http://mycn2.com/politics/which-candidates-in-key-races-have-perfect-voting-records-and-which-don-t

Publication Date: May 15, 2012

Author: Ryan Alessi

Which candidates in key races have perfect voting records and which don't?

05/15/2012 02:47 PM

Just three of the seven Republicans running for Congress in Northern Kentucky’s 4th District have perfect attendance in voting in the last five elections, according to Board of Elections records.

Alecia Webb-Edgington, the state representative from Kenton County, Marcus Carey, a lawyer from Owen County, and Gary Moore, the Boone County judge-executive, voted in every primary and general election dating back to 2006, according to the voting records obtained through an open records request.

Thomas Massie, the Lewis County judge-executive, missed voting in the 2007 primary election. Phil Moffett, Massie’s campaign chairman, said Massie didn’t recall why he didn’t vote but remembered that year’s primary, which featured a competitive Republican governor’s race between Gov. Ernie Fletcher, former Congresswoman Anne Northup and Paducah businessman Billy Harper.

Massie also first registered to vote in Lewis County on April 11, 2006 – about five years after he said he moved back to Kentucky from the East Coast where he had been running a business.

Massie maintained dual residence in New Hampshire and Kentucky even after selling the company so he could help with the transition and didn’t switch over his registration to Kentucky until before the 2006 primary, Moffett said.

Two other candidates in the GOP primary race had a voter participation rate of 70 percent over the last five election years.

Tom Wurtz, a Fort Mitchell business consultant, missed the spring primary elections in 2006, 2007 and 2008.

“That was probably during my sleep period,” he said. “I didn’t start waking up until, gosh, 2009. June 2010 is when I walked into the tea party meeting.”

And Walter Schumm, an Oldham County developer who has served as a school board member since 2003, failed to vote in the 2008 Republican primary and both the primary and general election in 2011.

Schumm said he had no excuse for missing those elections. He said between his job building homes and his seat on the school board, he has sometimes gotten busy and not made it to the polls.

“It’s a poor excuse. I should have waited ‘til they were open in the morning but a lot of times I’ll leave before then and get back after. And I just flat missed it,” Schumm said.

Brian Oerther, a teacher from Oldham County, hasn’t missed voting since the 2006 Republican primary.

Primary contests often feature candidates touting their party loyalty and voting records and lifelong party registration status are two such examples.

Webb-Edgington, who grew up in a Republican family in Edmonson County, and Carey have said they both have been lifelong Republicans. Moore said he changed his registration from being a Democrat to Republican in the mid-1990s.

“I just came to the realization that I was part of the wrong party,” Moore said. “The Democratic party, as Reagan said, left me. I just realized that wasn’t where my beliefs aligned.”

4th Congressional District Democrats missed elections

In the 4th Congressional District Democratic primary, neither candidate had a perfect voting record.

Bill Adkins missed voting in the 2007 Democratic primary, the year the gubernatorial ticket of Steve Beshear and Daniel Mongiardo beat five other Democratic tickets for the nomination. Overall, he voted in nine of the last 10 elections.

Charles Greg Frank moved to Kentucky from Florida in time for the 2008 elections. But he missed voting in the 2010 primary and the 2011 primary elections, making his total attendance four out of the last six.

19th State Senate Democrats feature unblemished records

All four Democrats vying to be the next state senator from Louisville’s 19th District had perfect voting records.

Both Sarah Lynn Cunningham and Morgan McGarvey have been registered in Jefferson County as Democrats since each was 18 years old – Cunningham in 1975 and McGarvey in 1998.

McGarvey, Cunningham, Amy Shoemaker and Gary Demling each voted in all five Democratic primaries and five general elections dating back to 2006.

Tea Party activists show recent engagement

Voting records for a pair of tea party activists from two different parties have shown sporadic voting until the 2010 election.

Scott Reed, a Republican challenging Rep. Bob DeWeese in the 48th House District in Louisville, failed to vote in the primary elections in 2006, 2007 and 2008. But he has voted in every election since the 2008 general election.

And Wendy Caswell, a Democrat running against Rep. Reginald Meeks in the 42nd House District in Louisville, is a former president of the Louisville Tea Party. She didn’t vote in the 2006 primary or the 2007 primary or general elections but has made it to the polls in each of the last three primary and three general elections.

Both incumbents — DeWeese and Meeks — had perfect voting records over the last five election years.

About Ryan Alessi

Ryan Alessi joined cn|2 in May 2010 as senior managing editor and host of Pure Politics. He has covered politics for more than 10 years, including 7 years as a reporter for the Lexington Herald-Leader. Follow Ryan on Twitter @cn2Alessi. Ryan can be reached at 502-792-1135 or ryan.alessi@twcable.com.

