National Review on KY - 6

National Review Online is paying close attention to the Andy Barr - Ben Chandler match-up in Kentucky's 6th Congressional District.

NRO notes that Democratic incumbent (posing as a Republican) Ben Chandler is ahead in the cn/2 poll, but by less than 50 percent (46.1). Moreover, Barr's favorable to unfavorable ratio is 41.7 to 19.2 -- not bad, given the pounding that Barr has taken for membership at the Idle Hour club.

Chandler in NRCC Sight

Rep. Ben Chandler's Republican opponent, Andy Barr, has made the NRCC's Young Gun's list -- a list of 39 house races that it is targeting, the number needed to attain a majority. The significance is extra cash for the campaign.

Todd Lally has not made the list in his bid against Rep. John Yarmuth, but is on the NRCC's "radar" according to Joe Arnold.

The NRCC really needs to send some money Lally's way. Notwithstanding the Democrats' voter registration advantage, and the fact that he's a nice guy, Yarmuth is simply too liberal for Kentucky. On health care, for example, Yarmuth has long championed a single-payer system. Nancy Pelosi tapped Yarmuth to help with "messaging."

If Lally can get enough money to inform Kentuckians of how far left Yarmuth is, this can be a Republican pick-up. The NRCC needs to help Lally as well as Barr.

Ben Chandler is Sweating Now

National Review Online has compiled a list of 90 vulnerable Democrats. Ben Chandler made the list; John Yarmuth did not.

Here's NRO's take:

Ben Chandler, Kentucky: He’s a Democrat in an R+9 district who voted against the health-care bill. The two best-funded challengers areMike Templeman, former CEO of Energy Coal Resources, and Andy Barr. Both are running as conservatives against Washington, and this appears to be one of those districts where it just isn’t that healthy to be an incumbent Democrat.

Meet Charlie's Newest Angel: Ben Chandler

CBS News has dubbed Congressman Ben Chandler as one of "Charlie's Angels" -- as in Charlie Rangel. It seems that Chandler accepted campaign contributions from Rangel, who is being investigated by the House Ethics Committee. Chandler sits on the Ethics Committee that is investigating Rangel for failing to report $ 4 million in outside income.

The conflict of interest could not be clearer: Chandler needs to return Rangel's donation, or resign from the committee.

Ben Chandler Afraid of Town Halls

Congressman Ben Chandler will not hold any town hall meetings on health care due to the incivility of the debate. He is too busy eating chicken in an undisclosed location.

At least Congressman John "Tele-tubby" Yarmuth is holding "tele-town halls."

I would prefer that those who oppose the government takeover of health care express themselves with decorum. But look who has anointed themselves the Etiquette Police: The party that brought us the flag burning, bomb throwing "protests" of the 1960's now demonize constituents as "un-American" for shouting.

The party that waxes poetic about the anniversary of Woodstock (and even wanted federal funds to locate a museum there) cannot stand the heat of senior citizens who have raised their voices in opposition to a plan that in reality, Chandler and Yarumth will never read.

NRCC Targets Chandler, But Not Yarmuth

The National Republican Congressional Committee has compiled its hit list of 70 Democratic seats it will try to retake, according to Politico. The only Congressman from Kentucky to earn a bull's eye is Ben Chandler. The NRCC did not target John Yarmuth -- which seems to be a tacit admission that he is safe for now. His left-wing voting record fits the preferences of his Louisville voters. Nonetheless, by conceding the seat, the NRCC will make it more difficult to recruit a credible Republican to run for that seat.

As for Chandler, I've been impressed by how often he votes with the Republicans in our delegation. His record, unlike Yarmuth's, is quite conservative. Indeed, Chandler's voting record will serve him well with the rest of the state when he runs state-wide. It seems wasteful for the NRCC to use scarce resources to go after Chandler. Given the free-fall of President Barack Obama's poll numbers, shouldn't we target the far-left fringe rather than the Blue Dogs?