Jack Conway announces bid for Kentucky governor

Pledging to run a race "about people and not politics," Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway officially announced Tuesday that he will run for governor in 2015.

The announcement came in a video release on the Internet and then interviews and a press conference in which he introduced his running mate, state Rep. Sannie Overly, D-Paris.

In the video, he laid out his agenda, calling for jo

b creation and improving education and the state's infrastructure.

"Now is not the time for inexperience or empty promises," he said.

Conway is the first Democrat to declare publicly for governor. Former Louisville Metro Council Republican Hal Heiner previously said he was seeking the office, choosing former Fayette Urban County Council member K.C. Crosbie as his running mate.

MORE |Beshear to appeal gay-marriage ruling after Conway's refusal

MORE |Bill targets Conway office's legal winnings

Conway, 44, has been positioning himself for a gubernational bid since he lost the 2010 Senate race to Republican Rand Paul. Conway easily won re-election as attorney general in 2011, beating Hopkins County Attorney Todd P'Pool.

Conway angered conservatives this year when he chose not to appeal a U.S. District Court judge's ruling that struck down a provision of state law and the Kentucky Constitution that prohibits the state from recognizing gay marriages performed elsewhere.

Conway argued that the state would likely lose the appeal and he couldn't defend the law on moral grounds. Gov. Steve Beshear hired outside counsel to challenge the court's ruling.

In an interview, Conway said he plans to begin raising money and organizing immediately. He said he has no plans to spend any of his own money on the race.

"We start in a very, very strong position," he said, noting he has strong name recognition following three statewide races.

Conway said he is running because he believes he is best suited to lead the state and has the experience to improve the state.

"I think it's a job I know how to do," Conway said. "I think we really have an opportunity to build a better future for the commonwealth of Kentucky."

Heiner's campaign took an early shot at Conway. "Career politicians like Jack Conway are responsible for keeping our commonwealth from realizing its potential," said Joe Burgan, a Heiner adviser.

"We need a governor with real world business experience, not a Frankfort insider," Burgan said.

But Conway spent the day touting his experience in Frankfort, first as an adviser to Gov. Paul Patton and then as attorney general, as well as Overly's experience as an engineer in the state transportation cabinet and then as a legislator.

Conway described his record as attorney general as "second to none" and noted his record of going after child pornographers, Medicaid cheats, prescription drug peddlers and for-profit colleges all while seeing his budget slashed.

Conway said his priority as governor would be to create jobs. But he said to do that, he'll focus on education — from preschool to college — because Kentucky needs a better educated workforce.

"Economic development flows right into that," Conway said of education.

He also called for a second round of higher education reform, the first round of which he worked on under Patton. He said the state's colleges and universities are becoming too expensive for many families and that Kentucky needs to look to more distance-learning and other initiatives. "We have to have a top to bottom review of higher education in this state," he said in the interview.

Conway also said voters need the opportunity to consider expanded gaming as a way to increase revenue.

"I think money can be found in a lot of different places," he said.

House Speaker Greg Stumbo, who is also considering a run for governor, has suggested that Conway and others should wait until after the November election to kick off their campaigns and focus now on electing Alison Lundergan Grimes to the U.S. Senate and re-electing a Democratic majority to the state House.

But Conway said he believes that setting up a strong campaign organization now could actually benefit Grimes and state House candidates. He also promised to help raise money for legislative candidates — saying that would be Overly's priority throughout the summer and fall.

"It would be very difficult to govern if we lost the House," said Conway, who said his political action committee will give to House candidates.

Conway served in Patton's administration but left before the 2002 elections to challenge Republican Anne Northup for U.S. representative from Louisville's 3rd District — losing by about 3 percentage points.

He won his first elected office in 2007 in his first try for attorney general.

State Auditor Adam Edelen, who is also considering a run, stayed out of the fray. Stephenie Hoelscher, his spokewoman said he is currently focused on auditing the Jefferson County Public Schools.

Edelen "will have more to say about 2015 when he wraps up the most significant performance examination ever conducted by the Auditor's office," she said.

Reporter Joseph Gerth can be reached at (502) 582-4702. Follow him on Twitter at @Joe_Gerth.