Northup Won’t Quit

As previously stated, Anne Northup has no agenda. Her latest ad substantiates this. She does not discuss policy. She does not accentuate her positives. She hammers Governor Fletcher concerning the merit scandal. She ponders the Democratic playbook. She overtly restates “Fletcher can’t win.”

The truth? Northup cannot win. A general election requires an agenda. A general election requires a strategy. A general election demands more than one three word talking point. If Northup wins in May, she is toast in November. For months, Northup has been pounding “Fletcher can’t win.” The reality is Northup would get drilled.

From Pol Watchers:

Republican candidate for governor Anne Northup launched a TV ad tonight attacking Gov. Ernie Fletcher for pardoning his administration and invoking the Fifth Amendment during a lengthy investigation of his administration's hiring practices. Here's a description of the ad, which appeared during the 5 p.m. newscast on WLEX-TV in Lexington. "Why are these Democrats happy?" a male voice asks.

The photos of five smiling Democratic gubernatorial candidates — House Speaker Jody Richards, Louisville businessman Bruce Lunsford, former Lt. Gov. Steve Beshear, former Lt. Gov. Steve Henry and state treasurer Jonathan Miller — show up on the screen. "They think their opponent will be Ernie Fletcher and their commercials are ready," the announcer continues.

The screen then cuts to a shot of a TV sitting in someone’s living room with Fletcher’s picture and a female announcer’s voice echoing the words popping up in front of the governor: "29 members of Fletcher’s administration indicted. Eighty-five counts. Felonies. Fletcher pardons them all. The governor, himself, takes the Fifth and is indicted."

All the while a label appears that reads, "How Democrats will attack Fletcher."

The male announcer then comes back on, saying: "If Democrats take back the governor’s office, taxes will be up and liberals will be in control. Kentucky needs a fresh start. Anne Northup can win in November."

Fletcher's campaign manager, Marty Ryall, said the add shows that Northup has "hit the panic button. "From day one, she’s been carrying Greg Stumbo and the Democrats water," Ryall said. "I’m not surprised that now she’s running ads for them."

Ryall said the ad is inaccurate, although he did point to any specific details that were false. "The whole thing is misleading," he said. "It was a political with hunt and the charges were dropped."

Northup’s campaign manager, Michael Clingaman, said the 30-second ad is "factual and shows what Republicans can look forward to if Ernie Fletcher is the party nominee." "It’s obvious," he said, "that Democrats are ready to attack Fletcher."