Charles Booker, a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, speaks with people gathered at Fine Arts Bistro in Glasgow, Ky., on Thursday, March 3, 2022.
(BRENNAN CRAIN/WCLU NEWS)
GLASGOW — Eager ears packed Fine Arts Bistro in Glasgow Thursday as U.S. Senate candidate Charles Booker made stops in southcentral Kentucky to speak with constituents.
Booker is a candidate seeking to win the Democratic nomination this May, and defeat Rand Paul in Kentucky’s General Election. Paul is the incumbent.
“I want you to be proud of your leadership in Washington because I know you feel like I do. I’m proud to be a Kentuckian,” Booker said. “I love this place. This is my home, and I’m tired of seeing us disrespected and mocked and ignored and abandoned.”
Booker launched a campaign over two years ago to win the Democratic nomination for Kentucky Senate but was defeated by Amy McGrath. He received nearly 43% of the total votes, while McGrath won about 45%. The former Kentucky representative sought to unseat longtime Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell if he made it past the 2020 primary election.
In his “Hood to the Holler” movement, Booker touts his roots in westside Louisville and seeks to “break down barriers between Kentuckians and their government,” according to his campaign website. He mentioned those roots Thursday.
“Where I come from, I come from the struggle. I was on food stamps and free lunch,” Booker said. “My mom and I were homeless at a time. My mom went without trying to feed me. Both of my parents were ministers. We always had a lot of faith but not a lot of money.”
Many in the audience asked the candidate questions, which ranged from child abuse to healthcare and some sought information about helping Booker’s campaign.
Steve Jones is an employee of CASA of Southcentral Kentucky, which is a child advocacy group. Deaths and near deaths increased by 22% in 2021, according to the state Cabinet for Health and Family Services. Jones asked Booker what help he would advocate for if elected.
“Because we have not made investments in addressing generational poverty and addressing quality healthcare, we have essentially created environments where our children are continuing to suffer all types of traumas,” Booker said.
The candidate said rising numbers of incarcerations and abuse cases correlates with some of Kentucky’s poorest homes.
Another person who identified herself as a “nurse leader” asked Booker about his position regarding capping nurses’ pay and the growing issue of staffing-to-patient ratios in Kentucky’s hospitals. She said “the profession of nursing is dying.”
“Part of why I think we need to reform our healthcare system is so that we can make sure that our nurses and practitioners are actually getting more resources and support,” Booker said. “The way it is now is very top heavy. A lot of the money goes into administrative causes. It does not go into the folks doing the work.”
Booker will appear on the May primary ballot alongside Democrats Joshua Blanton Sr., Ruth Gao and John Merrill. The primary election is Tuesday, May 17.
