TREETON, Monomi--The chances of winning the 2010 Monomi gubernatorial election were "exceedingly slim," former embattled Gov. Erica Kinsley (N) said over the weekend.
Kinsley, who inherited the governorship after Scott King Jr. was recalled in early 2010, spoke in-depth for the first time about her rocky tenure and her stunning defeat in the 2010 primary election against Nationalist businessman Dave Jandon.
In an interview with the Treeton Sun, the former governor, who was toppled in the NAT primary by Jandon, said the likelihood of winning the primary and general elections was a "long-shot."
"It would've been a long-shot to win the primary against Dave Jandon, and then to go on to win the general election against a momentous Conservative candidate, I think that would've been even more of a long-shot," Kinsley said.
However, Kinsley told the Sun she would have been a stronger candidate than Jandon.
"I probably still would have lost to John Densy, but I wouldn't have lost 65 percent to 35 percent like Dave Jandon did. It would have been a much closer race if I were going up head-to-head against John Densy."
Kinsley also addressed the very public unraveling of her relationship with her former boss, the ousted-Scott King.
"It was very painful, really, all the way around. I did not want to disavow Scott King. I did not want to come out against him and disassociate myself with him. He was my boss, he was my partner, he was my friend. And I admired him and his service to the state of Monomi," said Kinsley.
"But, I had to, politically, I had no choice. When a public official is facing such overwhelming and serious allegations of ethics violations and breaches of the law, you can't stand behind someone in that situation. You have to make a public relations call and an ethical decision to not back someone in that position."
Kinsley's relationship with King has softened, somewhat, over the past two years. The two are now on speaking terms and are civil with one another, though they are not as close as they once were.
"After the election was over, Scott and I met, and we talked. I told him how I felt I had no option but to call for his resignation and ask for him to step down. I also told him I thought it was hurtful that he backed my opponent in the primary race. But, we both admitted that there were some hurt feelings and some unmitigated emotions that needed to be addressed. And we got it out in the open and out on the table and talked about it. And that brought a lot of closure," she said.
Ultimately, the allegations of prostitution and corruption against Scott King were dismissed, and state and federal officials declined to indict the governor due to a lack of evidence.
King survived an unsuccessful impeachment attempt from the state Senate, but was recalled by the voters in a special election, an action Kinsley supported at the time.
She remains adamant that she does not regret calling for King's resignation, but she does regret supporting the recall election that took him out of office.
"I really do wish I would not have jumped on that band wagon. I did so because I thought it would bring closure to the issue and end the scandal. It did end the scandal, but it prolonged it and made it drawn out. It would have been better for the state, in hindsight, and would have saved a lot of money, if we would have just left Scott King in office for the remainder of his term," she said.
She has no regrets about her campaign for re-election, however, and she is looking to the future in her personal and professional life.
"I don't have any regrets about my time as governor. I feel that I did a good job governing. And my campaign was well-conducted. But I am looking forward. I want to better my relationship with Scott King and the other leaders that I may have alienated during that time. And I want to move forward in my own career, on to other opportunities."
When asked if those "other opportunities" included a future run for office, Kinsley declined to say.
"I'm happy where I'm at right now."
Kinsley, who inherited the governorship after Scott King Jr. was recalled in early 2010, spoke in-depth for the first time about her rocky tenure and her stunning defeat in the 2010 primary election against Nationalist businessman Dave Jandon.
In an interview with the Treeton Sun, the former governor, who was toppled in the NAT primary by Jandon, said the likelihood of winning the primary and general elections was a "long-shot."
"It would've been a long-shot to win the primary against Dave Jandon, and then to go on to win the general election against a momentous Conservative candidate, I think that would've been even more of a long-shot," Kinsley said.
However, Kinsley told the Sun she would have been a stronger candidate than Jandon.
"I probably still would have lost to John Densy, but I wouldn't have lost 65 percent to 35 percent like Dave Jandon did. It would have been a much closer race if I were going up head-to-head against John Densy."
Kinsley also addressed the very public unraveling of her relationship with her former boss, the ousted-Scott King.
"It was very painful, really, all the way around. I did not want to disavow Scott King. I did not want to come out against him and disassociate myself with him. He was my boss, he was my partner, he was my friend. And I admired him and his service to the state of Monomi," said Kinsley.
"But, I had to, politically, I had no choice. When a public official is facing such overwhelming and serious allegations of ethics violations and breaches of the law, you can't stand behind someone in that situation. You have to make a public relations call and an ethical decision to not back someone in that position."
Kinsley's relationship with King has softened, somewhat, over the past two years. The two are now on speaking terms and are civil with one another, though they are not as close as they once were.
"After the election was over, Scott and I met, and we talked. I told him how I felt I had no option but to call for his resignation and ask for him to step down. I also told him I thought it was hurtful that he backed my opponent in the primary race. But, we both admitted that there were some hurt feelings and some unmitigated emotions that needed to be addressed. And we got it out in the open and out on the table and talked about it. And that brought a lot of closure," she said.
Ultimately, the allegations of prostitution and corruption against Scott King were dismissed, and state and federal officials declined to indict the governor due to a lack of evidence.
King survived an unsuccessful impeachment attempt from the state Senate, but was recalled by the voters in a special election, an action Kinsley supported at the time.
She remains adamant that she does not regret calling for King's resignation, but she does regret supporting the recall election that took him out of office.
"I really do wish I would not have jumped on that band wagon. I did so because I thought it would bring closure to the issue and end the scandal. It did end the scandal, but it prolonged it and made it drawn out. It would have been better for the state, in hindsight, and would have saved a lot of money, if we would have just left Scott King in office for the remainder of his term," she said.
She has no regrets about her campaign for re-election, however, and she is looking to the future in her personal and professional life.
"I don't have any regrets about my time as governor. I feel that I did a good job governing. And my campaign was well-conducted. But I am looking forward. I want to better my relationship with Scott King and the other leaders that I may have alienated during that time. And I want to move forward in my own career, on to other opportunities."
When asked if those "other opportunities" included a future run for office, Kinsley declined to say.
"I'm happy where I'm at right now."
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