by , @Joe_Gerth –

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(Photo: Scan of mailer)

Republican Jason Nemes is crying foul over a campaign mailer from incumbent state Rep. Ron Crimm that seems to imply that he has won the Courier-Journal’s endorsement.

Nemes, a lawyer in Louisville, is challenging Crimm in the May 17 GOP primary.

“I think it’s an indication that he will say anything to get elected,” Nemes, 38, said in an interview.

Crimm, 81, through a campaign consultant, denied any wrongdoing.

“This piece is in no way trying to fool the voters,” said Phil Ammon, who created the mail piece for Crimm.

The mailer landed in mailboxes last week and features a list of past endorsements that Crimm has won during his 10 terms in office and, off to the side, it includes The Courier-Journal’s masthead and snipped from a 2012 editorial when the newspaper endorsed him over Democrat Rick Hiles.

That editorial called Crimm “a businessman who has been an accessible and faithful advocate for his constituents. He deserves re-election” after his Democratic opponent didn’t show up for an editorial board interview.

The mail piece doesn’t expressly say that the editorial endorsement was from a past election cycle, nor does it include a date that the editorial ran.

The newspaper has not made any endorsements in this year’s primary elections for state representative.

Also, the mailer also lists eight other past endorsements, including one from the Associated General Contractors. Ron Wolf, director of external relations for the organization, said the AGC political action committee has endorsed Nemes in the race.

Ammon noted that the mailer says that the list of endorsements was from past elections and not from the current year and that Crimm had, in fact, won all the endorsements listed.

“Basically, he’s proud of his past work with all of these associations and organizations,” he said, adding that Crimm didn’t have time to go out and seek endorsements because he was busy working in the state legislature.

Nemes would hear nothing of it, thought. “He’s trying to trick voters into thinking those past endorsements are current endorsements,” he said.

Reporter Joseph Gerth can be reached at (502) 582-4702. His email address is [email protected].