Some Republicans are upset over the state convention earlier this month " including the congressional candidate for the district that includes Frankfort " who said the party didn't endorse him.
Jon Larson is the Republican candidate for the sixth congressional district and will face Rep. Ben Chandler, the Democratic incumbent. Larson is an attorney in Lexington and previously lost a bid for the Republican nomination for attorney general.
Many other Republican candidates were specifically endorsed at the convention, but not Larson who said he felt it was disrespectful.
"I don't dislike (RPK Chairman) Steve Robertson, I hardly know the man," Larson said. "But it didn't seem like a Democratic process to me."
Larson said he doesn't know why he did not receive an endorsement although he suspects it was because of his position on immigration. It's impossible to evict millions of illegal immigrants; instead, they should be made to pay taxes and buy insurance, he said.
"I call them America-seekers," Larson said.
The party released a copy of the endorsement resolution from the convention Monday, which stated the party supports "all Republican candidates running for office to further the principles and values of the Republican Party in the making of public policy." The convention was held in Bowling Green.
A number of individual candidates are identified, including U.S. Senators Jim Bunning and Mitch McConnell and candidates Anne Northup and Brett Guthrie. But Larson is not specifically named.
Other Republicans are also angry about how party leaders ran the convention which involved shouting, an attempt to oust the party chair, and charges that the limited debate was run by insiders, according to Republicans who attended.
Stuart Victor, chairman of the Franklin County Republican Party, said he was concerned with the way the state convention was conducted. A contingent of about 100 supporters of Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul engaged in a shouting match with Robertson.
Robertson and the agitators clashed over the rules of order, and at one point they tried to oust him as party chair.
"The convention was organized chaos," Victor said. "Nobody looked good, not the party nor the people involved."
RPK spokeswoman Andi Johnson said Robertson was unavailable to comment on the events at the state convention.
Paul has not officially withdrawn from the contest although John McCain has enough delegates to secure the nomination. Paul is a physician and member of the U.S. House but has only 24 delegates at the national convention.
The Republican National Convention is Sept. 1-4 in Minneapolis-St. Paul and Paul has acknowledged he cannot win the nomination.
John Riley, state coordinator for the campaign, said supporters tried to exert influence at the state convention although he did not attend. He said they didn't have enough support to prevail.
"I think there's a pretty clear feeling the party has lost its way," Riley said.
Paul is an advocate of conservative fiscal policy, less U.S. intervention in foreign affairs and reducing the scope of government.
Riley said his supporters were shut out of any debate at the convention and at one point, were confronted by the sergeant-at-arms, who told them to leave.
"I think there were some folks who were upset, and rightly so," Riley said.
Frank Harris is a supporter of the Paul campaign and member of the Fayette County Republican Party executive committee. He said Robertson is a very controlling chairman.
"The party is now run by nothing but insiders," Harris said.
He said a number of Paul supporters were angered by the way they were treated at the convention. Some might leave the Republican Party but others hope to bring about change from the inside, Harris said.
But, it might take a defeat at the polls before party leaders wake up, he said. Harris criticized McCain and said a number of Republicans are unhappy with his stance on immigration and the war.
"November will be a bloodbath for the Republicans, and they deserve it," he said. "They have it coming."
Former party chair Ellen Williams said Robertson tried to meet with the Paul supporters and has had engaged in dialogue with them. She said Senate President David Williams, R-Burkesville, was the last speaker at the convention and helped bring everyone back together.
"There's no point in letting things fester," Williams said.
Victor and others were first angered by the way the sixth congressional district convention was conducted. Victor was not selected as a delegate to the national convention, and supporters say it was because he had criticized Gov. Ernie Fletcher.
Robertson previously said there were only a limited number of delegate slots available and the decision was not personal.
Republicans from Franklin and Jessamine counties said the district convention was poorly organized and business was not conducted in an orderly manner. Some wrote a letter to McConnell expressing their concerns, but he did not reply.
A spokesperson said his office does not comment on letters from constituents.
Victor said he would seek a position as an at large-delegate to the national convention at the meeting in Bowling Green. He was not successful but local Republican Mark Ott was selected as an alternate.
"I am glad he got to go, he is a good Republican," Victor said.
Ott works at Lexmark and ran unsuccessfully for county judge-executive in 2006 and lost to Ted Collins.