In what could be seen as a major political setback for Republicans as the Presidental election season starts up, Democratic candidate Ben Chandler is favored to beat Republican candidate Alice Forgy Kerr in a special election to fill the vacant House seat in the 6th district of Kentucky. The seat was vacated when Republican Ernie Fletcher, who had been the Representative, was elected Governor in November.

The race could be doubly embarassing for the Republicans because Kerr's strategy centered on her allying herself with President Bush. An early spot in the race showed Kerr visiting Bush at the White House, and her promising to promote the President's agenda in Congress. However, the strategy seems not to have worked, and Kerr still trails significantly in polls.

Chandler's recognition is helped by the fact that he was Fletcher's opponent in the Governor's race last November, but he has also weathered a barrage of very negative attacks from both Kerr's campaign and national Republican organizations.

Democrats Pin Hope on Kentucky Election