Republicans For Beshear Is A Result Of McConnell's Efforts To Split The Party

The Courier-Journal has a story today on some ridiculous group called Republicans for Beshear. None of these crazy efforts would have happened if it wasn't for Benedict McConnell and his fellow Louisville liberals Anne Northup and Ted Jackson's efforts to split the Republican Party. Larry Forgy has always said that his final decision on whether to challenge Mitch McConnell in 2008 will be made after seeing McConnell's efforts on behalf of Governor Fletcher. Well, has anyone seen McConnell lift a finger for the Governor since the "Unity Rally?" The entire event was designed to help his own 2008 campaign and undermine Governor Fletcher's, with Northup and Jackson hiding in Louisville. Its time for Mitch McConnell to step up to the plate for Governor Fletcher or start planning his concession speech to Larry Forgy!

A mysterious group (or person) calling itself republicans4beshear showed up a couple of weeks ago on local political blogs, soliciting Republicans to join its ranks.

But other than a quick introductory note -- asking "those GOPers interested, please contact republicans4beshear@yahoo.com" -- the group has remained low-key, if not inactive.

Mitch McConnell Launches Attacks On Larry Forgy At "Unity Rally" After Republicans Line Up Behind Forgy Challenge

Mitch McConnell scheduled this unity rally when he thought Anne Northup would be the nominee and even paid for the invitations with his own campaign funds. But yesterday, he ordered former Forgy opponent Larry Hopkins to launch the initial blows on Forgy and then McConnell came in himself. The Courier-Journal reports:

And Hopkins said Forgy's ongoing attacks on McConnell may further divide the party and make it more difficult for Fletcher to heal the rift...

McConnell refused to say who he voted for in the primary and added, "I don't have anything to say about Larry Forgy."

Nice try. Larry Forgy has been preaching the need for Republicans to stay unified for over a year, while Mitch McConnell has been backstabbing Governor Fletcher with his puppet Anne Northup, and his team of Louisville liberals that now admit McConnell's support is quickly eroding even among his base of Louisville Republicans:

"People overestimate any one person's ability to mobilize voters," said (Ted) Jackson, who went fishing rather than attend the unity rally. "Senator McConnell is not the solution to Ernie Fletcher's problem in Jefferson County."

It appears the McConnell puppets in Louisville are already trying to cover their base, because they know they are either unwilling or possibly unable to fix the damage they have done to Governor Fletcher in the area. Thankfully, we have Larry Forgy to remind us of what unity is really about and why we need a strong conservative nominee in 2008:

Forgy has said McConnell was responsible for getting Northup into the race against Fletcher -- a claim both McConnell and Northup dispute -- and he said McConnell's re-election in 2008 may depend on it.

"It's not (Ernie Fletcher's) problem. It's Mitch's," Forgy said. "I can guarantee you right now, if the Republican voters of Jefferson County don't turn out for Ernie Fletcher, the voters in the rest of the state who support Fletcher are going to be watching."

Update: When McConnell scheduled the rally over a month ago (thinking it would be for Northup) several supporters of his opponents questioned McConnell's use of federal campaign contributions to pay for a rally to support a statewide candidate. Remember that the maximum contribution for statewide office is $1,000 as opposed to $2,300 for federal office. While I'm sure we will be reading more reports in the near future on the issue, many view McConnell's attacks on Forgy as a way to justify the use of federal funds, after he realized the potential violation. Mitch may have just escaped one here, but come primary election day, he better be scheduling another unity rally to support our 2008 nominee, Larry Forgy.

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.

Northup Refuses To Attend Unity Rally As Larry Forgy Gears Up Challenge To Mitch McConnell

Larry Forgy told the Louisville liberals that he would be forced to mount a campaign for Senate if Mitch McConnell and Anne Northup refused to rally around our Governor. They simply continue to refuse to listen. Reports are circulating that Ernie Fletcher will name either Larry Forgy or a Forgy-loyalist as chairman of the Republican Party, giving Larry Forgy a great platform to mount a Senate campaign against Mitch McConnell in 2008. From the Lexington Herald Leader:

The two Republicans defeated by Gov. Ernie Fletcher in the GOP primary for governor will not stand beside him during a unity rally scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday at party headquarters in Frankfort...

Jackson said Northup will not play a role in Fletcher's campaign. "She's not going to take an active role in politics for the foreseeable future," he said.