If the Democrats are going to win back another seat in Kentucky, it's likely to be the 6th district, which includes Lexington and Frankfort and is currently held by Andy Barr, who was first elected in 2012 by ousting conservative Blue Dog Ben Chandler. It's the only red district in the state that has a PVI that isn't double-digit Republican and the only red district in the state where Obama busted through 40%. Statewide, Trump beat Hillary 62.5% to 32.7% but in KY-06 it was a less humiliating loss, "only" 54.7% to 39.4%. When Barr first beat Chandler it was 153,221 (51%) to 141,436 (47%). Let's look at how the KY-06 counties voted in the presidential primaries last cycle:
• Anderson- Bernie- 1,649; Hillary- 1,132; Trumpanzee- 560• Bath- Bernie- 641; Hillary- 628; Trumpanzee- 119• Bourbon- Bernie- 1,087; Hillary- 1,1092; Trumpanzee- 253• Clark- Bernie- 1,888; Hillary- 1,810; Trumpanzee- 797• Estill- Bernie- 440; Hillary- 1446; Trumpanzee- 313• Fayette- Bernie- 17,048; Hillary- 20,014; Trumpanzee- 3,727• Fleming- Bernie- 806; Hillary- 627; Trumpanzee- 329• Franklin- Bernie- 5,398; Hillary- 5,218; Trumpanzee- 582• Harrison- Bernie- 1,059; Hillary- 886; Trumpanzee- 265• Jessamine- Bernie- 2,113; Hillary- 1,875; Trumpanzee- 1,074• Madison- Bernie- 4,385; Hillary- 3,441; Trumpanzee- 1,625• Menifee- Bernie- 323; Hillary- 311; Trumpanzee- 96• Montgomery- Bernie- 1,322; Hillary- 1,289; Trumpanzee- 447• Nicholas- Bernie- 420; Hillary- 353; Trumpanzee- 59• Powell- Bernie- 744; Hillary- 623; Trumpanzee- 259• Robertson- Bernie- 177; Hillary- 95; Trumpanzee- 35• Scott- Bernie- 2,394; Hillary- 2,505; Trumpanzee- 912• Wolfe- Bernie- 499; Hillary- 414; Trumpanzee- 39• Woodford- Bernie- 1,918; Hillary- 1,862; Trumpanzee- 562
That doesn't look like a hopelessly red district-- and it sure isn't Trump Country! So maybe it shouldn't come as a surprise that there are a whole lot of Democratic candidates competing for the party's nomination to take on Barr, pretty much a garden variety rubber stamp for all of Paul Ryan's anti-working family agenda. The stunning introductory video up top, by Obama ad man Mark Putnam, for Amy McGrath's campaign-- which was released yesterday and is the best political ad I've seen since Randy Bryce's video was released-- tells you something about McGrath's character, if not where she stands on specific policies. If a video can win a campaign, she'll be the next congressmember from KY-06. Barr foolishly tried to label her a carpetbagger even though she left Kentucky to serve in the military and teach at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis.The other candidates include state Senator Reggie Thomas, Colmon Eldridge-- a former staffer for former Governor Steve Beshear-- Leslie Combs, a former state rep from Pikeville, possibly Lexington Mayor Jim Gray and frequent candidate Geoff Young. I was checking on their publicly-stated positions on issues and couldn't find much. But I came across something interesting on Geoff Young's website. A little background. The DCCC is doing this "let's recruit Blue Dogs and other anti-Choice candidates" now and for some reason they're blaming me for "dividing" the party. No, really, one of them called up and screamed at me yesterday. I thought Young had an interesting way for a Democrat in a red state to speak about Choice-- Reducing Abortions:
The Roe v. Wade decision in 1973 made abortion legal during the first trimester of pregnancy. The so-called “Right-To-Life” movement arose in order to overturn that decision and make all abortions illegal after conception. In 1980, the GOP put a plank in their platform calling for a constitutional amendment that would make all abortions illegal forever. It’s still in their platform, and no Republican politician ever denounces that plank as immoral, which it is.Here’s the tragedy: Making abortion illegal and hard for women to obtain actually raises the abortion rate. It means MORE abortions every year, not fewer. The proof comes from countries all over the world. I recently debated Kent Ostrander, founder of the Family Foundation of Kentucky, on the topic of “Abortion and Public Policy.” I proved that Planned Parenthood and the Democratic Party have the right strategy to reduce the abortion rate, and that we are the true pro-life Americans. Here’s Part 1 of 4 parts on YouTube:I call on every Kentuckian of good will: If you deeply desire to see the number of abortions decrease, please join Planned Parenthood and the Democratic Party today and quit supporting “Right-To-Life” and the Republican Party. Planned Parenthood is the most effective abortion-preventing, abortion-reducing organization that exists. “Right-To-Life” and the GOP, on the other hand, are pushing laws that will actually increase the number of unborn babies who will be murdered every year if more Republicans get elected. In addition, making all abortions illegal will cause many more women to die every year in illegal abortion mills. “Right-To-Life” is wrong, while Planned Parenthood and the Democratic Party are right.If you or your pastor feel I’m wrong about the issue of Planned Parenthood & abortion, please use the email message form on the “Join the team” page and try to change my mind. Better yet, if you belong to a church in the 6th District, please contact the campaign team and we’ll try to arrange for a debate on the issue. I love to spread the good news about how Planned Parenthood and the Democratic Party are helping to lower the abortion rate every day. Andy Barr claims to be “pro-life,” but he never has been and never will be as long as he stays in the GOP. The GOP is objectively pro-abortion, but Planned Parenthood and we strong Democrats are the true pro-life Americans.