Gubernatorial talk...

Here's some of the talk that's been featured on some of the prominent news blogs.

Pat Crowley blogs about a possible Owen-Miller ticket.

Louisville businessman Charlie Owen, a wealthy Dem who can finance his own campaign, has had discussions with state Treasurer Jonathan Miller about an Owen-Miller gubernatorial ticket. But Miller wants the top of the ticket. There were some dicussions about Owen possibly serving just one term, and then stepping aside for Miller to run. But no agreements have been reached. Would an Owen-Miller ticket be formidable?

Miller-Owen sounds better to me.

Here's the take from WHAS-11 political reporter Mark Hebert, and there is a running theme of nobody returning his phone calls:

Speaking of Chandler: His attempt to play kingmaker and find an alternative candidate/ticket for governor that he could endorse appears to be backfiring. We know Chandler decided over the weekend not to run for governor. His behind-the-scenes attempt to pull together a Charlie Owen-Jonathan Miller ticket has confused his fellow high ranking democrats. As one high profile elected democrat told me today "I can't believe Chandler is getting himself involved in all of this......he's just going to piss people off". And I haven't talked to a single democrat in the past two days who is jumping up and down about the prospect of an Owen-Miller ticket. Both men are generally well liked and respected by their party faithful, they're just incapable of generating the excitement that a Chandler-Luallen or Luallen-Conway ticket might have generated.

Miller-Owen sounds better than Owen-Miller, and Miller-Conway, which I doubt will even happen at this point, sounds even better than that.

It's all a waiting game at this point.

ETA: I just ran across this article published in the Kentucky Post.

Even Alice Sparks, a Northern Kentucky philanthropist and Democratic Party fundraiser, has had her name tossed around as a possible lieutenant governor candidate.

"Only the Democrats can make something so simple such an event," said state Rep. Dennis Keene, D-Wilder, with a chuckle.[...]

Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson and state Auditor Crit Luallen announced they wouldn't run, Attorney General Greg Stumbo and House Speaker Jodi Richards are mum and increasingly it appears that Chandler, widely considered the favorite, will stay in Washington.

"I suspect as generally accepted that he will not run, but he has yet to make that public," said former Gov. Julian Carroll, now a Democratic state senator.

He said Chandler, who came close to beating Fletcher in 2003, would likely make an announcement in the next 48 hours. Chandler spokeswoman Jennifer Spalding could not be reached for comment, but earlier this week said Chandler is likely to remain in Congress.

As a result of some of the party's heaviest hitters stepping aside, a whole new list of names is emerging. State Treasurer Jonathan Miller, former Gov. Brereton Jones, former Lt. Gov. Steve Henry, former lieutenant governor candidate Charlie Owen and Louisville attorney Jack Conway - to name a few.

The buzz only gets wilder when the topic shifts to lieutenant governor candidates. Names are seemingly being pulled out of thin air as party leaders try to dream up a person who can bring regional balance and money to the ticket.

That has led to even a few Northern Kentucky names. In addition to Sparks, former Kenton County Democratic Party Chairman Nathan Smith, Keene and state Rep. Arnold Simpson of Covington have been mentioned for the post.