Some of what Fletcher did was of his own doing, however. He has terrible PR. Moreover, when Secretary of State Trey Grayson merely hinted he might run for governor, Fletcher launched a barrage of personal attacks publicly against Grayson and then calls were made to Grayson’s friends’ employers by Fletcher’s people trying to cause problems for them in their jobs - because they were hosting a fundraiser for Grayson at their home for his re-election as Secretary of State. Senator McConnell and a number of others showed up at the fundraiser to show support for Grayson in response to that outrageous conduct. While I still believe the Stumbo stuff was a witch hunt, it did place a bit of doubt in my mind after what Fletcher did to Grayson - as Fletcher demonstrated he was more than capable of doing what Stumbo accused him of based on what I know was done to Grayson.
No, you’re right to a degree. I think Stumbo’s witch hunts obviously created an air of suspicion and paranoia in Fletcher’s inner circle. With almost everyone in office cutting their ties to him (right now, are there ANY sitting GOP officeholders in the state openly backing him ?), it’s understandable why he would lash out at former allies. It’s just really sad that it has reached this point.
Although not the best example because it’s a bit different, it reminds me of fmr. MT Sen. Conrad Burns. Burns felt it was a personal point of honor for him to run for reelection despite his taint of affiliation with Abramoff. Dr. Fletcher feels the same over the charges made against him, but personal points of honor often run counter to what’s best for the party. To preserve his own dignity and keeping us fully viable for November, I wish he’d withdraw from reelection.