I hate to say it, but I think Bruce Lunsford, Democratic candidate for a Kentucky U.S. Senate seat against Republican Minority leader Mitch McConnell, is pretty close to being "toast" as far as as the campaign goes.

McConnell, who got his senate seat some twenty plus years ago as the result of an incredibly clever TV ad campaign in which a group of country boys with several hunting hound dogs were running thru the woods and an announcer was saying that then Democratic Senator Huddleston couldn't hide from his record and that they were going to track him down, now has embarked on another nasty but no doubt effective TV ad campaign. This is what will become known as the "automatic gas tax" "Thanks Bruce" campaign. It's a bunch of bull, as most of the state's newspapers have observed, but it's a very effective TV ad, especially for a candidate in which a tie means a win.

Lunsford was days late responding, at least in the Paducah market. His response was OK, but not great, and McConnell immediately responded with an ad crushing Lunsford's response. Lunsford, who probably wouldn't give us anything much different than McConnell as far as policy goes except that he would sit on the Democratic side of the aisle, which according to one of my good friends, Tom Buchele, is one of the most important act a U.S. senator makes. But, unless Lunsford cranks up his ads, and comes up with a better ad campaign, (and he doesn't have a lot of time) he's done for, a victim of "automatic gas tax increases," whether it's true or not.

I have suggested in the past, and still continue to suggest, that Lunsford run the same damn hounds ad against McConnell that he ran against Huddleston. I think it could very effective, and could turn around the campaign. McConnell has a long record that he can't hide from, and it should be enough to turn on McConnell and at least make the race interesting. But Lunsford, who is big money and may not really be for the worker as much as he is for big business, hasn't seemed like he really wants to take the gloves off against McConnell. Maybe he really doesn't want to win. Who knows?

But, being a U.S. Senator is an exclusive club, and it's a big deal to get in the club. Lunsford may covet that seat, but if he really wants it, he has to respond firmly to McConnell, and like the next day after McConnell's attack ads begin. With today's technology, it isn't impossible. Even a week lag is too long. It allows the "thanks Bruce" message to sink in, and Lunsford can't afford that, being the big time underdog. He needs to the be the one on the offensive, and as of yet, he has failed that test.