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Dobson Retracts Trey Grayson Endorsement, Switches To Rand Paul In KY-SEN Primary
Focus on the Family founder James Dobson and KY-SEN candidate Trey Grayson (R)
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In a major development in the Kentucky Republican Senate primary, James Dobson has retracted his endorsement of establishment favorite Trey Grayson and switched to Tea Party insurgent Rand Paul -- and Dobson claims that top Republicans had misled him about Paul's positions.
"Senior members of the GOP told me Dr. Paul is pro-choice and that he opposes many conservative perspectives, so I endorsed his opponent," Dobson said. "But now I've received further information from OB/GYNs in Kentucky whom I trust, and from interviewing the candidate himself."
Dobson had endorsed Grayson just last week, saying at the time that he was "the only candidate with the conviction to lead on the issues that matter to Kentucky families." The TPM Poll Average gives Paul a lead of 42.3%-25.3% in the Republican primary, which will be held on May 18.
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Sailormarlowe
May 3, 2010 9:48 AM
Well, yeah...Gov. Sarah Palin endorsed Rand Paul early. Dobson better toe the line.
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GTFOOH
May 3, 2010 9:56 AM
"...claims that top Republicans had misled him about Paul's positions."
So, James Dobson does not do his own research on candidate's positions and who is good for the country? He just listens to "Top Republicans?"
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FellowAmerican
May 3, 2010 11:44 AM in reply to GTFOOH
It's stunning, isn't it? And then people listen to HIM! Good grief - the party of the ignorant.
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McClarinJ
May 3, 2010 7:01 PM in reply to GTFOOH
So Dobson's learned something with this flub. Aren't you happy?
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Harry Truman
May 3, 2010 10:10 AM
Is this fight enough to give the Dems a chance to win?
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Lok52
May 3, 2010 10:20 AM in reply to Harry Truman
Probably not in the primaries. Who knows when the general election comes around.
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Harry Truman
May 3, 2010 11:15 AM in reply to Lok52
How do Democrats ever beat Republicans in the primaries?
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zonk
May 3, 2010 10:32 AM in reply to Harry Truman
It's a poachable seat.
538 gives the Dems a 17% chance of flipping the seat. There's a pretty stark choice in the Dem primary -- Lt Gov Dan Mongiardo would essentially be BFF with Ben Nelson, an utterly unreliable Democratic vote who as an added bonus, has demonstrated an inability to play well with others (He's gotten in public tiff with KY Gov (D) Beshear). AG Jack Conway has a much stronger progressive streak - he's utterly rejected calls for KY to join in the HCR lawsuit.
As an added bonus, Pollster.com shows Conway running stronger in the GE, too --- tied in a race against Grayson, and actually up 4 against Paul. Mongiardo trails both by 7 and 5 points respectively.
While most progressives are focused on the Halter-Lincoln match-up (I support Halter there, maybe not as much based on ideology - but because Halter is the only realistic option to keep the seat) -- Conway is well worth primary support and were he to be the nominee, I think he'd have a solid 1 in 3 shot, perhaps better, at flipping this seat.
Personally, I think that progressives looking to get in a Senate primary fight would actually be better served in KY than AR.
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patmcgrowen
May 3, 2010 9:28 PM in reply to Harry Truman
I live in Kentucky and I will not hold my breath for a Dem win in November. I refuse to discuss politics with people around here, because it is just a constant repeat of Fox New/Beck/Limbaugh lies. And as usual if I present the facts, they just say, "well that's not what I heard". It is truly hopeless here and I am considering a move to a blue state. Personally, I really like Jack Conway. He has done a great job as Attorney General taking on Big Pharma and gas companies price gouging. He has also recovered $100 million in Medicare fraud. He even said he would have voted for HCR while his fellow Dem candidate giggled and danced around the question. It would take a miracle for teabagger celebrity Paul not to pull this off.
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PeachesNYC
May 3, 2010 11:48 PM in reply to patmcgrowen
Thanks for the info on Conway. I just donated to his campaign!
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patmcgrowen
May 4, 2010 7:28 AM in reply to PeachesNYC
Thanks so much, we need all the help we can get. I'll still be praying for a miracle.
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de TOQUEville
May 3, 2010 10:19 AM
Is Dobson absolutely sure he made the right choice? Looking at that picture of Grayson, he seems the sort to mercilessly beat a dachshund, AND show his privates to his son in the shower. Perhaps there are other important considerations though...
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lotl
May 3, 2010 11:48 PM in reply to de TOQUEville
He's got that arrogant Dick Cheney-type sneer going on in that photo, doesn't he.
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stillexhaling
May 3, 2010 10:47 AM
Conway/Mongiardo primary is going to be dicey. Mongiardo is working the east and west hard. Conway does well in Louisville and Lexington. NKY weak but may go for Mongiardo. My state is so screwed blued and tattooed, as they used to say on SNL that I don't know where to even look for signs of the general election.
Paul has taken the primary from golden boy Grayson. Politics in Kentucky can be maddening. And I apologize profusely for the current US Senate representatives from our state. If Mitch and young Rand Paul kiss and make up after the primary, the Dems may be sunk. Conway got some good press with his dad's Derby horse story. Stately Victor and the loss of a young friend make Jack more real than he usually comes across.
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sean
May 3, 2010 11:27 AM
Carpetbagger Rand Paul is running a hysterically funny commercial hooking his star to Jim Bunning's 3-wheeled senile 4-wheel wagon and by so doing proving just how much he doesn't know about Kentucky...
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McClarinJ
May 3, 2010 7:12 PM
To the extent that you can relate to Dobson, a powerful sub-current to this story plays right into the tea party sentiment, namely that "top Republicans" cannot be trusted. After this big flub I think Dobson is about ready to march with the tea partiers.
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Tosh
June 6, 2010 7:36 PM
As an added bonus, Pollster.com shows Conway running stronger in the GE, too --- tied in a race against Grayson, and actually up 4 against Paul. Mongiardo trails both by 7 and 5 points respectively.
While most progressives are focused on the Halter-Lincoln match-up (I support Halter there, maybe not as much based on ideology - but because Halter is the only realistic option to keep the seat) -- Conway is well worth primary support and were he to be the nominee, I think he'd have a solid 1 in 3 shot, perhaps better, at flipping this seat
m65 kamagra
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