A Big Harrumph for Steve Nunn!


In recent years, I have grown to respect former State Representative Steve Nunn. He was the first, and I think only, Republican to return to the house chamber after the entire caucus walked out in protest of the Democratic leadership’s handling of the 2004 anti gay marriage amendment. He later apologized for his childish behavior. After he lost his seat in the legislature in 2006, he blamed no one but himself. I remember reading last fall in The Courier Journal that he had said he took his race for granted and didn’t try as hard as he should have to get re-elected. He along with another great former state representative, Bob Hellringer, added a great deal to the 2003 Republican gubernatorial primary. They brought a voice of reason and moderation to the race that could have been mistaken for a race for president of a church’s deacon board rather then for governor. I did not vote for Mr. Nunn then, now I wish I had.

I should say before I write any more, I haven’t been that fond of Governor Ernie Fletcher. I have told a friend who works in state politics that if the governor is as good of a doctor as he is a governor, I wouldn’t go to him for a hang nail! Almost from the beginning, I regretted voting for Dr. Fletcher in November 2003. I did like how he trimmed down the ridiculously large executive cabinet. Other then that, I would have to say he has been a big disappointment. I am not alone, even my maternal grandfather, a man who, has until recently voted straight Republican in every election, has said that he wouldn’t vote for Fletcher if he ran for dog catcher! Trust me, that is an insult coming from him.

In yesterday’s issue of the Courier-Journal (September 18, 2007), I read that on Monday three prominent Republicans endorsed Democrat Steve Beshear in this fall’s race for governor, former state Rep. Steve Nunn was one of them. He joined former U.S. Congressman Larry Hopkins who held Kentucky’s 6th District seat in Congress and was the GOP’s 1991 gubernatorial nominee, Fletcher also used to represent the sixth district. Lexington-Fayette Urban County Councilman David Stevens also endorsed Beshear; the council is non-partisan, Stevens is a registered Republican.

Nunn was critical of Fletcher’s handling of the merit-hiring investigation/scandal that has haunted him since 2005 and resulted in Fletcher, himself, and many of his top administration officials being indicted by a Franklin County Grand Jury. He first fired several officials that were involved in the scandal and then pardoned them before they were convicted of anything. Nunn also blasted the governor for his lack of leadership throughout the 2004 legislative session. You may remember that the General Assembly failed to pass a budget that year as they were constitutionally obligated. Nunn summed it up best when he said, at the news conference held yesterday in Lexington, That Fletcher’s record shows his is, “…not the kind of leadership we need in Kentucky”.

Yesterday’s press conference showed what our state is missing now that Nunn has left office. Nunn went one step further then his fellow detractors and said that he will only vote for two Republicans running this year for state wide office: Secretary of State Trey Grayson and Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer. He went so far as to say that the nominee for Attorney General, state Rep. Stan Lee’s extremely right wing views are inappropriate for the office he is currently seeking. In my opinion, nothing could be closer to the truth.

I personally would like to give former Representative Nunn a big harrumph and ask him to please consider running for elected office once again; I know of a certain senior senator that could use a good primary challenge. Also, I would like to add my voice, for what it is worth, to the hopefully growing number of Republicans who plan on voting for Steve Beshear this November.

Source(s) used for this posting:

Steitzer, Stephanie; “Hopkins, 2 others in GOP back Beshear”, The Courier-Journal, September 18, 2007; Metro Section, page B6