Bruce Lunsford is screwing up any level of support he’s previously had with Democrats. As we have reported several times recently, Bruce has been loosely considering the senate race against Mitch McConnell. This is in response to his receiving communication from Chuck Schumer/the DSCC asking him to consider running primarily because he can finance his race without any help from the national party.
Now it appears, after telling dozens of people including myself and Andrew Horne that he was not interested in the race, Bruce is definitely inching toward a candidacy. Of course he’s waited until after the Democratic Party has fielded a consensus candidate in Andrew Horne, after giving thousands of dollars to Republicans in recent years (including $250 to McConnell’s ‘08 Committee) and after so many dedicated individuals have started the fight against McConnell. For the purposes of full disclosure: Page One’s editors worked for Lunsford and consider him a friend.
Achim Bergmann, Lunsford’s chief advisor and head of the Bluegrass Freedom Fund (Unless some earth shattering event has occurred. But we have no reason to believe Achim has severed ties with the Fund.) has been making the rounds lately. Mostly with the press, telling the main newspapers in the state that there’s an organized movement to get Bruce into the race. Of course there’s no such thing beyond a few people looking for a meal ticket.
Beyond press mentions there has been quite a bit of activity behind the scenes. On December 13 Bergmann began registering domain names for a Lunsford candidacy which include: BruceLunsford2008.com, Lunsford2008.com and LunsfordForSenate.com. Under federal election law, coordination between a candidate or campaign with a 527 organization is illegal.
There’s a great deal more after the jump…
Click the images below for more detail.
(Note that “Achim” is short for “Joachim.”)
We gave Achim the opportunity to respond two days ago but haven’t heard back. So there’s no way to confirm his employment status as of December 13 when the domain names were registered.
Back room shenanigans aside, how does Bruce think he can win? What is he thinking? He dropped out of the gubernatorial race in 2003 to endorse failure Ernie Fletcher and lost in May of this year to the current governor. And after examining Bruce’s recent campaign contributions, he can’t possibly believe he could beat Andrew Horne– let alone Mitch McConnell.
Three of Bruce’s most controversial Republican contributions are as follows:
LUNSFORD, W BRUCE
MCCONNELL, MITCH
VIA MCCONNELL SENATE COMMITTEE ‘08
10/27/1999 250.00LUNSFORD, BRUCE MR.
NORTHUP, ANNE M
VIA NORTHUP FOR CONGRESS
05/15/2006 500.00
05/15/2006 1600.00LUNSFORD, W. BRUCE
$1,000.00 on 10/31/2005
GRAYSON, C.M. for SECRETARY OF STATE
PRIMARY - 05/22/2007
Finally, does Bruce really want to run a campaign in this race, giving even more money toward fracturing the party in a primary? Does he want to lessen the chances of a Democrat beating McConnell? Because that’s what could happen if opposing campaigns waste all of their money fighting against him. He’s already helped a Republican gain the governorship for four years. Does he really want six more years of McConnell?
Never thought I’d be in a position that would require the discussion of Bruce’s baggage. It’s an unfortunate spot to be in. But in it I am. And discuss it I will. We’ve already shown that millions of dollars can’t combat the truth or reality. And unfortunately for Bruce there’s a lot of reality. He’s a good man but a failure of a candidate and he needs to realize that.
13 responses so far ↓
1 grantkenton // Dec 24, 2007 at 8:38 am
Take away all my other thoughts re: Bruce Lunsford, and I’m still left with this question: How does someone get elected to a position, when he’s publicly donated money to his opponent’s campaign? I’m not sure how you go about “spinning” that…
2 winstnsmth // Dec 24, 2007 at 8:38 am
Batting practice for Horne. I was hoping the Democratic candidate wouldn’t have to squander resources with a contentious primary, but it looks like this game is on.
All the better as it will help Andrew’s team get their chops together faster than they would otherwise have done, and the horserace will dominate the news cycle better than a sleeper would have done, thus bettering Horne’s name ID.
The only downside of it is that in order to take full advantage of Lunsford’s weaknesses, Horne would have to go negative.
3 grantkenton // Dec 24, 2007 at 8:40 am
Or, maybe he’s thinking of running as an Independent?…
4 winstnsmth // Dec 24, 2007 at 8:46 am
Seems the Independent shoe fits him best, but there’s no way an indie is going to win a 3 way battle against Mitch. Either voters will be for him or against him, and those against will automatically vote Dem. And I doubt Lunsford would be pulling votes away from Mitch to weaken him. No, if Lunsford runs it will be as a Dem, and it will be the embarrassing end of his political career.
5 Yellow Dog // Dec 24, 2007 at 10:21 am
Extremely well done, gentlemen.
