GOP Rep. Ron Lewis Not Running For Reelection

Rep. Ron Lewis (R-Ky.) abruptly withdrew his name to run for re-election Tuesday, only minutes before the filing deadline, setting off a late scramble for a replacement.

Lewis is now the 27th House Republican to shun re-election this cycle.  He joins Rep. Kenny Hulshof (R-Mo.), who just announced that he was running for the governor of Missouri.

But it was Lewis’ sudden decision not to run again that was the most surprising, and filled with last-minute intrigue.

Lewis chief of staff Daniel London went to the secretary of state’s office to withdraw his boss’ name – and file his own papers to run for the seat, according to state Board of Elections executive director Sarah Ball Johnson. 

About the same time, state Sen. Brett Guthrie also filed papers to run.  So, Guthrie and London will face off in the Republican primary on May 20.

The National Republican Congressional Campaign Committee indicated it strongly favored Guthrie, a state senator based in Bowling Green.

“We had been monitoring the situation very closely and we are very happy that we were able to successfully recruit the A candidate,” said NRCC spokesman Ken Spain.

Two Democrats, state Sen. David Boswell and Davies County Judge Executive Reid Haire also filed, and will face off in the Democratic primary.

The West Kentucky congressional district is solidly Republican, though Democrats contested the seat last cycle. President Bush won 65 percent there in 2004.  But Lewis won only 55 percent in his re-election bid against Democrat Mike Weaver in 2006.