12th District State Representative

KENTUCKY STATE REPRESENTATIVE, 12TH DISTRICT

Editor’s note: Multiple attempts to reach Arthur McLaughlin, the Democratic candidate for 12th District State Representative, were unsuccessful. Candidate profi les have been edited only for spelling, grammar and punctuation, and otherwise appear as submitted.

DATE OF BIRTH April 13, 1951

ADDRESS 806 Princeton St., Providence, KY 42450

EDUCATION BS in business administration, Western Kentucky University (1972)

OCCUPATION Insurance Agent

POLITICAL PARTY Republican

ELECTED OFFICES HELD Mayor, City of Providence (1982-1986); State Representative, 12th District (1995-present)

SPOUSE/PARTNER & CHILDREN Wife Alta Gooch

JIM GOOCH

What are three issues that would be your top priorities, if you were elected?

Responsible Budgeting: We are constitutionally required to pass a budget. This year’s will have to see Kentucky through COVID-19 and economic recovery.

Energy Independence: We must continue offering the cheapest, most reliable electricity to make this the best place to live and work.

Preparing for Work: Bringing industry and education together to prepare Kentuckians for good jobs.

Are prefi led bills overseeing or limiting the governor’s emergency powers eff ectively usurping the governor’s role during states of emergency? What do you think the legislature’s role is during a state of emergency?

Our constitution is clear — only the legislature makes laws. The legislature passed the emergency powers law to deal with short-term emergencies, not to lead the state without the legislature or judiciary for eight months. We must re-evaluate; we will do so with a bill I prefi led.

How would you rate the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic?

We initially responded well. However, the administration failed to quickly develop a plan to reopen safely. This happens when a leader doesn’t work with others.

What would you do to improve delivery of services to people seeking unemployment assistance in the future?

Unemployment insurance is the single greatest failure of government in my lifetime. The administration made promises but didn’t act quickly to keep them. We went from record low unemployment to thousands of claims overnight; you can’t expect the same system to work.

FEATURING CANDIDATES in this voters guide