U.S. House GOP Whip McCarthy says Ky. 6th District is among key races to determine direction of U.S.

The 2012 elections will offer a philosophical tiebreaker of sorts with the presidential race, as well as congressional contests such as the rematch in Kentucky’s 6th District in Central Kentucky, said U.S. House Republican Whip Kevin McCarthy.

McCarthy — a Bakersfield, Calif., Republican who was first elected in 2006 — served as keynote speaker for the Jefferson County Republican Party’s Lincoln Day Dinner on Friday night. He also campaigned Saturday for Andy Barr, the Republican challenging Democratic U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler in the 6th District.

Barr is among the top batch of Republican “Young Gun” contenders. That program, created by McCarthy and U.S. Reps. Eric Cantor and Paul Ryan in 2008, provides money and support to up-and-coming GOP House candidates.

McCarthy told “Pure Politics” that he believes Barr, who lost to Chandler by 648 votes in 2010, can win the seat this year. (Barr first faces a Republican primary against Curtis Kenimer of Paris and Patrick J. Kelly II of Lexington). And McCarthy touted the Young Guns program in his speech:

However, McCarthy said after meeting several of the Republican candidates for the open 4th Congressional District, each of them would serve the district well. Three of the seven candidates in that race — Boone County Judge-Executive Gary Moore, state Rep. Alecia Webb-Edgington and Oldham County developer and school board member Walt Schumm — attended the dinner.

Another candidate, Lewis County Judge-Executive Thomas Massie, was attending a fundraiser in Northern Kentucky, Jefferson County Republican Chairwoman Shellie May announced. Former Republican candidate for governor Phil Moffett spoke on Massie’s behalf.

Moore, meanwhile, took a subtle jab at Massie to begin his speech saying he “wouldn’t be anywhere else tonight.”

The 4th District, because of redistricting, now includes eastern Jefferson County as well as Shelby and northern Spencer counties.

Overall, McCarthy characterized the 2012 elections as a chance to show which party’s philosophy will prevail after the last three elections have produced knee-jerk reactions from the electorate to the party in power.

(For more highlights, including an interview with U.S. Rep. McCarthy, watch Monday night’s edition of Pure Politics at 7 p.m. EST or 11:30 p.m.)