Tea Party Moves on to KY Gubernatorial Race

There's been speculation this week that Rand Paul's campaign manger from the primary, Dave Adams, is going to seek the Republican nomination for Kentucky governor with Tea Party backing.

The Lexington Herald-Leader says that Adams confirms he is leaving the Paul campaign, but to be the campaign manager of the Tea Party-backed gubernatorial slate -- not the candidate.

Adams ran the Paul campaign during the Republican U.S. Senate primary and then was "promoted" to campaign chair after Paul won the primary and immediately misfired on the Rachel Maddow and Good Morning America shows.

No word yet on who the Tea Party will back; we'll know by the end of this week, according to the H-L.

There was speculation last week about a David Williams -Richie Farmer Republican slate, with differing views about who should run for governor and who for lieutenant.

Although Williams backed Rand Paul in the primary, I cannot see the Tea Party credibly anointing Williams as their candidate for governor, or lieutenant governor for that matter.

Williams supported a tax on alcohol that infuriated many Kentuckians not just because it raised the cost of their hooch but because the bourbon industry is a huge source of revenue, jobs and pride to Kentucky. Indeed, Indiana apparently started courting bourbon companies to move across the river after the tax hike.

Given its decentralized, ad hoc nature, it is never altogether clear what the Tea Party supports. It is clear, however, what the Tea Party opposes: tax increases. The "Tea" name, after all, is an acronym for "Taxed Enough Already." That is not a moniker that David Williams can wear after agreeing to the tax hike on alcohol.

So if the Tea Party gubernatorial candidate is not Williams, then who? Perhaps Bill Johnson?