Chandler, ‘Blue Dogs’ endorse Boswell

By RONNIE ELLIS

FRANKFORT — Kentucky’s 2nd Congressional District is Democratic in registration but conservative in its voting. But David Boswell, the Democratic candidate for the open seat, thinks he got an endorsement Thursday the district’s conservative voters will like.

Boswell was endorsed by the “Blue Dog Democrats,” 50 Democratic lawmakers who, according to one of their number, Kentucky’s 6th District Congressman Ben Chandler, “specialize in fiscal responsibility.”

Boswell said on a conference call with Kentucky reporters he is “pro-life, pro-Second Amendment, and I am fiscally responsible.”

Boswell is the state Senator from Owensboro facing fellow state Sen. Brett Guthrie, a Republican from Warren County, who often criticizes “the liberals in Washington” and touts his own conservative record in his speeches and television commercials. He and Boswell seek the seat which will be vacated by the retiring Rep. Ron Lewis, R-Cecilia. Boswell has polled ahead of Guthrie in at least one publicly released poll, but Guthrie has been more successful at fund raising. As of the last reporting period, Guthrie led in fund raising, over $650,000 to $45,000.

But Boswell said Thursday he has raised “well in excess of $200,000” in the past 45 to 50 days.

“I don’t need as much money as my opponent – we just have to have enough to win and we’ll have that,” Boswell said. He said the next Federal Election Commission report will verify his growing funding strength.

He’s also gotten a boost from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee which reserved $840,000 of television time on Boswell’s behalf. Campaign finance laws do not allow the committee to coordinate with Boswell’s campaign but the committee has already aired one controversial ad attacking Guthrie.

The ad says Guthrie’s Bowling Green company, Trace Die Cast, “shipped jobs” to Mexico, basing the claim on comments Guthrie made about trade agreements in a forum. Guthrie said in that debate that companies operate in a global economy and products made in Bowling Green are sold to a company in Mexico before going to Europe and returning to Bowling Green for installation in the Corvette car manufactured there.

Guthrie’s campaign has described the ad as “demonstrably false,” calling on Boswell to demand stations refuse to air the ad. This week, Guthrie released an ad responding to it which says the problem in Washington is politicians who don’t tell the truth, again saying the ad is false because the product is sold to a buyer in Mexico.

Boswell disavowed responsibility for the ad Thursday.

“I’ve not seen the ad,” Boswell said. “Obviously if something is being aired that is not factual, I can only hope whoever is responsible is doing whatever is ethically required.” He said he’ll watch the ad and if it’s misleading he’ll “notify whoever I need to notify.”

Chandler said the endorsement by the Blue Dogs will carry weight with voters in the 2nd District. And the money committed by the DCCC shows their confidence Boswell can win.

“The D-Triple C doesn’t take these decisions lightly,” said Chandler. “It shows they think he can win this race.”

Guthrie's campaign issued a statement criticizing Boswell for not pledging not to raise taxes.

Ronnie Ellis writes for CNHI News Service and is based in Frankfort. He can be reached by e-mail at rellis@cnhi.com.