It's Barbecue Season in Kentucky
It takes someone with a long political memory to recall Wendell Fords famous Bean Soup dinners. Ford, considered one of the most successful Kentucky politicians of the last century, helped build his base of support by breaking cornbread with voters across the state during his successful run for Governor in 1971.
Ford, who went on to serve four terms as a U.S. Senator, took back the Governors Mansion from the Republicans, who in 1967 had elected Louie B. Nunn as the first GOP governor in Kentucky in decades. Thanks in part to Fords folksy campaigning style, Ford took back the Governors Mansion for the Democratic Party.
 Fast forward to today, and Bruce Lunsford is honoring the Democratic Party tradition with a plan to unseat a Republican governor. Bruce and running mate Greg Stumbo are hosting BBQ dinners all across the state.
This is an opportunity for Bruce and Greg to meet voters where they live and talk about the issues important to them. It's a chance to have a straightforward, honest discussion of the issues and the vision Bruce and Greg have for the state.
It's a rare thing in politics, that voters get a chance to look leaders in the eye and size them up. It's even more unusual for leaders to listen.
The first Bluegrass BBQ was in Louisville, at the St. Matthews Community Center, and a capacity crowd of about 200 people came out to meet the candidates, shake their hands and ask questions on topics ranging from the soaring cost of health care to fighting drug abuse to the rising cost of education.
On Monday, another 50 folks turned out in Elizabethtown for a town-hall type of meeting in which Bruce and Greg continued their conversation with voters about the Blueprint for Change The Plan to Put Kentucky Back in Business.
Bruce and Greg will host two more Bluegrass BBQs this week: one in Lexington on Wednesday and one in Somerset on Thursday. Click here for more details and to RSVP.
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Posted by: on 03/27/2007 at 3:00 p.m.
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