Stumbo, Hoover Assess Primary Results

The top two leaders of the Kentucky House are assessing the outcome of Tuesday’s gubernatorial primary. Democratic House Speaker Greg Stumbo and Minority Floor Leader Jeffrey Hoover have been studying the counties captured by Senate President David Williams, who grabbed the Republican nomination. Stumbo believes the map benefits Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear, who's seeking a second term. Beshear had no primary opposition. “In the urban areas, because of the media coverage, I think President Williams has a challenge there – probably more so than the rural areas. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that out,” Stumbo said. But Hoover doesn’t believe there’s necessarily an urban/rural split. What concerns him most is voter turnout. He says Williams and his running mate, Richie Farmer, must get more voters to the polls in November.“I think if they work on the turnout, they can prevail in the fall,” Hoover said. Turnout for the primary was just over 10 percent. The worst primary turnout on record in Kentucky was 6.4% in 1999. That year, Democratic Gov. Paul Patton went on to win re-election over a weak Republican nominee.