Grimes takes stance of a working-class Democrat

This year’s midterm election is expected to be a turning point in American politics. Republicans are predicted to take control of the Senate, potentially gaining a complete stranglehold on Capitol Hill. This could pose serious problems for the Democratic president, who already had to deal with the least productive Congress in U.S. history last year.

The race has been heated from the very beginning, and with classes starting this week it is the perfect time for UK students to get involved and express their opinions. It’s also a time when students should look at the issues on which the candidates are focusing that could have an impact on all of us.

Not surprisingly, the biggest issue of the Senate race has been the Kentucky coal industry. Coal has been the staple business in Appalachia for generations, but coal production has taken big hits in recent years as a result of stricter regulations by the Environmental Protection Agency, such as the regulation proposed earlier this year that would reduce carbon dioxide from coal plants by 30 percent by 2030.

Grimes seems to have taken a more traditional, working-class Democrat stance by promising to support a reinvestment in coal rather than taking a more liberal approach by supporting attempts to curb climate change. This shouldn’t be a surprise, as no Senate candidate from any party could ever come out against coal production in Kentucky and have a chance of winning. Whether or not Grimes will put her money where her mouth is when she enters office remains to be seen, if in fact she wins.

One of the areas in which Grimes could steal votes from McConnell is with the support of young Kentuckians, particularly young women. Grimes has always claimed to be a strong pro-choice politician, and has supported equal pay for women in the past. She has criticized McConnell for not doing enough to support the fight for gender equality, particularly pointing to the Violence Against Women Act for which McConnell did not vote.

Grimes has received support from many Democrats high on the political food chain, including Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, who visited the University of Louisville with Grimes. She has also received support from former President Bill Clinton, who visited Lexington with her earlier this month. Grimes once stated that she aspires to be a Democrat more in line with President Clinton than President Obama. This was a smart political move, as President Obama is highly unpopular in the bluegrass state, whereas Clinton was the last Democrat to win the state of Kentucky in a presidential election.

One tricky obstacle for Grimes in this race is how new she is to national politics. Voters will have a hard time judging her past voting history because it’s so limited compared to McConnell’s. So if they choose to vote for her they’ll mostly be taking her at her word. Only time will tell if this will help or hinder her chances.

For a column about the talking points of incumbent Mitch McConnell, see:

http://50.63.25.108/2014/08/26/mcconnell-appeals-to-traditional-kentuckians/

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