Hopefuls for Governor of Kentucky Fill Coffers: Lunsford, Fletcher Have Financial Leads

Lexington, KY, Herald-Leader ^ | 04-26-03 | Alessi, Ryan

[Theodore R.]

Governor hopefuls fill their coffers LUNSFORD, FLETCHER HOLD FINANCIAL EDGE By Ryan Alessi HERALD-LEADER FRANKFORT BUREAU

With just three weeks to the May 20 primary, Democrat Bruce Lunsford still leads the governor's race in spending and has the most cash remaining in his war chest.

Lunsford, who founded a Louisville-based health conglomerate, gave his campaign an additional $1.6 million in the last two weeks, bringing his total to nearly $6 million of his own money invested in the race.

He has spent nearly $5 million already, mostly on television ads that began airing in March.

"He's not taking any contributions at all because he says it's the only way for voters to know there's not any kind of special interests involved," said spokesman Scott Anderson.

Attorney General Ben Chandler has tried to keep pace with fund-raising events. In the last two weeks, Chandler raised $218,000 and has amassed $2.3 million overall.

He enters the weekend with $684,000 in the bank compared with Lunsford's $1 million.

Democratic House Speaker Jody Richards has raised $528,000 so far, including $37,000 in the last two weeks.

Richard's campaign, which still has $321,000 to spend, will begin airing ads statewide "very shortly", said campaign manager Mark Nickolas.

On the Republican side, U.S. Rep. Ernie Fletcher remains the candidate with the most cash.

Fletcher has raised nearly $1.7 million so far, including $132,000 since April 9. He has $620,000 in the bank, and has been running ads since mid-March.

Republican candidate Rebecca Jackson's running mate Robbie Rudolph injected $150,000 into the campaign, bringing its total funding to just more than $500,000.

Jackson, a former Jefferson County judge-executive, began running ads this month and has $103,000 on hand.

This was the first time Rudolph, who owns a tire distributing business in Murray, contributed a substantial sum to the campaign.

State Sen. Virgil Moore of Leitchfield, reported receiving $725 during the period, putting him just over $10,000 total.

Another Democrat, Otis Hensley Jr. of Harlan County, has not raised any money.

An update for state Rep. Steve Nunn was not immediately available.

[Theodore R.]

Hastings Wyman of the "Southern Political Report" says the office of KY governor is institutionally stronger than that in most southern states. Yet it was not until 1999 that a KY governor could succeed himself.