Multiple Democratic sources tell us that Jennifer Miller, sister of former State Treasurer and current Finance Cabinet Secretary Jonathan Miller, is rumored to be in consideration to become Kathy Stein’s replacement in the State House. (Once Stein runs for Ernesto Scorsone’s senate seat)
Miller, you may recall, treated Andrew Horne as a traitor (that was the birth of “Shark Lady”) and once told Joe Sonka that she thought Bruce Lunsford was trying to assassinate her (seriously).
We sent a message to Miller for comment but have not received a response. We’ll let you know if she responds. Until then, it’s just rumor.
There’s no doubt that Miller is a strong Democrat who could win Stein’s district in a primary. She’s connected and well-liked. But there’s also no doubt that just about any Republican would beat her in a special election.
UPDATE @ 9:09 P.M.: What’s Required reports that Kelly Flood will also be gunning for Stein’s house seat.
We’ve spoken with folks in-the-know and that is, in fact, the case. More importantly, we hear she’s the pick of most Frankfort insiders and government-types.
20 responses so far ↓
1 TJ // Jul 14, 2008 at 4:40 pm
“But there’s also no doubt that just about any Republican would beat her in a special election.”
Not in that district. Not this year. It’s 2-1 Dem.
2 jake // Jul 14, 2008 at 4:42 pm
Look at the rumored candidate we’re talking about here. Definitely possible.
3 Jeff Noble // Jul 14, 2008 at 4:50 pm
Jacob –
First, I always hesitate to comment on Fayette County politics - it usually gets me in trouble. Their politics are far more divided than ours here in Jefferson. Nonetheless, into the abyss I go taking what chances I may.
I beg to strongly differ with your last sentence. It would be hard for Ms. Miller or any good Democrat to lose the 75th House seat. Pete Palumbo is the only person who has been close, and he wasn’t close, and that was 12 years ago. This is the seat from which Senator Scorsone was promoted to the Senate. This is the seat which has reelected Representative Stein, on several occassions, without opposition.
It comprises much of downtown Lexington, the southern suburbs out to about Lane Allen Road/Southland Drive - admittedly a little right-leaning here and there, all of UK, some areas on the west side of N. Broadway, and my favorite Lexington neighborhood around Bell Court.
I know there are folks who find Ms. Miller difficult; I don’t think the voters of the 75th House seat would have any problem electing her, whether in a Special or a General Election.
On the same matter, while I wish Senator Scorsone only the best in his quest to move over to the Bench, I am concerned about the loss of his voice in the Senate as well as that of Representative Stein’s in the House, where she possesses enormous power and has properly used it since her arrival; especially vis-a-vis whatever voice she may or may not have in a Williams’ controlled Senate. It will be good to have an outpsoken person keeping the Burkesville Bully in line, but until and unless the Ds retake the State Senate, it may be for naught.
I have been concerned, knowing the 75th, as to who might emerge to take Stein’s seat. Miller makes as much sense as anyone and more than most. And she starts with significant name recognition. This post of yours presenting Miller as the candidate is making me feel a little better about the toppling of dominoes which would make all this possible.
JN
4 jake // Jul 14, 2008 at 4:52 pm
You folks still think she can win with all of the dirt that she HERSELF has published online the past several months?
I’m pretty dang sure that’s not possible.
Memories aren’t that short.
5 Yellow Dog // Jul 14, 2008 at 4:57 pm
Not sure exactly what Jake is basing his electoral prediction on, but a public, written record that opponents can attack or ridicule is no advantage for any candidate.
Depends on who the repugs could put up in that district, and whether the special election gets wrapped into the general, and if it’s on the same ballot with the race for Ernesto’s seat, but it might not be a dem gimme.
6 TJ // Jul 14, 2008 at 5:43 pm
“You folks still think she can win with all of the dirt that she HERSELF has published online the past several months?”
Yes.
7 jake // Jul 14, 2008 at 5:46 pm
Heaven help Kentucky.
Once she’s a candidate, we’re in for a wild ride.
Looks like I’ll have many, many months of interesting material to write about.
Who wants to take bets that KDP will try to silence me or that some Democrat somewhere will threaten me?
8 Gunti // Jul 14, 2008 at 6:28 pm
Oh, Jake, give yourself credit. Don’t think they’ll just threaten you; you’re at assassination level now, too. Whatever you do, don’t eat the gefilte fish!
9 Jeff Noble // Jul 14, 2008 at 7:48 pm
Jacob –
I remember a certain incumbent congresswoman standing in front of the LEO offices on S. 4th Street in Louisville in July 2006 claiming that with copies of the 800 columns her wild and crazy liberal opponent had written, she would have no problem releasing the weirdness, one issue at a time, right through November on her coast into victory.
And she got them - all 800 columns - made what hay she could. And, she lost.
Yes, I think Miller can win despite all the wild and crazy stuff she has written. Am I comparing the 75th House to the 3rd CD? Not exactly, but there are similarlities. A younger base of lefties, a decent amount of conservative Democrats, a splattering of Republicans in the suburbs, and an small urban African-American base.
