James Comer has long gone, potential future in KY politics
A photograph of First Congressional District Congressman James Comer and Senate Minority Chief Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, hangs in Comer’s Washington workplace.
It’s from Comer’s school days, when he was elected president of Kentucky Future Farmers of America.
“To my younger good friend James Comer, with excessive hopes in your vibrant future,” McConnell wrote on the photograph. It’s a typical phrase the senator makes use of for photographs he takes with promising younger Kentuckians.
“It definitely turned out to be true with Jamie Comer,” McConnell, 80, stated in an interview with the Herald-Chief.
Now Comer, 50, and McConnell’s paths cross incessantly in Washington D.C., as effectively the airspace between the nation’s capital and their house state. They generally sit collectively on flights to and from Louisville and D.C.
McConnell is the king of Kentucky Republican politics. It’s been that manner for many years. Might Comer, along with his statewide community and newfound national clout as a television omnipresence for his role as chairman of the U.S. House Oversight & Investigations, be up subsequent? Perhaps, associates and observers say.
It’s well-known that Comer performed a central function in one of many largest ‘what ifs’ in Kentucky political historical past: he misplaced by simply 83 votes in a vicious 2015 main to former governor Matt Bevin.
Now Comer is beginning to grow to be the topic of “what if” questions in regards to the future: What if Beshear wins reelection and Republicans want a protected wager to reclaim the governor’s chair? What if Comer’s oversight committee actions launch into Republican management? What if he’s extensively interpreted as farcical and he will get laughed out of prominence in Washington?
In an interview, Comer left no risk for his future off the desk: congressional management, governor, and even the U.S. Senate.
Which begs one other query: What if Comer turns into the following McConnell?
Some indicators are exhibiting that he’s positioning himself to take action.
Comer at house: gasoline station pizza and lite beer
Whereas Comer’s ubiquity on American tv is new, his life’s work has been constructing the type of community and popularity that makes you a star on the native courthouse.
Such was the case in Metcalfe County, the place Comer was the marquee speaker on the mid-December swearing ceremony of Rep. Amy Neighbors, R-Edmonton. Neighbors gained a contentious main and received no basic election opposition – Democrats hardly carry a finger anymore within the traditionally deep crimson pocket of South Central Kentucky – to take the state-level seat previously held by Comer.
Comer invited a number of politicos again to his Tompkinsville house that night time. On the menu: gasoline station pizza and lite beer. On the agenda: buying and selling political tales from Washington, Frankfort and Monroe County native authorities.
The group included the state consultant who changed Comer, longtime Comer staffers, Monroe County politicians, former Home GOP flooring chief and present candidate for commissioner of agriculture Jonathan Shell, one other state consultant and a distinguished Frankfort lobbyist – these have been the world’s political elite, although an outsider is likely to be fooled into considering in any other case by their lax method.
By way of a voice hoarse from TV appearances – however nonetheless along with his mix of southern drawl and Appalachian crunch – Comer regaled his associates and allies with tales of Washington. However he was equally entertained by the tales from house, like Monroe County Choose-Government Mitchell Web page’s recounting of being in opposition to his personal brothers operating for native posts. One even ran in opposition to him.
Web page recalled to the group, standing in Comer’s room of political memorabilia, a dialog he had with a brother of his who ran for Justice of the Peace in opposition to an in depth good friend that he supported.
“I’m in opposition to ye’, I would like you to know I’m in opposition to ye’, and I don’t need you to listen to it from no person else.” The room roared with laughter, a lot as they did at Comer’s easy-mannered jokes.
That is the energy of James (in Kentucky, most name him “Jamie”) Comer’s political profession: a loyal community that relishes hanging out with you over pizza and beer as a lot as they relish your political recommendation.
“He’s the very best individual I’ve ever met at maintaining relationships,” Shell, who was additionally McConnell’s 2020 Senate reelection marketing campaign chair, stated of Comer. “He nonetheless talks to all of his highschool associates – like, virtually day by day – and plenty of the younger individuals he’s influenced are getting elected regionally. By the point it’s all stated and executed, I don’t know of anyone within the state of Kentucky who’s constructed a community and group of individuals they really discuss to often greater than Jamie has.”
Although maintaining relationships appears to return naturally to Comer, it’s additionally a acutely aware effort. He’s realized from McConnell, he says, that it helps an entire lot to have a small military of former staff and mentees throughout the state.
