Blood, Sweat, and Gore: A 2008 Election Game by Aaron and Dat

[adamevans]

I'll take a shot with Ernie Fletcher again.

[adamevans]

The Elephant in the Room

Ernie Fletcher would be faced with a minor dilemma in a bid for the Presidency. For at least the beginning portion of the campaign, he would have to balance a re-election campaign with a Presidential campaign. Though he's the easy favorite for another term, thanks to an expected Republican wave, he will still have to fend off mildly challenging competitors to hold the Governor's mansion. Ernie Fletcher would run for President in all but name by February 2007, publicly announcing an exploratory committee and expressing interest in national media interviews, though shying away from any actual announcement. He would garner endorsements, donors, fundraising and staff in preparation for a run, as well as making appearances with conservative groups and at conferences, but he would publicly express the need to "put Kentucky first" before "national ambitions." He would use the Governor's race to his advantage, using the extra media coverage to advance his profile as a staunch social conservative, hoping to become a national darling of the Religious Right over the course of his Governor's campaign without doing much national campaigning.

[adamevans]

The Elephant in the Room

Ernie Fletcher would be faced with a minor dilemma in a bid for the Presidency. For at least the beginning portion of the campaign, he would have to balance a re-election campaign with a Presidential campaign. Though he's the easy favorite for another term, thanks to an expected Republican wave, he will still have to fend off mildly challenging competitors to hold the Governor's mansion. Ernie Fletcher would run for President in all but name by February 2007, publicly announcing an exploratory committee and expressing interest in national media interviews, though shying away from any actual announcement. He would garner endorsements, donors, fundraising and staff in preparation for a run, as well as making appearances with conservative groups and at conferences, but he would publicly express the need to "put Kentucky first" before "national ambitions." He would use the Governor's race to his advantage, using the extra media coverage to advance his profile as a staunch social conservative, hoping to become a national darling of the Religious Right over the course of his Governor's campaign without doing much national campaigning.

Honestly, in this scenario it would make more sense for Fletcher to not run for reelection. Sure, he might win, but it's possible he'd draw a primary challenge from another Republican who's upset about his blatant run for President (Rand Paul for example comes to mind here.).

It's a little awkward, but previous candidates have made appearances in Iowa and New Hampshire during their own separate campaigns. Bobby Jindal is also gonna have to run for re-election, and I believe George Allen also made appearances in Iowa and New Hampshire during his 2006 Senate campaign, so it's not unprecedented to campaign for President and Governor. The GM told me Ernie will win re-election regardless.