The Associated Press

LEXINGTON - Bill Garmer's election as state Democratic chairman was ratified at the party's convention Saturday after a lobbying effort to replace him with former Miss America Heather French Henry fizzled.

Henry and her husband, former Lt. Gov. Steve Henry, said she did not initiate a campaign or ask any delegate to support her, but would have considered a draft if there had been a deadlock over whether to keep or replace Garmer.

Garmer, a trial lawyer from Lexington, was elected by the party's State Central Committee in January. Party rules called for a ratification vote at the convention, though many in the party said there should be an open election.

Whatever momentum might have been built for a dump-Garmer movement, the air went out of it after U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler made the motion for ratification and gave Garmer a ringing endorsement.

State Auditor Crit Luallen and Treasurer Jonathan Miller also endorsed Garmer in preliminary speeches. One constitutional officer who did not - Attorney General Greg Stumbo - said Heather Henry would be an excellent chairwoman.

Chandler was the party's nominee for governor last year. To challenge the ratification motion would have looked like a slap at Chandler, Stumbo said.