Ky., Ore. voters to choose US Senate candidates

[Ron Burgundy]

AP - Two Democratic businessmen sought their party's nomination for the Senate on Tuesday, pursuing a matchup against Republican leader Mitch McConnell, a powerful four-term incumbent with a big campaign bankroll.

Across the country in Oregon, Democrats selected a challenger to try to unseat the two-term Sen. Gordon Smith, the sole GOP senator on the West Coast. They were choosing between the state House speaker and an activist who spoofs the fact that he has a metal hook for a hand.

In Kentucky, entrepreneurs Bruce Lunsford and Greg Fischer each put part of their personal fortunes into their campaigns after some prominent Democratic officeholders backed off from challenging Kentucky's political kingpin.

McConnell, the Senate's top Republican, easily defeated his sole opponent in the GOP primary, little-known truck driver Daniel Essek.

Seven Democrats in all are competing for the party's nomination in Kentucky, though Lunsford and Fischer far outdistanced the others in fundraising and exposure. Whoever gets a plurality will be the nominee; no runoff is required even if no one reaches 50 percent.

Not to be outdone, McConnell started running TV ads last November, touting his Senate leadership post and ability to deliver assistance for medical research, tobacco farmers and sick nuclear plant workers. He raised more than $12 million in campaign cash through March.

Lunsford staked out a double-digit lead in a statewide poll last week and sounded undaunted at the prospect of taking on McConnell.

"People ask me, 'Are you ready for McConnell?'" Lunsford said recently. "My question is, is he ready for me? Because he hasn't had much in the way of tough races, and this is going to be a race where he's going to be held accountable."

Lunsford and Fischer entered the campaign after State Auditor Crit Luallen and now-former Attorney General Greg Stumbo decided against entering the race.

Lunsford touted his humble roots growing up on a Kentucky tobacco farm and working on a road crew to help put him through college. But the millionaire also has a jet-set lifestyle as a partner in a movie production company.

Fischer, a political newcomer, made a fortune partly by co-inventing an ice and beverage dispenser now commonplace in restaurants. He is also chief executive of a company that makes spectator seating for sports venues.

Lunsford has run twice for governor but never got out of the Democratic primary. In 2003, he dropped out days before the primary, then later endorsed Republican Ernie Fletcher. Lunsford now apologizes to Democrats, calling it a mistake.

Fischer has tried to exploit Lunsford's party crossover by running a TV ad showing Lunsford's endorsement. Several labor unions forgave Lunsford and endorsed him.

Fischer also ran commercials reviving memories of Lunsford's management of Vencor Inc., a nursing home and hospital company that soared to Fortune 500 status before plunging into Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Lunsford blamed the bankruptcy on government cuts in medical reimbursement rates.

Elsewhere in Kentucky, Republican Anne Northup beat three primary opponents to set up a rematch against Democratic Rep. John Yarmuth, who ousted the former five-term congresswoman two years ago in the Louisville-area 3rd District.

In Oregon, Democrats tried to tie Smith to George Bush's unpopular presidency. Smith, first elected to the Senate in 1996, is the only Republican holding statewide office in Oregon, which has voted more Democratic in recent elections.

House Speaker Jeff Merkley is the establishment candidate. He was recruited by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee to run against Smith, who has pledged to raise $10 million or more for his re-election.

The other Democratic contender is Steve Novick, a fiery political activist who has gained lots of traction with lighthearted campaign videos that poke fun at the prosthesis he uses for a left hand, the result of birth defects.

In the Senate race, Merkley was viewed as an early front-runner because of his fundraising edge and endorsements from key Democrats and labor groups. But recent polls suggest Novick has made it a tight race that could go either way in the primary.

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Associated Press writer Brad Cain contributed to this report from Salem, Ore.

source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080520/ap_on_el_ge/state_primaries_rdp [link]