Kudos to you for your courage in telling a friend the hard truth about the right thing to do, and doing so in the harsh light of public exposure.
It’s a tribute to Page One and Andrew Horne - and in a back-handed way, to Mitch - how this race has united Democrats behind the best candidate, money and the national committee be damned.
Thanks for your great coverage.
6 Steve Magruder (I, not D or R) // Dec 24, 2007 at 10:27 am
What this really looks like is that in 2008, not only are the Republicans running skeered, but also the Corporate Democrats. You see, the nation is inexorably moving to the left, the GOP is in deep decline, and corporate special interests are pulling out all the stops to ensure they can continue to maximize their power in this new environment.
Lunsford is their candidate.
On the other hand, if Horne wasn’t running, then I would say that Lunsford would be an imperfect, but acceptable alternative to McConnell in the Senate. Just not progressive enough, though.
7 Yellow Dog // Dec 24, 2007 at 11:00 am
Dead on, Steve.
I appreciate the sentiment in the last graf, but that’s the same logic that got us Bush-fellator Chandler. Very hard to say he’s an actual improvement in Congress over Ernie, who at least voted the way the people who voted for him expected him to do.
8 LouDemforchange // Dec 25, 2007 at 11:54 pm
See below. Enough said.
Results for your search:
Becky Lunsford
Louisville, Kentucky 40207
Homemaker
Mitch McConnell
for Senator in 1996 Nov 6, 1995 $1,000
W Bruce Lunsford
Louisville, Kentucky 40207
Yentas Inc
Lamar Alexander
for Senator in 2002 May 1, 2002 $1,000
W Bruce Lunsford
Louisville, Kentucky 40207
Vencor
Jim Bunning
for Senator in 1998 Jul 11, 1997 $1,000
Mr. W B Lunsford
Louisville, Kentucky 40207
Vencor, Incorporated
Mitch McConnell
for Senator in 1990 Mar 19, 1990 $250
Mr. W B Lunsford
Louisville, Kentucky 40207
Vencor Incorporated
Mitch McConnell
for Senator in 1990 Apr 20, 1990 $200
Mr. W B Lunsford
Louisville, Kentucky 40207
Vencor Incorporated
Mitch McConnell
for Senator in 1996 May 20, 1992 $250
Mr. W B Lunsford
Louisville, Kentucky 40207
Vencor Incorporated
Mitch McConnell
for Senator in 1996 Jan 20, 1993 $1,000
Mr. W B Lunsford
Louisville, Kentucky 40207
Vencor, Incorporated
Mitch McConnell
for Senator in 1996 Jan 20, 1993 $500
W Bruce Lunsford
Louisville, Kentucky 40207
Vencor Incorporated
Mitch McConnell
for Senator in 2002 Oct 27, 1999 $250
Lunsford W B Mr
Louisville, Kentucky 40207
Vancor Incorporated
Mitch McConnell
for Senator in 1996 Jun 7, 1991 $250
9 Aeryl // Dec 26, 2007 at 3:22 pm
The big problem is, everyone knows the GOP is weak. So every political opportunist in the state is going to see this a chance to get elected, all they have to do is put a D at the end of their name.
So, we will probably see many other millionaires, who after a lifetime of giving to Repubs, will suddenly see the light, and declare themselves Democrats, in a chance to enrich themselves and their friends.
10 Marion County // Dec 26, 2007 at 11:30 pm
Bruce Lunsford will reelect Mitch McConnell. Does anyone really believe that Democrats will get out and work for a US Senate candidate who has given over $47,500 to Republicans recently including McConnell, George W Bush, Anne Northup, Jim Bunning and Bob Dole?
I for one would never support Lunsford. I would never vote for McConnell either. I dare say that there are alot of Democrats that would just stay home on that race. Lunsford please learn your lessons of the past and grow up!
11 Steve Bittenbender // Dec 26, 2007 at 11:57 pm
If Lunsford runs, he’ll prove to be a difficult, but needed, challenge for Horne. If Horne has difficulty beating Lunsford, then what chance would he really have against a true heavyweight in McConnell?
A primary gives statewide Dems a chance to better know Horne, and a solid primary victory would give Horne the momentum he needs to knock off McConnell.
12 kentondem1 // Dec 27, 2007 at 9:38 am
Bruce did not carry his home county (Kenton).
When is the last time a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate did not receive the endorsement of Labor?
Bruce is dead. If it wasn’t for all his money, he had been buried in the political graveyard by now.
Even Stumbo had to return “home” to stand a chance of getting elected again.
Go back to Florida Bruce, you are stinking the place up.
13 aaron reck // Dec 27, 2007 at 3:47 pm
I hope he doesn’t run. I really wanted him to be Governor but he should not get involved in this race.
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