Can't Lose Democratic Primary in KY Sixth

Democratic voters in Kentucky's Sixth Congressional District have a candidate bounty for once:  Three strong progressive candidates who would each represent a first for the District: a woman, a gay man and a black man. 

 

Amy McGrath would be just the second woman elected to Congress from Kentucky. The Third District (Louisville) elected repug Ann Northup to several terms back in the oughts, for reasons passing understanding.

 

Jim Gray is openly gay, something so boring these days that news coverage hardly mentions it.  But it would be a statewide first to send him to Congress.

 

Reggie Thomas is a reliable progressive vote in the General Assembly and as an African American would be another Congressional first for Kentucky.  He might energize the black vote all over the state if he won the primary.

 

It's a win-win Democratic primary for Central Kentucky and a giant step forward into the future for the state if any one of the three goes on to beat straight white male Candy Barr in November.

From the Herald:

Jim Gray pitched experience. Amy McGrath pitched a new generation of leadership. Reggie Thomas pitched a progressive future.

With a little more than a month to go before the May 22nd primary, the hourlong Hey Kentucky! Debate at Transylvania University Wednesday marked the first time the three major candidates in the Democratic primary for the Sixth Congressional District took the stage in front of a television audience.

Those three candidates — Lexington Mayor Jim Gray, retired Lt. Col. Amy McGrath and State Sen. Reggie Thomas — largely agree on the issues. All of them said health care was a top priority. They’re for increasing the minimum wage, changing gun laws and each of them added that they had supported Hillary Clinton in the last presidential race and primary.

That general consensus has forced the candidates to focus on the traits that define them, namely their backgrounds, to separate themselves from the pack and make their case for why they think they’ll beat U.S. Rep. Andy Barr, R-Lexington, in November.

KY-06 Officially a Free-for-All

You just relax, Candy.  Four dems in the primary means you can skate to re-election.  Pay no attention to money-raising and the Democratic voter enthusiasm and the candidate-strengthening effect of a primary fight.  You're cruisin'.

From the Herald:

After months of will-he, won’t-he whispering among Kentucky Democrats, Lexington Mayor Jim Gray made it official early Tuesday: He’s running for Congress.

“We need to bring people together; we need to reach across partisan lines,” Gray said as he launched his campaign in Berea. “This is why I’m running for Congress. Lexington, fortunately, is on the right path. Our country is not. And this is the time for citizens, for leaders to step up.”

Gray enters the race as the presumed favorite in a Democratic field that includes former Marine Corps fighter pilot Amy McGrath, state Sen. Reggie Thomas and perennial candidate Geoff Young. 

The winner of the May primary will take on U.S. Rep. Andy Barr, a Lexington Republican in his third term in Congress.

Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/news/politics-government/article188086754.html#storylink=cpy