Rep. Killian Timaney is his own worst critic and is unapologetic about his humiliating defeat to Libertarian candidate Thomas Jefferson in the 45th Congressional District on Tuesday night.
“I didn't work as hard as he did,” the Nicholasville Republican said Wednesday morning.
Timane has a full-time job, three children and elderly parents. Additionally, she has a part-time job in Frankfort that she did not finish in April.
“It may sound like I'm making excuses, but he had time to start going door to door in October, and he (Jefferson) continued to do it relentlessly,” he said.
In many ways, Mr. Timoney has always been vulnerable, as he is a moderate Republican with complex positions. For example, he works for Fayette County Schools and did not support an amendment to fund private schools that will be on the ballot in November.
Last year, he made that goal his own after SB150, which would have banned medical care for transgender children, failed to vote.
“I’d love to do it again,” he said. “We don't know enough about transgender issues to give definitive answers. If we don't know the answers, we need to tread carefully.”
So can politicians, especially Republicans, vote their conscience anymore?
There are micro and macro answers to that. The micro-answer involves very low-turnout primaries in which the most committed voters rewarded the most radical candidates.
“Extremism feeds on apathy,” said Republican consultant Torres Watson. “Who do you think will vote when the turnout is 12 percent?”
Republicans may end up paying a price. Democrat Adam Moore has plenty of money now, but if it feels like the 45th District (which voted overwhelmingly for Gov. Andy Beshear) could flip from Republican to Democratic, he could be in the future. Funds will likely increase further.
The bigger problem is one of how politics works today. TMoney was well-funded by “establishment” Republican groups, while Jefferson was supported by special interest groups such as family foundations and the Jessamine County Republican Party.
“The family foundation has never made any claim that it does not want me to attend the general meeting,” Mr. Timane said. “Special interests are one of the dangers to America. They are the ones who hijack the definition of who we are, and that's a problem.”
You’ve probably heard of the Kentucky Family Foundation, a nonprofit, faith-based organization: “The Family Foundation represents Kentucky families and the biblical values that strengthen them by advocating for God-honoring public policies in our commonwealth.”
For example, another mail carrier called Mr. Timane a “groomer” for voting for SB150, an apparent rejection of his conservative stance on tax cuts and reproductive rights. It is.
As reporter Austin Horn expertly explained, the Kentucky Republican Party is already struggling with power dynamics in Frankfort, where more radical extremist groups have more establishment Republicans than they want. It's pushing us in a direction that doesn't exist.
However, this policy has become unsustainable for politicians and candidates who do not want to toe the party line.
Former Rep. Adam Koenig and two other prominent Northern Kentucky Republicans were defeated by Liberty Party candidates, and Republican Sen. Whitney Westerfield of Crofton said she was resigning from the Legislature because the situation in Frankfort was too bad and too difficult.
As I write this, Rep. Kim Moser (R-Taylor Mills), who proposed perhaps the best bill this Congress on maternal mortality, is still in a close race and unable to make a decision. Sen. Adrienne Southworth (R-Lawrenceburg), who was supposed to be the liberal favorite with her bizarre election denial, was decisively defeated Wednesday by two more conservative candidates who are still in the race.
The only Kentucky politician who seems to be effectively translating his more nuanced views into votes is Secretary of State Michael Adams, but he is in his second of two terms and it is unclear what he can do next in the current environment.
The radical idea of increasing voting for more people may be a step too far.
For example, it wasn't once politically dangerous to say you supported public schools. “That's really worrying,” says education advocate Nema Brewer. “Public education should not be a partisan issue.”
Koenig said when he lost two years ago, his fellow senators told him he had done it his way for 16 years. He told Timoney the same story Tuesday night.
“That was the ultimate compliment, but that's no longer the case,” Koenig said. “Everyone has the opportunity to bend their conscience or vote. I think it depends on what your conscience says right now.”
Timoney said he doesn't know what his political future holds, but he plans to spend the rest of this year educating people about dark money, special interests and misinformation.
“I think voters are being manipulated. I want to be a voice of reason,” he said.
“If I had gone back to the classroom and taught the government how legislation is passed, we would now have a completely different lesson plan.”
