Kentucky 6th District Race

The special congressional election in Kentucky today -- to replace Ernie Fletcher, who was elected guv of the state in November -- has turned out to be one of the costliest in Kentucky's 6th District history ... with a total of $4.4 million spent by both sides (a lot of it coming in from out of state). If Kentucky election officials are correct that turnout will be dismally low today, the final tally may show that the two contestants -- former Attorney General Ben Chandler, the Democrat, and state senator Alice Forgy Kerr, the Republican -- will have spent about $100 a vote. They evidently think the bragging rights alone are worth that, and certainly the national leaders of their respective parties think the costs are a drop in the bucket (nothing less than President Bush's perceived re-electability is on the line for the Repubs, in a state that Bush carried easily in 2000 and that Bill Clinton carried in 1992. Chandler is leading Kerr, according to the polls we've seen).

And here's the best part: whoever wins will have to stand for reelection come November. And both Kerr and Chandler has already declared their intentions of being on that ballot, no matter what happens today.