Reaction to slots votes mixed

By RONNIE ELLIS

FRANKFORT — Gov. Steve Beshear went on the offensive again Tuesday about video slot machines at race tracks.

Beshear said on a Louisville’s WHAS Radio’s Francene Show that “it’s time we changed some Senator’s minds or changed some Senators.” He was talking about Republican state Senators who voted against the measure in the budget committee or those, like Senate President David Williams, R-Burkesville, who didn’t bring the bill to the floor for a vote.

Beshear said much the same thing last Wednesday at a rally of 900 people in Lexington organized by the horse industry. But outside the horse industry and areas where the industry is a key economic factor, it’s unclear how much impact the failed vote may have.

“I haven’t heard one word about it,” said Hart County Judge/Executive Terry Martin. “It just doesn’t seem a key concern here. People are more worried about the economy and holding on to their jobs.”

Tommy Turner, judge/executive in neighboring LaRue County, finds a similar reaction.

“There’s not a great deal of discussion on slots here,” Turner said. “The general public around here just does not view it as a central issue.”

Patrick Neely, executive director of the Kentucky Equine Education Project, said interest is affected by geography, although he maintains polls consistently show 70 percent of Kentuckians favor slots at the tracks.

“In areas where the horse industry plays a dominant role,” Neely said, “people are very engaged in this issue and extremely upset.”

At last week’s rally in Lexington, there were calls to defeated Republican Senators who voted against slots in committee. One of those is Sen. Ernie Harris of Crestwood in Oldham County, but he said he hasn’t heard much criticism for his vote.

“I’ve had maybe six to eight phone calls from constituents and others, thanking me for the way I voted,” Harris said. Asked about Beshear’s comments on Tuesday’s radio program, Harris said, “The governor’s going to do what he’s going to do. But folks in my district will evaluate me on the basis of all the votes I’ve taken over the years.”

Harris’ district has more registered Democrats (48,261) than Republicans (41,134) but tends to vote Republican. Slots supporters have suggested Rep. David Osborne, a Republican House member from Prospect whose district lies within Harris’ Senate district might be the best bet to take Harris out. Osborne is a thoroughbred owner and voted for the slots bill in the House.

“Absolutely not,” Osborne said. “Ernie’s a friend, he’s a neighbor and he’s a good legislator.”

Osborne’s feedback has been supportive of his vote in favor of slots, he said. But he’s not sure one issue will make or break a legislator’s chances for re-election.

“Most people are not one-issue voters,” Osborne said. “They may be passionate about one issue, but they’re not willing to make a decision like that on just one issue.”

Sen. Charlie Borders, R-Grayson, chairs the Senate budget committee which defeated the bill. His phone calls indicate his constituents agree with his vote against the bill.

Monday night, Borders said, he received “call after call from people who said they just wanted to express their thanks for my vote.”

Another Republican Senator singled out by name at last week’s rally was Damon Thayer of Georgetown. His district includes Scott County which he said has more than 50 horse farms, but he said other parts of his district oppose slots.

“The reaction has been mixed,” said Thayer. “Some are happy, some are angry and some are ambivalent.”

Thayer said Beshear needs to make up his mind whether he wants to be bi-partisan or “the head of the Democratic Party and take out the state Senate.”

Osborne and Neely both think slots at the tracks are overwhelmingly favored by the public but Osborne concedes there are geographic differences in the level of support. He said those who live on the northern border of the state are comfortable with gambling right across the river – they hear radio advertising for it and see billboards for casinos across the state line.

Neely said KEEP isn’t actively recruiting candidates to oppose Republican Senators opposed to gambling – at least not now. But he said “several people have called our office saying they are interested in running for the House or Senate.”

Ronnie Ellis writes for CNHI News Service and is based in Frankfort. Reach him at rellis@cnhi.com.