The state Senate seat up for grabs in a Dec. 8 special election is attracting plenty of money and interest from Democrats intent on shifting the Senate's balance of power.
It's all part of Gov. Steve Beshear's strategy to ultimately win passage of gambling legislation.
The Democrat in the race, former Bardstown state Rep. Jodie Haydon, just received $129K in in-kind services from the state's Democratic party, which it will use for TV advertising in the next month. Much of that will come to Louisville TV stations.
That's on top of the $65K in cash he's raised, mostly from his highway construction pals and the horse industry. In fact, he's collected almost $10,000 from Churchill Downs officers and directors.
The Republican candidate, Rep. Jimmy Higdon of Lebanon, has raised less than half of Higdon's cash total.
So unless the Republican Party comes to his rescue, Higdon will be campaigning the next three weeks from a huge financial disadvantage.
The Senate seat opening, created when Beshear appointed Senate Republican floor leader Dan Kelly to a judgeship, could change the composition of the Senate to 19-18 in favor of the GOP, with one independent.
That, in turn, could swing the vote on a video slot machines bill that passed the House and failed in the Senate in June.
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