John David Dyche says Governor Fletcher should drop out of the 2007 election.
There is no way to deny Ernie's political fortunes have taken a huge hit in the last year. We've reached the point that Republican gains in the state House and Senate this fall can help Republicans without helping the Governor. That is a stark reality, if not an iron-clad case for scrambling for a new candidate at the top of the ticket. A more immediate priority -- and maybe even a better move -- should be filling out the ticket for the rest of the constitutional offices. If we have learned nothing else, we should know that holding the Attorney General's office is not only important, but might speed up the demise of the decaying Democratic Party in Kentucky. With any number of accomplished attorneys, the Republican party could put up a candidate to run rings around the baggage-laden Greg Stumbo. Then we could dare other elected officials to say how great Stumbo is in front of a camera. I'm betting there would be precious few takers.
A Republican AG could do more to clean up the Democrat bloodsport of merit system abuse than a Republican Governor ever could.
Auditor and Attorney General should be Republicans' top priorities for 2007. As a trade for Governor? Maybe, maybe not. But we can't reasonably deny that we should be having this conversation.
