Former Republican gubernatorial candidate Phil Moffett will be named the new president and CEO of the Bluegrass Institute for Public Policy Solutions, a conservative think tank in Kentucky.The Louisville businessman was heavily backed by tea party activists during the campaign and came in second to Republican nominee David Williams in the GOP primary, but not after upsetting the state Senate President in the state's most populous counties.Moffett confirmed a report that first appeared on a Louisville blog Tuesday, however, he would not comment for this story, citing an August 1 embargo. He then referred to blogger Jake Payne, who runs the site PageOneKentucky, as "Jake 'The' Pain", for posting the information contained in the press release.From the Bluegrass Instittue (h/t PageOneKentucky):Moffett announced that the institute would reshape its mission from a traditional “think tank” to a “do tank” by forming an alliance with Kentucky businesses and liberty organizations statewide, including Tea Parties, the Kentucky 9/12 Project and Take Back Kentucky. This new coalition will focus on specific missions promoting free markets, smaller government, reduced government spending and limited regulation.
“The time is right to team the intellectual capital of the Bluegrass Institute with the organizational strengths and passions of the liberty groups along with business owners to bring specific legislative and regulatory changes that will make Kentucky more prosperous than it has ever been,” Moffett said. “As president and CEO of the Bluegrass Institute, I look forward to building and managing this unique and powerful alliance. Our effort will lead to increased opportunity and prosperity in the Bluegrass State.”
Moffett previously served as a member of the institute’s board of directors.