www.kftc.org | September 2020
2020 KENTUCKY general ELECTION VOTER GUIDE – northern kentucky | 41
U.S. Senate Democrat Amy McGrath, Libertarian Brad Barron and Write-In Randall Lee Teegarden are challenging Republican incumbent Mitch McConnell for one of Kentucky’s U.S. Senate seats. Thanks to McGrath for responding to KFTC’s candidate survey. Amy McGrath www.amymcgrath.com www.facebook.com/ AmyMcGrathKY
What’s your vision for Kentucky? How will the lives of Kentuckians be improved as a result of your time in office? What Congressional committees will you request to serve on once elected? Amy McGrath: I’m running because like most Kentuckians, I’ve had enough of the D.C. establishment and the dysfunction where nothing gets done. If we keep the same people in power, nothing will change. Mitch McConnell is everything that is wrong with Washington. Kentucky needs a new generation of leaders, specifically someone who has worked in the 21st century global economy and world. I am running for Kentucky’s future, for my kids’ future. Working Kentucky families demand and deserve respect, and I will work to ensure their voices and concerns are heard in D.C. Let’s just take one example, many Kentuckians have to decide whether they can pay the rent or pay for their prescription medication each month. I’ll be a senator who will not be bought off by Big Pharma and will actually fight to get these prices down. We need to put country over party and take on the special interests running Washington. Brad Barron, Randall Lee Teegarden and Mitch McConnell: did not respond.
Federal aid efforts to buffer us from the impacts of COVID were late, inadequate, and often most helpful to those of us who needed the least support, highlighting the inequity embedded in our safety net systems, our economy, and our tax structure. How would you create a more
equitable economy – with a federal tax where everyone pays their fair share and that delivers support to under-resourced communities, and allows everyone to thrive? Amy McGrath: The coronavirus pandemic has exposed cracks in our economic, health and political systems and shown how much work needs to be done to prepare us for and protect us from the threats of the 21st century. Our responses moving forward must be focused on both safety and equity. In the immediate future, Congress needs to focus on taking action that secures our economy, protects our workers, invests in our democracy, and rescues our state and local governments. In the long term, I want to chart a way forward for our state that will help create a more equitable economy through making sure every Kentuckian, regardless of employment or income level, has access to health care and affordable prescription drugs and addressing the lack of educational opportunities that prevent our young people from having the fair shot they deserve. In addition, Kentucky deserves a leader who will work toward fair and comprehensive tax reform. The only thing Sen. McConnell did when he led his party and it had the full power of both chambers and the presidency was to pass a bill that showered massive tax cuts and benefits on corporations and the wealthiest 1%. I am not bought off by … answer exceeds word limit Brad Barron, Randall Lee Teegarden and Mitch McConnell: did not respond.
What would you do to make sure that every Kentuckian has quality, affordable health care so that they can get and stay healthy? What are your health-related legislative priorities, and what approaches to health care coverage do you support? Do you support Medicare For All? Amy McGrath: I believe that a public option would guarantee that everyone, regardless of employment status or income level, would have access to health care and would lower the prices for all Americans because private insurers would need to compete with Uncle Sam’s plan. For the duration of the pandemic, I believe this plan should be heavily subsidized and all Amercians under the 200% poverty line and who lose their employer-based health insurance should be automatically enrolled so that they don’t fall through the cracks. I also remain committed to fixing, in a bipartisan way, the problems with the Affordable Care Act, which brought down Kentucky’s uninsured rate in a dramatic way. The average Kentuckian spends over $2,000 annually on prescription medications—the second highest in the nation. We must address the rising … answers continued on next page