“It’s in each county,” Comer stated of McConnell’s community. “Lots of politicians you see former staff that hate their guts. However McConnell’s appear to like him. I couldn’t identify you three those who work for McConnell that I feel disliked the person. … He’s helped lots of people like that over time, and that overcomes the shortfalls of his approval ranking – as a result of he’s simply received a very spectacular community
“I’ve wished to try this.”
Now one main participant in Comer’s orbit, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Kelly Craft, is operating for governor.
A wager on the longer term: ‘Thick and skinny’
Lots of the individuals gathered at Comer’s house are proof of his drive to construct out a Kentucky community like McConnell’s. One vital member of the Comer circle is touring everywhere in the state now.
Comer has described Sen. Max Smart, R-Campbellsville, as one in every of his “closest political associates.” Smart, who’s well-liked amongst Republicans in Frankfort and in his and Comer’s South-Central Kentucky, is running to become lieutenant governor this year on the identical ticket as Craft.
The congressman was the one who instructed that Craft – who has entry to important wealth via her billionaire coal magnate and philanthropist husband, Joe Craft, and is spending file quantities of cash on the race – pair up with Smart.
Smart and Comer met in 2010 and have been associates and allies ever since. Smart stated they’d name a couple of instances every week earlier than Comer’s congressional duties picked up.
Comer stayed impartial in Smart’s Senate race in opposition to an incumbent Republican in 2014 and Smart was a significant backer of Comer’s 2015 governor bid.
“These of us which have been loyal to Jamie, I feel Jamie supplies that very same loyalty again to us,” Smart stated.
Loyalty may play a job in additional methods than one within the story of Comer’s Craft endorsement.
Kelly Craft was in Tompkinsville when Comer launched his 2015 run for governor and he or she served as his marketing campaign finance chair. Joe Craft, via his JWC III Revocable Belief, was the biggest single supply of funding for a Comer-aligned gubernatorial Tremendous PAC, giving it $400,000 out of its $1.2 million-plus whole.
“She helped us increase some cash and caught with me via thick and skinny. I plan on doing the identical together with her,” Comer stated.
Comer stated that Craft is “what Kentucky wants,” however that his front-and-center place in Washington might hold him from shut involvement on the marketing campaign path in Kentucky this Spring.
“I’ve by no means seen anyone work tougher than Kelly. Folks assumed that as a result of she had cash, she was lazy. Now they notice that’s not the case,” Comer stated. “… suppose she’s received much more group on the market than what individuals notice. So I don’t suppose she wants plenty of assist from me proper now.”
However what about distinguished Republicans who aren’t his associates?
For causes unclear, Comer’s relationship along with his commissioner of agriculture successor Ryan Quarles – who’s operating in opposition to Craft and Lawyer Normal Daniel Cameron, amongst others, within the gubernatorial main – is fraught. Is it merely a pure rivalry between two bold commissioners with related builds and starkly grey hair?
It’s a “lengthy story,” Comer stated. Quarles’s marketing campaign spokesperson declined remark when requested about his relationship with Comer.
Eyes nonetheless on Frankfort?
There was a second throughout Comer’s second interview on NBC’s Meet The Press that caught the ears of some Kentucky observers.
In referencing Republicans’ push to chop spending from the federal funds, he referred to plans for the “state authorities.”
“That was a inform, that was a Freudian slip, that was vital. The man’s thoughts remains to be on Frankfort. He lives in Frankfort for God’s sake, and his political trajectory has all the time been governor,” Al Cross, longtime Kentucky political observer and director of the Institute for Rural Journalism and Group Points, stated. “Serving as chair of the oversight committee investigating the President United States could be very probably to assist him when it comes to political stature, and he can use that nonetheless he desires.”
“I feel he would nonetheless choose to make use of it to grow to be governor quite than senator,” Cross added.
Comer gained’t say that, precisely. However he’ll let you know: his coronary heart’s in Frankfort, and so is his household.
Comer’s residence in Frankfort turned a speaking level when the new Republican-drawn redistricting maps for the state were unveiled in early 2022. His new district, which existed largely in Western Kentucky and elements of South-Central Kentucky was reconfigured to snake as much as Central Kentucky and snag Franklin County as its northernmost level.
Comer and his spouse, T.J., bought a house there in 2012 after he was elected commissioner of agriculture. He’s not shy about the truth that his household – which, to be clear, contains himself – lives there and considers it house. However when requested about how the district received to be what it was, he defers to Central Kentucky’s Rep. Andy Barr.
