Published: August 25, 2008 05:08 pm            

ZAP announcement had political angle for state Senate race

Newberry said it wasn't political; opponent Givens thought it was

FRANKFORT — The announcement Monday that an electric car assembly plant is coming to Simpson County had a political angle.

Steve Newberry, the Democratic candidate for the 9th state Senate district which includes Simpson County, was on hand and got a shout-out from Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear.

Not surprisingly, his Republican opponent, David Givens, didn’t think that was appropriate.

The two are vying for the seat being vacated by retiring Republican Sen. Richie Sanders of Franklin who was at the event Monday in Frankfort. The district runs from the Tennessee line in Simpson County to the Green River in Green County where Givens lives and includes Newberry’s home county of Barren. But it was Newberry whom Beshear commended.

“Steve Newberry is here who has put in a lot of time and effort on this,” Beshear said in a room full of Simpson County officials. He also recognized Sanders, Franklin Mayor Jim Brown, Simpson County Judge-Executive Jim Henderson, and Dennis Griffin, CEO of the Franklin Simpson County Industrial Authority.

Beshear has said he wants to take control of the state Senate back from the Republican majority in that chamber, although he is quick to distinguish between campaign season and the need to work across party lines after campaigns end. Sanders’ 9th Senate seat would be a key pick-up for Beshear and Democrats if Newberry – the brother of Lexington Mayor Jim Newberry – can win it.

Newberry was accompanied by his campaign manager, Paula Kirby, whose husband owns an auto-related business in Simpson County. But Newberry said it wasn’t political. He said his role was communicating between Simpson County officials and Beshear’s administration, a view endorsed later by Beshear.

“I think Indiana (which was also competing for the facility) was getting ahead of us.” Newberry said. “My role was reaching out to the governor’s office and saying this is critical to the region and fortunately the governor’s office was receptive.”

Givens, Newberry’s Republican opponent from Greensburg, said he was surprised to learn Newberry and his campaign manager attended the event.

“I think we run a real hazard when we politicize the economic development process,” Givens said in a phone interview.

Told Newberry’s explanation of his role as communicator between Simpson County officials and the administration, Givens said, “Either that’s an insult to the governor’s office when they didn’t realize these things were happening quickly or it’s an insult to Dennis Griffin, the mayor, the county judge and fiscal court and the city council.”

But Beshear said that isn’t the case. The local officials in Franklin and Simpson County “were all in contact with us, but (Newberry) worked with us as well. They (Simpson County officials) worked real hard on this.”

Newberry, of Glasgow, is president/CEO of Commonwealth Broadcasting which owns about 25 radio stations. From 1992 to 1996 he was executive director of the Glasgow-Barren County Industrial Development Economic Authority and later served on its board of directors. Both Givens and Newberry say economic development is a key issue in the race.

“Steve was in economic development down there for some time,” Beshear said. “And he knew about this effort and he communicated with us back and forth as we worked on the details.”

Asked Monday if his involvement in helping recruit the electric car facility to Simpson County might win votes there but lose them in Barren County which has seen several employers close or leave town in recent years, he said the facility will benefit the entire region.

“Barren County didn’t have 160 acres shovel-ready next to an interstate highway,” Newberry said. “Barren County was never in the running (for the ZAP car facility) but it will benefit from suppliers and some people from Barren County may get jobs there. It was better for Barren County that the facility is in Simpson County than in Indiana. This will be huge for the entire region.”

RONNIE ELLIS writes for CNHI News Service and is based in Frankfort. He can be reached by e-mail at rellis@cnhi.com.

        

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