Statement from U.S. Senate Candidate Representative Charles Booker on Governor Beshear's State of the Commonwealth

Statement

"It is refreshing to see that real leadership has returned to the Governor's office. Governor Beshear's vision for the Commonwealth is shared by thousands of Kentuckians from Paducah to Pikeville. This dramatic change in leadership is exactly what the Commonwealth needs and I want to go to Washington so that I can be a partner for Governor Beshear and help him accomplish these goals.

"I can't tell you how many times as a Type I diabetic that my wife and I have sat around the kitchen table basing our family budget around my need for life saving insulin. This should not be a line item in the family budget that is so expensive that you have to decide between the medication or the mortgage.

"Healthcare is a human right and we need to ensure that everyone is guaranteed the opportunity to obtain the care they need because lives matter more than a bottom line number. We need leaders that stand up for us when we need them most, and that means when we are most vulnerable. I know that as a Senator I will fight night and day to make sure your children, your parents, your neighbors receive the affordable care that we all deserve.

"As I have traveled the Commonwealth, I have heard the stories of family farms fighting to survive while we fight a bitter trade war with no end in sight. Like Governor Beshear, I'm going to fight for the future of agriculture and honor the hardworking men and women that feed our country with the dignity that they deserve. I want to champion investment for our farmers so that they can prosper and have the tools necessary to compete in a changing global climate.

"Our politics are broken, and Mitch McConnell is the architect of dysfunction. In the 35 years in the Senate, he has created more vehicles for dark money than we could ever imagine. His fingerprints spread across voter suppression laws across the country. We can no longer tolerate the exclusion of our friends and neighbors after they have served their penance. The restoration of voting rights is an immeasurable act to welcome them back to the society that needs to hear their voice so that their mistakes and our own, are not repeated.

"In the coming months, I look forward to working with Governor Beshear and the thousands of allies and supporters that my campaign has cultivated these last few months. Our movement has grown and is blossoming into what we all want: A Commonwealth Worth Fighting For."

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