“I had so as to add inhabitants and Barr needed to shed inhabitants. For no matter motive, he selected to shed Franklin County… I didn’t aggressively pursue Franklin County,” Comer stated.
A spokesman for Barr’s workplace didn’t immediately reply to Comer’s assertion, saying “we defer to the (state) legislators liable for drawing the map to reply questions on the way it was constructed.” These legislators have lengthy stayed mum on political calculations that will or might not have influenced their map-drawing.
Comer nonetheless owns a home and a substantial chunk of land in Monroe County, the place he says he votes and can all the time contemplate house.
That begs the query of whether or not he’s tempted to remain the place his children and spouse are, and when the following alternative to take action may come up.
If Beshear wins reelection, a couple of of essentially the most promising Republicans within the state – Cameron, Craft and Quarles – shall be licking their wounds and probably pivoting to different jobs or elected workplace. Comer, some Republicans say, could be a surefire wager for the GOP nomination in 2027.
Comer’s identify has not typically been mentioned in lists of potential politicians to succeed McConnell, however his profile has risen astronomically in a short while.
Circuit Choose David Williams, a former state Senate president and fierce ally of Comer’s following a deathbed request from Comer’s grandfather, stated the sky’s the restrict for Comer, however “there’ll by no means be anyone like McConnell. He was a transformative determine.”
As for the governorship: “I don’t see anyone that may have extra potential,” Williams stated. “Does Jamie need to be within the U.S. Senate? I’ve by no means talked to him about it, however you certain don’t need to be an individual that speculates about changing (McConnell) whereas he’s nonetheless making his determination. I don’t suppose that’d be a really wholesome place to be, if you recognize what I imply.”
After all, as a lot as James Comer is the person of the second in Washington, he’s nonetheless in some methods a person of 2015 in Kentucky. That’s when he misplaced to Bevin by the thinnest of margins within the GOP main for governor. Lots of that needed to do with allegations from Comer’s college ex-girlfriend, who stated that Comer hit her once they dated, was emotionally abusive and drove her to a clinic in Louisville in 1991 to have an abortion. When requested about these allegations, Comer’s press workforce referred to previous statements and denials the congressman has made.
“I give it some thought lots,” Comer stated of the 2015 final result. “If 42 individuals had voted in a different way, I’d have gained the first. That’s 42, out of 1 / 4 of 1,000,000 that voted that day.”
It’s additionally attainable for Comer to grow to be the main voice and kingmaker in Kentucky’s Republican celebration whereas operating for governor as a substitute of Senator, or by staying put in Congress.
However there’s potential for pitfalls. Being chairman of such a distinguished committee is not only a chance for Comer to lift his profile; it’s additionally a job the place he may make a idiot of himself, stated former Democratic state auditor Adam Edelen. Edelen, who stated he likes Comer personally, shares an investigatory historical past with Comer, as Comer assisted his investigation into the conduct of Comer’s commissioner of agriculture predecessor, former University of Kentucky basketball star Richie Farmer.
Changing into a caricature may hinder Comer’s choices, even in a conservative state like Kentucky, Edelen stated.
“He must be very cautious about changing into a Saturday Evening Reside caricature of himself. You’ve seen this man whose popularity in Kentucky was for bridge constructing, however now it appears to me like he’s gonna spend his subsequent couple of years burning bridges and embracing conspiracy principle. Which will serve him very effectively in Washington or Kentucky, however I assume that continues to be an open query.”
Edelen, who was elected to his statewide workplace the identical time as Comer and in addition had gubernatorial ambitions, stated that he believes that Comer would have gained the 2015 basic election and would nonetheless be governor as we speak if not for these 83 votes.
However there’s an irony to the way in which issues have labored out, Comer stated.
“I’m increased up than I might have been if I have been governor of Kentucky. I don’t suppose Andy Beshear has the profile that I’ve proper now, and I don’t suppose (in 2023) throughout that governor’s race, any of these candidates could have wherever close to the profile that I’ve,” Comer stated. “… I’ve received an incredible alternative to speak about what Republicans need to do – not simply what the Oversight Committee is gonna do, however what the convention goes to do. I don’t suppose I might have that chance as governor.”
Austin Horn is a politics reporter for the Lexington Herald-Chief. He beforehand labored for the Frankfort State Journal and Nationwide Public Radio. Horn has roots in each Woodford and Martin Counties.
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