Sola_Fide
05-27-2012, 04:18 AM
The large sums of money spent on the Republican primary and the large tea party presence in Northern Kentucky don’t faze the Democratic nominee for Kentucky’s Fourth Congressional District.
Thomas Massie, who won the Republican Primary for the Fourth District, said he won’t take the general election for granted. The Democratic nominee Bill Adkins said he shouldn’t.
Adkins got 17,203 votes in the primary, defeating Greg Frank, who received 7,868. Massie received 19,684 votes in his primary that had six other candidates.
“He spent a million to get 19,000 (votes),” Adkins said.
Donors poured more than $2 million into the Republican primary for seven candidates, compared to $13,506 in the Democratic primary, all for Adkins. Massie benefited from a lion’s share of the money, raising more than $300,000 himself and getting the support of super political action committees, including one that raised $1 million and spent $800,000. That super PAC, Liberty For All, funded by 21-year-old Texas college student John Ramsey, will continue to support Massie in the general.
Adkins acknowledged it will be difficult to raise enough funds to compete. He’s already hitting the campaign trail this weekend and walking in several parades on Memorial Day.
“In the days of Citizen United, when a John Ramsey can drop $600,000 into the pond, you’ve got to counter that in some way,” Adkins said. “This is going to be an aggressive and sometimes abrasive campaign. Harry Truman said, ‘The Republicans think I give them hell. I just tell the truth, they think it’s hell.’<EN>”
Democrats outnumber Republicans in conservative district
Some say it might be impossible. The last Democrat to hold the Fourth Congressional District seat was Ken Lucas, who left office in 2005. Lucas said Adkins will have to raise an astronomical amount.
“I think, having kind of gone through this myself, money is so important to get your message out,” Lucas said. “In the last few days before the election, the TV and radio were just saturated with (Massie) commercials. The repetition works.”
Lucas, considered one of the most conservative Democrats in the House when he was in office, said he doesn’t think he or any Democrat could win a race in this environment. The district, he said, has become more conservative since he left office.
“It seems to be trending that way because of the tea party movement,” Lucas said. “The tea party is taking over the Republican Party.”
Democrats still outnumber Republicans 241,156 to 217,951 in the 20 counties of the Fourth District as of May 22. But Republican numbers have increased. For the first time in living memory, the number of Republicans overtook Democrats in Campbell County this year. As of May 22, the number of Republicans stood at 27,730 to 27,424 Democrats,according to the Kentucky Board of Elections. Republicans in the past 15 years have become the majority in Kenton and Boone counties.
Thought President Barack Obama had no challegner in the primary, he only received 58 percent of the vote in Tuesday’s Kentucky primary. “Uncommitted” received 42 percent.
Kentucky Democratic Party spokesman Matt Erwin pointed out Obama received 119,290 votes while presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney received 117,600.
The low voter turnout of 14 percent shows the primary won’t necessarily reflect the general election. Erwin cited the 2011 elections where Gov. Steve Beshear and all the state constitutional offices except agriculture commissioner were won by Democrats.
“We’re coming off a good Democratic victory,” Erwin said. “Hopefully, we will be able to harness some of that energy.”
Adkins gears up to take on tea party
Adkins said he will run an aggressive campaign and has the tea party in his political crosshairs. He said the general election will be Adkins vs. the tea party. He hopes to get crossover support from some Republicans who don’t identify with the tea party.
“I think not only my side of the spectrum has recognized the tea party is extremist,” Adkins said. “I think Republicans recognize the tea party is extreme. I’ve had a Republican at my Democratic event Tuesday night that said, ‘I will not vote for Massie, I will vote for you.’<EN>”
Like the tea party, Adkins wants to reduce the national debt. But said he differs in how that should be done. The government will need to raise revenue through taxes on those who make more than $250,000, he said. Taxes for the middle class should not go up so the middle class will continue to spend money in the economy, he said.
“Those who make more, the wealthy, should pay their fair share,” Adkins said. “They want you to define what is fair, and I think the $250,000 threshold is a start.”
Massie, who has enjoyed the support of the tea party, U.S. Sen. Rand Paul and his father U.S. Rep Ron Paul, has touted tea party principles of limited government spending.
“I feel good about the general election,” Massie said. “I think my message of a constitutionally-limited government will resonate. There are a lot of conservative Democrats in the Fourth District.”
Democrats in Northern Kentucky vow to be competitive in the Fourth Congressional District race.
Adkins’ story and message should leave a favorable impression on voters, said Paul Whalen, the Democratic Party chairman for Campbell County. Adkins works as an attorney in Williamstown in Grant County. Prior to that, he’s worked a variety of jobs, including coal miner, railroad worker, bartender, retail store manager, printer, construction worker, bookkeeper, radio disc jockey and roofer.
