Are Republicans shifting attention from David Williams to Todd P'Pool?

GOP candidate for governor David Williams has been getting fund-raising help this summer from some national Republicans: Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and next month, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker.

But the Republican with highest wattage of national star power scheduled to come to Kentucky won’t be raising money for Williams but for attorney general candidate Todd P’Pool. Former Republican presidential candidate and current Fox News personality Mike Huckabee will the headliner of an Oct. 1 fundraiser for P’Pool.

P’Pool also has a fundraiser with former University of Kentucky basketball player Travis Ford even though Williams’ running mate, Richie Farmer, is a former UK basketball player.

Political observers aren’t writing off Williams yet, as Pure Politics reported earlier this month and the Herald-Leader reported today.

But some Republicans’ comments and movements behind the scenes suggest that unless Williams can a make a move soon, there could be a shift of focus toward P’Pool and candidate for agriculture commissioner, James Comer. Comer and P’Pool, for instance, have talked about forming a joint bus tour.

Republicans, however, offered mixed views about how much Williams’ performance at the top of the ticket could affect down-ticket candidates, such as Comer and P’Pool. Here’s the Pure Politics report:

P’Pool