, ▁as ▁Chair man ▁of ▁the ▁Blue ▁Rib bon ▁Commission ▁on ▁Government al ▁E ffic iency ▁and ▁Organ ization . ▁ ▁L uns ford ▁has ▁contributed ▁thousands ▁of ▁dollars ▁to ▁both ▁Democr ats ▁and ▁Republic ans ▁over ▁a ▁period ▁of ▁twenty ▁years . ▁ ▁L uns ford ▁was ▁a ▁Democratic ▁candidate ▁for ▁Governor ▁of ▁Kentucky ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁His ▁running ▁mate ▁was ▁Greg ▁St um bo , ▁Att orney ▁General ▁of ▁Kentucky . ▁L uns ford ▁placed ▁second ▁in ▁the ▁primary ▁to ▁Steve ▁Bes he ar . ▁L uns ford ▁won ▁just ▁over ▁ 7 4 , 0 0 0 ▁votes ▁( 2 1 % ), ▁be ating ▁former ▁Lieutenant ▁Governor ▁of ▁Kentucky ▁Steve ▁Henry ▁and ▁Spe aker ▁of ▁the ▁Kentucky ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives ▁J ody ▁Rich ards , ▁but ▁finishing ▁far ▁behind ▁winner ▁Bes he ar ' s ▁ 1 4 2 , 0 0 0 + ▁votes ▁( 4 1 %). [ 4 ] ▁▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁campaign ▁for ▁United ▁States ▁Senate ▁ ▁Primary ▁election ▁On ▁January ▁ 2 9 , ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁L uns ford ▁announced ▁that ▁he ▁would ▁run ▁in ▁the ▁Democratic ▁primary ▁in ▁hopes ▁of ▁facing ▁Mitch ▁Mc Con nell ▁in ▁the ▁general ▁election ▁for ▁the ▁Senate ▁in ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁He ▁said ▁he ▁had ▁been ▁asked ▁to ▁run ▁by ▁Kentucky ▁Governor ▁Steve ▁Bes he ar ▁and ▁that ▁he ▁did ▁not ▁expect ▁to ▁spend ▁the ▁millions ▁he ▁had ▁spent ▁on ▁his ▁campaign ▁in ▁previous