“I think it will be interesting,” Whalen said. “Irregardless of how it comes out, it will be pretty close, closer than most Republicans will admit.”
http://cincinnati.com/blogs/nkypolitics/2012/05/26/democrats-vow-aggressive-campaign-for-fourth-district/
Thomas Massie, who won the Republican Primary for the Fourth District, said he won’t take the general election for granted. The Democratic nominee Bill Adkins said he shouldn’t.
Adkins got 17,203 votes in the primary, defeating Greg Frank, who received 7,868. Massie received 19,684 votes in his primary that had six other candidates.
“He spent a million to get 19,000 (votes),” Adkins said.
Donors poured more than $2 million into the Republican primary for seven candidates, compared to $13,506 in the Democratic primary, all for Adkins. Massie benefited from a lion’s share of the money, raising more than $300,000 himself and getting the support of super political action committees, including one that raised $1 million and spent $800,000. That super PAC, Liberty For All, funded by 21-year-old Texas college student John Ramsey, will continue to support Massie in the general.
Adkins acknowledged it will be difficult to raise enough funds to compete. He’s already hitting the campaign trail this weekend and walking in several parades on Memorial Day.
“In the days of Citizen United, when a John Ramsey can drop $600,000 into the pond, you’ve got to counter that in some way,” Adkins said. “This is going to be an aggressive and sometimes abrasive campaign. Harry Truman said, ‘The Republicans think I give them hell. I just tell the truth, they think it’s hell.’<EN>”
Democrats outnumber Republicans in conservative district
Some say it might be impossible. The last Democrat to hold the Fourth Congressional District seat was Ken Lucas, who left office in 2005. Lucas said Adkins will have to raise an astronomical amount.
“I think, having kind of gone through this myself, money is so important to get your message out,” Lucas said. “In the last few days before the election, the TV and radio were just saturated with (Massie) commercials. The repetition works.”
Lucas, considered one of the most conservative Democrats in the House when he was in office, said he doesn’t think he or any Democrat could win a race in this environment. The district, he said, has become more conservative since he left office.
“It seems to be trending that way because of the tea party movement,” Lucas said. “The tea party is taking over the Republican Party.”
Democrats still outnumber Republicans 241,156 to 217,951 in the 20 counties of the Fourth District as of May 22. But Republican numbers have increased. For the first time in living memory, the number of Republicans overtook Democrats in Campbell County this year. As of May 22, the number of Republicans stood at 27,730 to 27,424 Democrats,according to the Kentucky Board of Elections. Republicans in the past 15 years have become the majority in Kenton and Boone counties.
Thought President Barack Obama had no challegner in the primary, he only received 58 percent of the vote in Tuesday’s Kentucky primary. “Uncommitted” received 42 percent.
Kentucky Democratic Party spokesman Matt Erwin pointed out Obama received 119,290 votes while presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney received 117,600.
The low voter turnout of 14 percent shows the primary won’t necessarily reflect the general election. Erwin cited the 2011 elections where Gov. Steve Beshear and all the state constitutional offices except agriculture commissioner were won by Democrats.
“We’re coming off a good Democratic victory,” Erwin said. “Hopefully, we will be able to harness some of that energy.”
Adkins gears up to take on tea party
Adkins said he will run an aggressive campaign and has the tea party in his political crosshairs. He said the general election will be Adkins vs. the tea party. He hopes to get crossover support from some Republicans who don’t identify with the tea party.
“I think not only my side of the spectrum has recognized the tea party is extremist,” Adkins said. “I think Republicans recognize the tea party is extreme. I’ve had a Republican at my Democratic event Tuesday night that said, ‘I will not vote for Massie, I will vote for you.’<EN>”
Like the tea party, Adkins wants to reduce the national debt. But said he differs in how that should be done. The government will need to raise revenue through taxes on those who make more than $250,000, he said. Taxes for the middle class should not go up so the middle class will continue to spend money in the economy, he said.
“Those who make more, the wealthy, should pay their fair share,” Adkins said. “They want you to define what is fair, and I think the $250,000 threshold is a start.”
Massie, who has enjoyed the support of the tea party, U.S. Sen. Rand Paul and his father U.S. Rep Ron Paul, has touted tea party principles of limited government spending.
“I feel good about the general election,” Massie said. “I think my message of a constitutionally-limited government will resonate. There are a lot of conservative Democrats in the Fourth District.”
Democrats in Northern Kentucky vow to be competitive in the Fourth Congressional District race.
Adkins’ story and message should leave a favorable impression on voters, said Paul Whalen, the Democratic Party chairman for Campbell County. Adkins works as an attorney in Williamstown in Grant County. Prior to that, he’s worked a variety of jobs, including coal miner, railroad worker, bartender, retail store manager, printer, construction worker, bookkeeper, radio disc jockey and roofer.
“I think it will be interesting,” Whalen said. “Irregardless of how it comes out, it will be pretty close, closer than most Republicans will admit.”
http://cincinnati.com/blogs/nkypolitics/2012/05/26/democrats-vow-aggressive-campaign-for-fourth-district/