Primary bloodbath? You bet!

Former Governor and current state Senator Julian Carroll is among those believing that the primary will be a crowded one.

Sen. Julian Carroll, D-Frankfort, said its possible three or more candidates could compete against each other for the Democratic nomination next year. Carroll has long said it is important for the party to preserve its resources for the general election.

I am deeply concerned about the fact we dont, at this point, seem to have some of our best candidates stepping forward, he told The State Journal.

Carroll said he is encouraging strong candidates to step forward in order to ward off a divisive primary. Hes also concerned that Jan. 30, the filing deadline for the 2007 primary, is rapidly approaching. Its harder for a candidate to run an aggressive and informative campaign in a short amount of time, Carroll said.

With less time, it becomes more expensive to properly inform the voters, he said.

Potential candidates also need to consider their ability to raise money before they make an announcement, Carroll said. In order to run a competitive campaign, he said they should be able to raise at least $3 million.[...]

Otis Hensley is the only Democratic candidate to file so far and he ran an unsuccessful campaign in 2003. Lexington attorney Gatewood Galbraith has said he plans to run. A number of Democrats, including Luallen, have publicly and privately urged state Treasurer Jonathan Miller to run for governor. Miller has said he is seriously considering it.

Last week, Luallen said she would like to see Miller run on a ticket with Louisville attorney Jack Conway.

In the meantime, I'll just wait and see how the tickets play out.