Richmond Register Reports The Results Of McConnell's Backstabbing Of Our Governor

Larry Forgy already told Mitch McConnell that he could have put an end to a Forgy Senate campaign if McConnell and his people delivered for Ernie Fletcher. Now Anne Northup and most of McConnell's Louisville liberal faction of the GOP, including Ted Jackson (who is going fishing instead), will not even attend the unity rally. As a result, Governor Fletcher is trailing Steve Beshear among Louisville liberals who voted for Northup and needs to make up ground across the state:

Because that’s what some are questioning in response to the release Friday of a SurveyUSA poll conducted for WHAS-11 Television showing Democratic nominee Steve Beshear with a surprisingly large margin of 28 points. The poll, which many question because of its methodology and use of automated calls, was nevertheless on target in the primary race. It has Beshear ahead 62-34 with 4 percent undecided.

Fletcher’s numbers no doubt suffered from the harsh attacks leveled at him by Republican opponent Anne Northup in the primary while Beshear largely escaped attack in the Democratic primary. Early on, Democratic candidates for governor signed a “unity pledge” that forbade personal attacks against each other. Fletcher won’t be under such restraint.

That shows up in the poll: 86 percent of Democrats are for Beshear while 60 percent of Republicans surveyed are for Fletcher. But in a state where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans, Fletcher needs Democratic votes to win – as he did in 2003 when 125,000 of them voted for him.

National Media Features Forgy

We're talking national press, baby! The Capitol Hill (where McConnell spends all his time anyway, when he's not in Louisville) newspaper Roll Call printed a story (subscription required) talking about how Mitch picked the wrong horse in the Governor's race and now will pay the price.

The gubernatorial primary fight between Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher (R) and former Rep. Anne Northup (R-Ky.) will be decided by voters next week, and hardly an eye on Capitol Hill will blink.

But there could be significant ramifications for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) back home, as the party he built and continues to lead moves to heal the wounds from the Fletcher-Northup fight...

But the widely held perception in Bluegrass political circles is that McConnell actively encouraged primary challengers to the embattled Fletcher, a former Member of Congress who was indicted last year on misdemeanor charges of politicizing civil service jobs.

This man undermined Kentucky's conservatives and thought he could push our Governor aside. So many are too quick to forget that it was Larry Forgy, not Mitch McConnell, who resurrected the Republican Party in Kentucky when he came within 2 points of taking the Governor's Mansion. Now he's back!

Larry Forgy, a Republican activist who has lost several bids for statewide office, warned that McConnell's support of Fletcher, if he is the nominee, would be imperative to repairing the damage done among party loyalists.

"This race, in my judgement, is going to show that the emperor has no clothes," Forgy said.

"There are an awful lot of Republicans who resent his role in this," he added. "And if he doesn't get extremely active on behalf of Gov. Fletcher in Louisville ... there are going to be a lot of people who are going to remember that in 2008 - Republican activists who are more Fletcher people than McConnell people."