating McConnell in November.
Lunsford has more name recognition, courtesy of two unsuccessful gubernatorial campaigns. And he probably could put more of his own money into the race.
But baggage accompanies Lunsford into any race he runs, baggage that has been thoroughly vetted in previous campaigns and will not be rehashed here.
Fischer is the fresh face in the race, the untested political novice. And frankly, he hasn’t run the best of campaigns in the primary. If he wins, he will need to do far better against McConnell.
But Fischer has a couple of things that speak in his favor.
One is the fact that, as a novice, he delivers the message of change with a fresher voice.
He makes that message resonate with more hope, more idealism, more commitment.
And if “change” is the message the Democrats think can inspire Kentucky voters in November, who better to deliver it than a fresh face with a fresh voice?
The second thing is the simple fact that Fischer lacks Lunsford’s baggage.
Whomever the Democrats nominate, McConnell will loose the attack dogs on him, just as he has loosed them on all comers for 24 years. But as Fischer asks, why give McConnell “a target-rich environment”?
Between Lunsford and Fischer, there is no bad choice for Democrats. They’re both good candidates who would represent the state well in the Senate.
However, Fischer’s fresh voice and lack of baggage for McConnell to target give him a slight edge in this primary race.
