Taking issue with the Hotline

Hotline on Call says that a majority of Democrats considering the Governor's race are in the second-tier of candidates. I beg to differ. Yes, Congressman Ben Chandler was the front runner until he withdrew from the race (He was not really in it to begin with, of course.) However, I think that if State Treasurer Jonathan Miller makes the run, he's in the first-tier of candidates. How a younger candidate, with a proven record, is a second-tier candidate is beyond me. Miller has been elected twice for a constitutional statewide office despite the 2003 Republican wave here in Kentucky. Here's what Hotline had to say:

One month after a nat'l Dem wave helped them oust Rep. Anne Northup (and 48 days before the filing deadline), state Dems, once confident they could beat Gov. Ernie Fletcher (R) in a '07 walk, are struggling. Steve Beshear and Dan Mongiardo could run, but they're not scaring away a crowded field of second-tier Dems.

I wouldn't even go on to say that the party is having trouble finding candidates unless one's name is Steve Henry.

Larry Dale Keeling had this to say with regards to the A-list and Miller.

That leaves Treasurer Jonathan Miller, who has won two statewide races and is a proven money-raiser, which makes him the closest thing to an A-lister left in the running. He and Conway are considered to be among the party's rising stars.

But a person who's really ready to lead the state wouldn't hedge his bets with talk of running for attorney general if Stumbo gets in the governor's race, as Miller has recently done.

I think that Miller was going to run for Attorney General if and only if Attorney General Greg Stumbo decided to vacate but Stumbo looks to be staying put at this rate although he's seeking to get the opinion reversed.