Bates Capitol Group

Bates Capitol Group is named an"Emerging Business of the Year" Finalist by Business First. Dec. 2, 2006. To read the article, click here.
Hunter Bates is featured in Business First's 40 Under 40. Sept. 2006. To read the article, click here.

Fletcher's ex-running mate gets on with life

SINCE LAWSUIT, BATES CONSULTS, WORKS FOR LAW FIRM

By Bruce Schreiner

ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

LOUISVILLE - In early 2003, Hunter Bates was a rising Republican star. The youthful-looking protege of Sen. Mitch McConnell had gone from political operative to candidate for lieutenant governor.

Then came a lawsuit during the heat of the Republican gubernatorial primary challenging whether Bates met residency requirements because of his time in Washington, D.C., as a lawyer and McConnell aide.

An Oldham County judge ruled against Bates, and instead of appealing, the Harvard-educated lawyer
dropped off the ticket with Ernie Fletcher -- who went on to become Kentucky's first GOP governor in a
generation.

Seventeen months later, Bates insists he doesn't dwell on the setback that denied him election to Kentucky's No. 2 office, now occupied by Steve Pence, Fletcher's choice as a replacement on the ticket.

"My view in life is that we should always look forward, not back, and that we should count the gains and not the losses," Bates said in a recent interview.

Bates, 36, has carved out a new life since then. He works for a prestigious law firm in Louisville. He formed his own consulting business, which represents some of Kentucky's largest corporate interests. He and his wife, Jennifer, are busy with their two children. Fletcher appointed him to the board of regents at Eastern Kentucky University, where Bates got his undergraduate degree.

And he's still involved in politics. He's a delegate at this week's Republican National Convention in New York. He is statewide grassroots chairman of the Bush-Cheney campaign. And he stood in for Fletcher as a member of the platform committee at the Republican convention.

Looking back on the court case that cost him the lieutenant governorship, Bates said it was his decision to quit the race.

"I believe that taking that issue up on multiple appeals was not in the best interest of Ernie Fletcher or in the best interest of Kentucky getting the right man as governor," Bates said. "And that was the only consideration I had."

Still, it was a time of anguish for Bates, a Whitley County native who had been chief of staff and campaign manager for McConnell. One Sunday morning, his pregnant wife was served with a subpoena compelling her to testify at a hearing on the lawsuit. Bates said it was "probably the only time I got angry in the whole process."

Bates said writing the withdrawal speech was "by far the most difficult professional decision I've ever had to make.It was the right thing to do, but just because it was right didn't make it easy," he said.

Reflecting on the legal fight, Fletcher said recently he was willing to appeal because the matter "was larger than just that race." He said the court ruling could leave others who, like Bates, spent time outside Kentucky, in limbo.

"At some point, I would hope that we get some sort of declaratory judgment on the residential requirements of a gubernatorial or lieutenant gubernatorial candidate because I think the ruling was wrong," he said.

Bates said he holds no grudges about the lawsuit, filed by a University of Louisville student but joined
-- and largely taken over -- by Bob Heleringer, running mate of Steve Nunn. They made up a rival slate in the 2003 Republican gubernatorial primary.

As for his future, Bates said he's "never had a political master plan," but he doesn't rule out running for elective office again.Fletcher and McConnell both said Bates' future is bright. Fletcher said he would support Bates if he seeks office again.

"He realizes that you have to wait for the right timing and the right opportunity, and he has the patience to do that," Fletcher said.

McConnell said Bates will "be one of the top leaders of that generation for our party in the future. And I fully expect that we'll hear from him again."