Kentucky Senate Does Something Right

Think back to the elections of 2006 and 2008. Remember how in January of both years, election prospects looked bad for the Democrats? So bad that the best potential candidates gave the year a pass, conceding the nomination to pathetic losers like Bruce Lunsford and re-election to repug incumbents.

In both years, by April things were looking up for Democrats and many were kicking themselves for succumbing to cowardice and failing to file by the January 30 deadline. This year, I'm sure at least one Sixth District liberal is regretting not filing to primary Ben Chandler, now that he's revealed his true repug colors on health care reform.

No more, if the House approves this Senate proposal.

Under a proposal that passed the Senate on Thursday, state primaries would be moved from May to August and filing deadlines for candidates would be pushed back to April.

House Bill 97 was amended in the Senate State and Local Government Committee last week to include the provision that would delay the state’s primary elections from spring until summer.

Sen. Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown, said the amended bill was “good public policy for a variety of reasons.”

Under the proposed changes, all candidates would have to file by the last Tuesday in April. The primaries would be held the first Tuesday after the first Monday in August.

Democratic senators opposed the changes, saying that similar measures have died in the Democratic-controlled House in previous years. The Senate approved the bill 22-15. It will now return to the House, where its fate is not certain. The House-approved version of the bill dealt with how candidates for special elections are nominated.

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