Easterm Kentucky politicians make moves for Senate seat vacated by Mongiardo

By Brandy Calvert/Staff Writer

MIDDLESBORO — After some stalling from new Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear, a special election date has been set to fill an open Senate seat. On Feb. 5, a special election will be held to fill the open state Senate seat vacated by now Kentucky Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo.

Kentucky Republican Party representatives will meet at 6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 4 on the third floor of the Bell County Courthouse in order to officially select their candidate. Democrats will meet in Hazard on Saturday to select theirs.

Political insiders claim that the Senate District 30 Special Election scheduling delay is a result of a major split over the nomination among Democrats. Many critics of Beshear are claiming that the newly elected governor held up the special election because he and Mongiardo were looking for “just the right candidate” to represent the Democrat Party.

Beshear waited more than two weeks after Mongiardo vacated the seat before setting the special election date.

Kentucky Republican Party Chairman Steve Robertson addressed the allegations, calling the delay suspicious.

“They didn’t have a candidate. That’s the only reason I can understand as to why they took so long,” Robertson said. “To me it just sounds like the fix is in.”

The rumored Democrats in the mix are former State Representative Scott Alexander, former State Representative Roger Noe and Bell County’s own, former County Attorney Bill Hayes. State Representative Brandon Smith of Hazard has been campaigning for the Republican nomination for over a month with little to no competition for the party’s nod of approval.

Bell County Republican Party Chairman Dr. Emanuel Rader hopes that a republican Senator will join the majority.

“As far as Bell County is concerned, we would be better off with a republican,” he said.

Rader explained that the Bell County nomination would carry the most weight. With over 10,000 registered republicans in the county, Bell County packs a bigger punch than the other Southeastern Kentucky counties: Perry, Leslie and Harlan.

Brandy Calvert is a Staff Writer for the Daily News. Contact her via e-mail at bmurray@middlesborodailynews.com.