By Bruce Schreiner
The Associated Press

Lunsford

LOUISVILLE - Bruce Lunsford, a Democrat who made a fortune in the health care industry, debuted his campaign for governor Tuesday by calling for a top-to-bottom overhaul of state government.

Lunsford, a Kenton County native, distanced himself from "habitual politicians" in state government, and said he intended to finance his campaign himself.

After his kickoff rally, Lunsford said he would spend "whatever it takes," and that "at this particular stage, I'm spending my money."

He said he expected his rivals to criticize him for pouring his own millions into the race. "I say let my opponents say that while they grab the cash from the special interest groups," he told supporters. Lunsford added that he trusts "myself as a contributor; it's those political insiders that I don't trust and neither should you."

Lunsford, a CPA who holds a B.S. in accounting from University of Kentucky and a law degree from Chase Law School at Northern Kentucky University, described himself as a political outsider and lashed out at "career politicians" who he said were consumed with self-interest and dedicated only to holding power while the state's pressing needs go unmet.

"How can state government create jobs, make our schools better and improve our health care when government itself is broken," Lunsford said. "And in our case, I think it's very obvious our government is broken." As governor, Lunsford said he would reorganize state government, but he didn't offer any specifics. Lunsford said Kentucky is trying to run a 21st century government with a 1970s organization.

"We can do a better job," he said. "The people of Kentucky are just too good to have a state government this bad."

To accomplish the task, Lunsford said, he would bring "the brightest minds from Kentucky and America," and would recruit the state's public universities to offer expertise. "A learning institution that's not a doing institution is not much good," Lunsford said.

Lunsford filed as a Democratic candidate last month but without fanfare. He planned five appearances Tuesday to make the traditional new-campaign splash. From Louisville, Lunsford was going to Lexington, Hazard, Henderson and Paducah.

Lunsford is in a Democratic primary with Attorney General Ben Chandler, House Speaker Jody Richards and a Harlan County resident, Otis Hensley Jr. Lunsford's running mate is Barbara Edelman, an attorney and a former federal prosecutor from Lexington.

Lunsford was in state government once before, serving as commerce commissioner under Gov. John Y. Brown Jr., who served from 1979 to 1983.

Lunsford later founded Vencor, a company that operated nursing homes and made him a multimillionaire. It also gives him a potential liability because Vencor went bankrupt in 1999 and many other investors lost their savings.

Vencor emerged from bankruptcy as Kindred Healthcare in 2001. Kindred's nursing home properties were actually owned by Ventas Inc., a real estate investment trust of which Lunsford was chairman until he resigned last week. Kindred paid rent to Ventas.