JN
10 jake // Jul 14, 2008 at 8:00 pm
John Yarmuth was merely writing, you know, about factual stuff. Attacking the war, drug laws, the government. He wasn’t claiming that senatorial candidates were trying to get him.
11 » Breaking News: Miller not alone in bid for 75th District Seat What’s Required: Progress in the Commonwealth // Jul 14, 2008 at 8:57 pm
[…] Seat Posted in July 14th, 2008 by Zeke in Uncategorized After rumors started this afternoon that Jennifer Miller was going to take the 75th District House of Reps seat, WR received a tip that if Miller is in fact […]
12 Ryan // Jul 15, 2008 at 3:39 am
PolWatchers had listed that Kelly would run earlier in the evening….
13 Clay man // Jul 15, 2008 at 8:51 am
not related and know on other link but think this is worthy of everyone’s attention:
This video is worth watching….
Here’s the link:
http://www.whas11.com/video/index.html?nvid=263232
I highly recommend the video but if you can’t see it then here’s a quick text version although not as good…
KY. Agriculture Dept. claims not enough money to inspect all gas pumps and rides, spends $26,000 sending employees to conference
06:54 PM EDT on Monday, July 14, 2008
WHAS11 coverage
(WHAS11) - The Kentucky Agriculture Department is complaining that it doesn’t have enough money to inspect all the gas pumps and amusement rides in Kentucky.
But they had enough money to send 53 employees to a conference in Lexington and pay for hotel rooms for several of them.
Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer is defending the taxpayer expense for a conference that he and his staff hosted last month.
One state lawmaker says the $26,000 dollars in expenses may be defensible, but doesn’t look real good in these tough budget times.
Richie Farmer is the president of the Southern Association of State Departments of Agriculture, so Kentucky was obligated to host the annual Sasda conference last month at the Marriott in Lexington.
About 200 people from 15 southern states and two territories attended and you paid the registrations for a quarter of them. According to documents we obtained through Kentucky’s open records act, the state agricultural Department paid $295 dollars apiece, $15,600 dollars total for conference registrations of 53 employees. State Representative Jim Wayne says he can’t judge whether that was a good use of tax dollars.
Commissioner Farmer says the money for the Sasda Conference was already budgeted and his employees learned a lot and it made Kentucky look good.
The agenda for the week long conference shows there were three general sessions with speakers. On Wednesday, it was all fun with trips to a Lexington horse farm and Churchill Downs.
And during the Sasda Conference, nearly two dozen Kentucky Agriculture Department employees spent nights at the Marriott.
Taxpayers paid for the rooms, a total of more than $11,000 dollars even though several employees lived or worked in Frankfort, just 25 miles away from the Marriott conference site. Some got to stay because department officials say they were on call 24 hours a day during the conference. Farmer says, for others, the $129 dollar per night room was almost as cheap as paying for gas.
200 people attended the conference and 53, yes 53 of them were Farmer’s employees?
Hotel rooms for people who live 20 miles away?
Complaining you don’t have money for enough inspectors but spending like this?
And the 5 day conference, yes 5 days including just 3 work sessions of about 6 hours for the week-Wednesday’s only activity was being bussed to Churchill for lunch and betting?
Ok, maybe he can play basketball but in charge of your tax dollars?
Here’s the video link again (copy it and paste it in your browser/address bar and watch it!
http://www.whas11.com/video/index.html?nvid=263232
14 Not My Real Name // Jul 15, 2008 at 9:18 am
If Kathy Stein (how does a good little Baptist girl from rural and conservative Lee County, Va., turn into a raving liberal and forsake and deny her savior Jesus Christ and convert to Judaism, anyway?) gets to the Senate, it will be fun watching David Williams cut her down to size. She’ll wish she’d never left the House.
15 jake // Jul 15, 2008 at 9:20 am
First of all, what’s Jesus have to do with anything?
If there’s any woman in Kentucky who can’t be cut down? I’m pretty sure it’s Kathy Stein. David Williams is going to have someone breathing fire down his back 24/7.
16 Daniel // Jul 15, 2008 at 9:29 am
What does religion have to do with the race?
17 UK_Alumni // Jul 15, 2008 at 12:11 pm
If Jennifer runs she’ll win hands down.
I hope she decides to run.
18 jake // Jul 15, 2008 at 12:19 pm
This appears to be Flood’s race now.
She’s also rumored to be the governor’s pick and the pick of the local Democratic party.
19 Not My Real Name // Jul 15, 2008 at 1:12 pm
Trouble in toyland between Beshear and (to borrow a phrase from David Adams) Skippy, perhaps?
20 WildcatFan1 // Jul 16, 2008 at 1:47 am
Also I heard Lamin Swann, Dem. candidate for the 88th district in 2004 is considering to aim for Kathy Stein’s seat…
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