Bowling Green Daily News

With the majority of southcentral Kentuckians supporting Democrat Steve Beshear as the next governor, area officials hope that he fulfills his promise to work with all parties.

Statewide, Beshear defeated Republican Ernie Fletcher, 619,654 votes to 435,857, according to unofficial vote totals from the secretary of state’s office.

In this region, just Allen County and Butler County, which are heavily Republican, supported the Fletcher-Rudolph ticket - Allen County 51.8 percent to 48.2 percent and Butler County 56 percent to 44 percent, according to unofficial vote totals.

Warren County, where Judge-Executive Mike Buchanon was a big backer of Fletcher, chose Beshear 55.1 percent (12,196) to 44.9 (9,954) percent.

This morning, Western Kentucky University President Gary Ransdell said his office would immediately begin scheduling meetings with the governor-elect.

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In tracking his campaign speeches, Ransdell said that Beshear has been consistent in recognizing that higher education is important in driving the state’s economy, and he knows the importance of applied research at its institutions.

“He is familiar with what we are doing in the area of energy at WKU,” Ransdell said.

Beshear also recognizes the need for progress in higher education, including an enrollment campaign.

“I have been encouraged by that,” he said.

House Speaker Jody Richards, D-Bowling Green, said Beshear has consistently listed as his top priorities education and other issues important to Kentuckians - more insurance for poor children, economic development and teacher pay raises.

“He credits western Kentucky with helping give him the big majority,” Richards said. “So I feel very good. I’ve known the governor-elect for 32 years. He was already in the House when I came in 1976. I sat right front of him on the floor and we’ve been friends over the years ... I feel very good about our relationship with him.”

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Budget discussions have already begun and will begin in earnest when final revenue projections are made in December.

“It doesn’t look good,” Richards said. “But I’ve been here under eight governors, and in the first year of all of them it has been the same situation. So this is nothing new.”

Now the goal for the General Assembly will be for both chambers and both parties to all work with the governor to move Kentucky forward, he said.

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