PADUCAH — With the heated Nov. 4 Senate election only two weeks away, Alison Lundergan Grimes brought former President Bill Clinton to western Kentucky to a crowd of 1,750 on Tuesday.
Clinton reinforced many of the themes Grimes has been highlighting during her challenge to Republican U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, including bringing more jobs to Kentucky, raising the minimum wage, securing healthcare and getting the economy in Kentucky going.
He said it is crucial student loan interest rates be lowered, so student’s can spend less time paying them back.
“This isn’t Rocket Science, it’s simple,” he told the crowd at McCracken County High School.
Clinton praised Grimes as a candidate, saying she hasn’t broken under the weight of $50 million in negative campaign ads run against her by McConnell’s campaign and Republican groups.
“We aren’t going to get anywhere hating our neighbors,” Clinton said.
Clinton ended his speech by saying Grimes has the best interest of Kentuckians at heart and that he loved the crowd. Earlier in the day, the former president was in Owensboro campaigning for Grimes.
This is the third time Clinton has campaigned for her in this year’s U.S. Senate race.
This isn’t the first time Clinton has come to Paducah, Ky. The night before the 1992 Presidential Election, he was in Paducah. He spoke of that night and recalls losing his voice and saying to the people, “If you will be my voice tomorrow, I will be your voice for the next four years.”
Grimes has tried to capitalize on Clinton’s support. While she has gone out of her way to avoid saying much about President Barack Obama, she praised Clinton – the last Democratic presidential candidate to carry Kentucky.
“I am a Clinton Democrat and that’s the kind of senator I will be for Kentucky,” Grimes said.
During her speech, Grimes showed support for term limits for U.S. senators.
“I will be handing (McConnell) his term limit on November 4th, and then we will go to Washington and work for term limits because 30 years is long enough,” Grimes said, referencing McConnell’s time in office.
Gov. Steve Beshear, former Gov. Martha Layne Collins, Attorney General Jack Conway and former Gov. Julian Carroll appeared at the rally to show support for Grimes.
Grimes said she will be a senator for the people of Kentucky and will keep their best interest in mind in Washington D.C.
“I’ve given every ounce of energy I have over the last two years, because I believe 30 years is long enough,” she said. “We have someone who has turned his back on the people of this state.”
Grimes criticized McConnell’s attendance rate during his time in office.
“If you showed up to work 7 percent of the time, you would be fired and with your help Mitch McConnell will be too,” Grimes said.
She discussed coal, one of the main issues in the election. Grimes said on McConnell’s watch, thousands of coal jobs have been lost and one of her main goals in office is to fix that loss.
Grimes touched on issues regarding rising the minimum wage, lowering student loan interest rates and strengthening the middle class in Kentucky.
She said even though her opponent claims she will be on the back of the bench on voting for important issues for the state, it will not be the case.
“This Kentucky woman will not sit on the back of the bench, no Kentucky woman ever will,” she said.
The latest Bluegrass Poll, released Monday, showed McConnell with a one-point lead over Grimes, 44-43. The poll has a 3.9-point error margin.
In the last Bluegrass Poll issued two weeks ago, Grimes had a two-point lead over McConnell. In August, McConnell had a four-point lead against his Democrat opponent.
Allison Moore, spokeswoman for McConnell’s campaign, issued the following statement in response to Grimes’ rally: “It’s a good thing there are only two weeks left until the election because Alison Lundergan Grimes’ blunder of a campaign has finally hit rock bottom. Kentuckians have already figured out that Grimes relies on false attacks and baseless claims when she has either lost her Obama policy manual, her hypocrisy has again been exposed, or when she’s trying to cover up her dad’s purchase of Silent Bob’s bus for her campaign to ride in luxury.”
Story by Rebecca Walter, News Editor
Don’t miss our story on Sen. Mitch McConnell’s visit to Murray last week. Find the story here: http://thenews.org/2014/10/17/senator-visits-local-briggs-and-stratton/
NOTE: The Murray State News does not support any political candidate. Any information in stories is a collection of information from events and/or statistics. This information does not express the view of The Murray State News as a news organization.