NUNN ANNOUNCES FOR GOVERNOR! NAMES LT. GUV CANDIDATE

12/16/2002

[RonPaulLives]

Ernie Fletcher is getting great media attention, as McConnell's Harvard-bred aide is his running mate, and Fletcher is seen by the mainstream press as the GOP "favorite."

Steve Nunn is son of our last Republican Governor, Louie Nunn, and has been a state representative since 1990. Prior to that, he was a farmer, then an insurance company owner.

Virgil Moore is my personal choice and will likely be getting my vote. Virgil Moore, a Major in the U.S. Army, served 21 years in the Army. He has been a farmer for 15 years. He has been a state senator for 10 years.

[RonPaulLives]

Some interesting numbers on Steve Nunn:

On the votes that the Kentucky Reproductive Freedom League considered to be the most important, Representative Nunn voted their preferred position 57 percent of the time.

On the votes that Kentucky Right to Life considered to be the most important, Representative Nunn voted their preferred position 50 percent of the time.

[katana]

Sam Nunn was part of a dying, actually dead, breed. A pro-military, pro-strong national defense democrat. There used to be some good guys on their side but these days they are very few and getting fewer.

[EastKyRepublican]

To whom are you referring? My preference for McConnell is that he is too liberal...and that he is playing politics with that leadership position.

[Redbob]

Sam Nunn is a Georgian. Let's not be confusing him with Kentuckian Louis Nunn, or Steven Nunn.

[katana]

Not confused. I remember Sen. Nunn (D-GA) well. Was addressing a comment that brought his name up asking if there was any relation with Steven Nunn of the Great Commonwealth of Kentucky.

If modern democrats were more like, or if more of them emulated, Sam Nunn, they wouldn't be in the fix they're in now. Of course, if skunks didn't stink they'd make very nice pets.

[southernnorthcarolina]

Guy: "When is the election? 2 or 4 years from now?"

Coop: "2003"

Yep. Only three gubernatorial elections in the off-off-year of 2003: Kentucky, Louisiana, and Mississippi. All three could be interesting.

[Theodore R.]

My understanding is that Dr. Fletcher is a staunch conservative. So why do we need other conservatives running also for the Republican gubernatorial nomination in usually Democrat (for governor) KY. Who is State Senator Virgil Moore? Tell us about him. please. Don't most state senators who run for higher office in KY lose?

[rewrite]

.....or the Flying Nun, Sally Field.

[RonPaulLives]

Answering your questions in reverse order:

Don't most state senators who run for higher office in KY lose?

There have been plenty of members of the State Legislature who went on to higher office in Kentucky, even on the Republican side, believe it or not. To name a few currently serving in higher offices: U.S. Senator Jim Bunning (State Senate 1979-1983), U.S. Rep. Ed Whitfield (State House 1974-1975), U.S. Anne Northup (State House 1987-1996), U.S. Rep. Ernie Fletcher himself (State House 1994-1996).

why do we need other conservatives running also for the Republican gubernatorial nomination?

"Conservative," I suppose, is truly a relative term. Here are just a few of Fletcher's votes as a U.S. Congressman this past summer:

6/11/02 S.2578 - Voted for increasing the legal limit of the National Debt from $5.9 Trillion to $6.4 Trillion.

6/21/02 Amendment to S.2514 - Voted for allowing servicewomen and military dependents to obtain abortions at overseas U.S. military hospitals.

6/28/02 HR 4954 - Voted for subsidizing costs of those on Medicare who enroll in private drug insurance programs.

7/24/02 HR 5120 - Voted against cutting non-mandatory spending in the 2003 Treasury by even a measely one percent.

[EastKyRepublican]

Why do we need others running? That's freedom...or have you McConnell Youth forgotten about that little word. Free to choose, free to choose. Not select and cram it down your throat. Fletcher is an anointed candidate. It hope that somebody thumps he and little Lord Fauntleroy good and send them back to the Beltway. This GOP primary is about Washington Values vs. Kentucky Values. Let's hope Kentucky values win.

[JohnnyZ]

Thanks for the Kentucky Reproductive Freedom League #s on Nunn -- do you have similar info on the other candidates for comparison?

[Theodore R.]

