The highly anticipated Senate Race in Kentucky may be seeing an independent challenger.
Owensboro contractor Ed Marksberry, was the first Democrat to sign up for the opportunity to take on Mitch McConnell in a head on challenge back in December of 2012, but in late July, Marksberry filed a lawsuit?against Democratic Party chairman Daniel Logsdon.
Marksberry alleges the party sent out e-mails in favor of Alison Lundergan Grimes, while denying him the same resources which are being used to support Grimes’ candidacy.
In a phone interview with Marksberry he said, ?at first I just wanted an apology and my campaign given a fair shot. But the party machine has unfairly anointed Alison Grimes and leaves me no choice but to run as an independent.?
When asked if he was bitter, he was adamant that he is not bitter at the party, just disappointed in the state party’s leadership, saying ?I am a lot like Gatewood Galbraith, he always ran knowing that he was going to lose but wanted to influence the issues.?
Gatewood Galbraith passed away in January of 2012 and was a strong advocate of marijuana in Kentucky. Marksberry is running far left of Grimes and his campaign is self-described as ?the only grassroots campaign in Kentucky.?
So how far left of Grimes is Marksberry running? Well, he wants to legalize marijuana, openly discussing gay rights, and is anti-coal and natural gas.
?Half a trillion dollars of coal has come out of Eastern Kentucky,” said Marksberry “and they remain one of the poorest areas in the country, so the notion that coal props up Kentuckians is a crock.?
He went on to say that, ?Mitch McConnell doesn’t care about coal miners, Mitch McConnell cares about coal mine owners!?
Alison Grimes was quick to separate herself from President Obama back in July and recently said, ?Well, I am as much a cheerleader for President Obama as Sen. McConnell is a Chippendale dancer.?
Mitch McConnel is vulnerable this election, recent polls have shown him running just one or two points apart with Grimes in the lead. Which brings us back to Ed Marksberry.
While it is not his intention to do harm to Grimes, if he gets the 5000 signatures to run as an independent -?which is incredibly likely – he may unwittingly hand deliver Mitch McConnell his 6th term.
A far left leaning candidate splitting the democratic vote is how Mitch McConnell first gained entry into the Senate back in 1984. Dave Welters ran as an independent and took away enough votes from incumbent Huddleston to claim his stake to Kentucky.
Edited by: ?Jeromie Williams?- Photo: Liberal America
