![]() ![]() His opponent, former Marine fighter pilot Amy McGrath, was recruited by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N,Y.) and beat Booker by less than three points after out-raising him 40-to-1-only to lose to Sen. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) endorsed his campaign to represent Kentuckians "from the hood to the holler." "That's not freedom."īooker's primary campaign last year was largely ignored by the Democratic establishment, while progressives including Sen. Lawmakers like Paul have "freedom to rob us, freedom to tell us that we don't deserve better and all we can ever afford to have are politicians who don't care whether we live or die," said Booker. The progressive leader's message in the video centered on freedom-which "so many people across Kentucky and across the country" have fought for while being governed by "politicians who have been free to exploit us." I’ve lived the struggle other politicians just talk about." -Charles Bookerīooker released a video announcement on social media Thursday morning ahead of a rally at the Kentucky Center for African American Heritage in West Louisville, a majority-Black neighborhood he says the Democrats have historically neglected and taken for granted during elections. "I grew up in the West End of Louisville, and for years, I lived in the poorest zip code in the Commonwealth. There are 10 Democrats vying for the nomination.Įleanor Klibanoff contributed to this report.A year after his narrow Senate primary loss to an ultimately unsuccessful centrist candidate hand-picked by Democratic leaders, former Kentucky state legislator Charles Booker announced Thursday that he will again challenge assumptions about how the Democratic Party can win elections in the state, launching his 2022 campaign against Sen. In the legislature he’s fought for gun safety, criminal justice reform and abortion rights.ĭemocratic voters can weigh in during the June 23rd primary election either by mail-in ballot, or with limited in-person voting due to the coronavirus pandemic. He supports Medicare For All, the Green New Deal and universal basic income. In a recent ad, he went after McGrath, suggesting that she’d just help Trump get his way.ĭemocrats running statewide elections in increasingly-Republican Kentucky usually worry about straying too far from the center.īut policy-wise, Booker is a progressive. She’s also said she would work with President Donald Trump on some issues.īooker is betting on those voters showing up for him. ![]() She initially said she would have voted to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, then retracted it. He also received endorsements this week from the state’s two largest newspapers.Īnd many progressive voters have become dissatisfied with McGrath. Last month, Booker was endorsed by 1 6 Democratic members in the state House of Representatives, including House Minority Leader Joni Jenkins. Mike Broihier Fights Uphill Battle In Kentucky Senate Primary By then, there was already a high profile candidate in the Democratic race to take on Mitch McConnell - Amy McGrath, the retired Marine fighter pilot who has gotten national attention and raised millions of dollars. And I said you know what, I cannot sit down,” Booker said.īooker has been running for Senate since January. I thought about Kentuckians like you all that never sit down, that never give up, that fight every day. “I thought about my grandad, who fought to desegregate his job back in Louisville. Then a couple months later at an event in Paducah before the annual Fancy Farm political event, Booker said the incident reminded him of other times in history people were told to sit down. Shortly after, Booker said the incident showed “just how real and present racism and supremacy are in our lives.” Randy Bridges yelled at Booker to “sit down” during a debate on the House Floor. Though he’s only been in the legislature for about a year and a half, Booker has been a voice for people frustrated with racism and injustice.Īnd he’s spoken out about it, like last year, when Paducah Republican Rep. I would jump in front of them for y’all, I don’t care,” Booker said. He’s 35 years old and has lived in west Louisville his whole life. Booker is a freshman state representative.
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