Well, I understand that McConnell angers some of the stronger conservatives, but he has acted far more wisely and rational in this Lott flap than has, say, Lincoln Chaffee or Don Nickles. Ultimately, McConnell is THE Republican Party of KY and will be for many years to come. McConnell is to the KY GOP like John Tower USED TO BE to the TX GOP.

[Theodore R.]

Thank you, I did not know that Fletcher was supportive of abortion. Perhaps it is the UK-Lexington influence that makes him more liberal than I thought that he was. I don't think McConnell, however, has ever voted to expand abortion practices. Or I am I wrong on that too?

[Theodore R.]

"Let's hope Kentucky values win."

Rarely do GOP voters support insurgent candidates in primaries. So I would think the McConnell slate will prevail in the May primary. Notice last year in NC and TN that the GOP went "establishment" for the two vacant Senate seats.

[Rensselaer]

Ernie Fletcher is getting great media attention, as McConnell's Harvard-bred aide is his running mate,

Fletcher's running mate, Hunter Bates, is Kentucky-bred through and through. He was educated (undergrad) at Eastern Kentucky State Univ., and went to Harvard for law school.

[Rensselaer]

"Conservative," I suppose, is truly a relative term. Here are just a few of Fletcher's votes as a U.S. Congressman this past summer: 6/11/02 S.2578 - Voted for increasing the legal limit of the National Debt from $5.9 Trillion to $6.4 Trillion. 6/21/02 Amendment to S.2514 - Voted for allowing servicewomen and military dependents to obtain abortions at overseas U.S. military hospitals. 6/28/02 HR 4954 - Voted for subsidizing costs of those on Medicare who enroll in private drug insurance programs. 7/24/02 HR 5120 - Voted against cutting non-mandatory spending in the 2003 Treasury by even a measely one percent.

Where do people come up with this stuff? I mean, let's get serious. Here are Ernie Fletcher's ratings with major groups, according to the Almanac of American Politics:

Christian Coalition: 100%

National Right to Life: 100%

National Tax Limitation Committee: 76%

American Conservative Union: 84%

Chamber of Commerce: 80%

National Taxpayers Union: 58%

Americans for Democratic Action: 0%

ACLU: 29% (his rating is as high as it is primarily because he opposes the McCain-Feingold campaign speech regulation bill)

AFSCME: 0%

League of Conservation Voters: 14%

A few votes, per same guide:

Opposed patients' "bill of rights;"

Opposed minimum wage increase;

Opposed McCain-Feingold;

Supported repeal of death tax;

Opposed end to Cuba embargo;

Supported display of 10 Commandments in schools;

Opposed regulation of gun shows.

Fletcher did not vote on S. 2514, which is a Senate bill - he's in the House. He voted against allowing abortions in military facilities on May 9, 2002, in the House, according to National Right to Life. http://www.capwiz.com/nrlc/bio/keyvotes/?id=271

Anybody who thinks voting to raise the national debt ceiling (as opposed to just letting the government default on spending it's already done) is an important measure of conservatism is being foolish.

I suppose being "conservative" is "relative." But if you can't put Fletcher in the "conservative" camp, it's hard to imagine many electable candidates you would vote for.

[RonPaulLives]

Thanks for the Kentucky Reproductive Freedom League #s on Nunn -- do you have similar info on the other candidates for comparison?

Many of the candidates don't have a voting record by which to judge them. Here are similar scores for State Senator Virgil Moore:
On the votes that the Kentucky Reproductive Freedom League considered to be the most important, Senator Moore voted their preferred position 0 percent of the time.

On the votes that Kentucky Right to Life considered to be the most important, Senator Moore voted their preferred position 100 percent of the time.

[RonPaulLives]

I don't think McConnell, however, has ever voted to expand abortion practices. Or I am I wrong on that too?

No, you are right. McConnell, for all his faults, has not voted to expand abortion practices.

[Rensselaer]

Also worth noting, in light of RonPaulLives' claim that Fletcher supports expanding abortion rights, that Fletcher was endorsed this fall - as in the past - by both Kentucky Right to Life and National Right to Life. Note that KRTL will not endorse any candidate who favors a rape/incest exception to a ban on abortion.