Comments

  • Geketa Holman wrote on May 16, 2012 12:04 AM :

    It’s amazing how those that are screaming how patriotic they are failed to even bother to vote in so many of our elections! The word hypocrite comes to mind when I read this. The excuses are pretty sad, too. It looks like those Tea party candidates must fall asleep quit often from the looks of their voting records and they want our votes? Will they show up and vote if elected ?? Probably not sleep will be more important.. poor Tommy Massie can’t even speak for himself, he has to have his 7 thousand dollar a month mouth piece Moffett, tell the tales for him. I wonder if they would like to prove Massie’s voting record from New Hampshire??? I believe we do have three real Republicans ,that actually vote all the time , running for congress… LOL

  • Jeff wrote on May 16, 2012 12:59 AM :

    It’s funny that Alecia has a perfect voting record in the primary & general elections, but when it comes to voting as State Representative she missed due to what? Campaigning for sure! Campaign before State and Constituents, that’s nice! I actually feel like she would be worth having to serve us as congressman! NOT!!!
    Thomas Massie is the true conservative, he has the right principles and he will put COUNTRY BEFORE PARTY & CAMPAIGN!!!

  • Bruce Layne wrote on May 16, 2012 10:32 AM :

    I’m less interested in their voting attendance records as citizens, and more interested in how they vote when executing their duties as elected officials. Are they good stewards of our tax dollars? Do they vote for big government?

    That’s why the TEA Party is voting for Thomas Massie. He has a proven record of fiscally conservative leadership as Lewis County judge executive.

  • Cumberland Gap wrote on May 16, 2012 11:25 AM :

    Since Massie wanted to build a huge new jail in Lewis Co. and put the county and state in the red, how is this true conservative? That sounds like a pork project to me. I know the last few Governors have asked county judges to not build new jails because of the massive debt the local taxpayers would suffer and they end up losing money. This puts pressure on the county to raise taxes. Plus, I can’t get over the deceit in him saying he won’t take a pension. He’s a multi-millionaire. Jeff,that’s like you saying “I won’t buy pencils when I take office.” Plus, the rules are he must absolutely contribute to the pension system or it would go broke. Conservatives should not be misleading or deceitful like this!

  • Yep wrote on May 16, 2012 12:22 PM :

    Massie probably didn’t “voluntarily” pay his automobile taxes those 6 years he had dual residency either, lol. Oh, wait a minute, he will “voluntarily” give up his govt pension. Hypocracy continues.

  • Susan wrote on May 16, 2012 05:44 PM :

    Dear Jeff— she has 98% attendance record in the House, so that’s a pitiful argument. And Jeff and Bruce who the heck do you think is running the Lewis County JE office while Thomas is gallivanting across the district? Last time I checked that was a full time elected position.

  • Cumberland Gap wrote on May 16, 2012 05:52 PM :

    Since Massie is a County Judge-Executive now, and the highest paid politician in his county, did any of his opponents bother to ask why he didn’t give up being in the current CERS pension system for local officials?

  • Jeff wrote on May 17, 2012 06:12 AM :

    I am 99% sure that Thomas Massie is not and will
    Not be participating in the Judge Execuitive pension also. As he says himself if he cannot deny it he will simply sign the check and give to the treasury! Cumberland Gap I really wish I knew where you are getting your facts because Thomas Massie is not building a new jail, the new jail was built before he took office! If you want to talk about jails, go look at Boone county’s jail, it’s like the Taj Mahal. Finally Thomas is doing his duties as judge executive still! And also lewis county has a part time fill in for when cant! Which is cleared by Thomas before anything is put through! (75% sure) I notice everyone is attacking Thomas Massie but it’s pointless you have nothing on him. Your accusations are false and quite frankly its like you’re attempting to dig through concrete with a rubber spoon! If you want true dirt go look at Gary Moore who has been endorsed by the AFLCIO, or Mrs, Webb Edgington who by the way missed votes, yes I will stay with that because why? It reflects that she has put campaign duties for Congress before fulfilling her duties at state representative, its sad that someone would put their campaign before serving their constituients, that’s why I support THOMAS MASSIE FOR CONGRESS!! Who doesn’t spend! He has minimized spending
    In Lewis County! If you fall for the Gary Moore mailers then you’re very guliable and you probably need to read something a little more! Look at CN2’s previous articles it shows they’re false!!!!!

  • Dear Jeff wrote on May 17, 2012 03:21 PM :

    Dear Jeff,

    Apparently, Massie isn’t doing some of his duties—like keeping in compliance with Open Meeting Laws. Sorry, but you’re the gullable one!

What do you have to say?





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