Citizens United backs Barr, McConnell and Paul are 'frenemies'? and ducking debates

Republican Andy Barr, an attorney trying to unseat Democratic U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler in Kentucky’s Sixth Congressional District, has landed an early key endorsement.

Barr came within 649 votes of beating Chandler in 2010. He announced a few weeks ago he would try again in 2012. The National Republican Congressional Committee is already attempting to link Chandler to Democratic President Barack Obama in a series of TV ads.

Today the Citizens United Political Victory Fund, the political action committee of the Citizens United group that is known for the landmark Supreme Court case it won, announced support for Barr.

The lawsuit that bears the Citizens United name is responsible for the recent formation of super political action committees, like American Crossroads. The super pacs are being fueled with private corporate dollars to the benefit of both political parties, thanks to a Supreme Court decision that says money is speech.

The group has donated $5,000 to Barr during his primary, it announced by news release today.

“Andy Barr is a rising star in Kentucky politics and I have no doubt he will beat Democrat Ben Chandler next year,” said group president David N. Bossie. “Ben Chandler has lost touch with the voters of Kentucky’s Sixth Congressional District. Come election day 2012, Ben Chandler and his friend Barack Obama will pay the price for their failed liberal policies at the polls.”

McConnell and Paul’s love/hate

It’s no secret that Kentucky’s two U.S. senators have a weird working relationship that has grown over the last few months, Roll Call politics reports in a profile of Kentucky’s two Republican senators.

The profile documents the rocky start Sens. Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul had, after Paul defeated McConnell’s hand-picked choice of Trey Grayson in a primary.

But the profile goes on to detail how McConnell has made in-roads with Paul since then. The profile points out that McConnell, the Republican leader, often brings up Paul’s proposals in bipartisan talks.

Williams says Beshear is scared to debate

Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear is being accused of being scared to debate his Republican opponent, David Williams, by Williams campaign, Jack Brammer of the Lexington Herald-Leader reports .

Beshear declined to be at two events with Williams this week.

Beshear declined to appear at a Kentucky Chamber of Commerce forum tomorrow and at a Kentucky County Judge-Executive Association forum on Thursday, leading the Williams’ campaign to cry foul.

Beshear’s campaign said there will be plenty of debates and time to debate in the fall.

Comer hires Tea Party leader for field campaign

Republican agriculture commissioner nominee Jamie Comer has picked Lexington Tea Party leader Mica Sims as his field representative for the Sixth Congressional District, Ronnie Ellis of CNHI reports.

Sims will take a leave from leadership of the Lexington Tea Party while serving on Comer’s campaign. She has been critical of the Republican gubernatorial candidate, Williams, in the past, Ellis notes.

Comer told Ellis that despite those past run-ins, the Republican leadership in Kentucky, including Williams, was “excited” and supported his political decisions.

Comer faces Democratic candidate Bob Farmer in the general election.

Coal workers help fund primary winners

Coal executives and employees of Alliance Coal, which has mines in eastern and western Kentucky, helped fund three primary winners this May, Mike Wynn and Tom Loftus of the Courier-Journal report .

Democratic nominee for Secretary of State, Alison Lundergan Grimes, Williams and Republican nominee for Attorney General, Todd P’Pool all received at least $25,000 from employees of Alliance Coal and their spouses during the primary, the Courier-Journal uncovered.

Many of the donors gave various reasons for their support, ranging for supporting the candidate’s platform to supporting those who will protect the coal industry, they said.

Alliance Coal said all the donations were personal decisions and not influenced by the company.

-Written and compiled by Kenny Colston.