One month after winning the Democratic primary for the 6th congressional district, former Lt. Amy McGrath met with Lexington Mayor Jim Gray, her former opponent. 

It was on May 22 that McGrath pulled ahead in the primary and became the Democratic candidate for the seat. On June 29, the two publicly met and expressed unification as Democrats, despite their past competition.

Gray pledged his support for McGrath during a press conference in Lexington’s Old Courthouse turned Visitor’s Center. McGrath is currently competing against Republican candidate and incumbent representative of the district Andy Barr for the seat in Congress. 

“She has fought for our country,” Gray said. “We have real tough conditions in this country today. We have a good economy, yes, but we have tough conditions. Our country is divided. This is a woman who can help bring these United States together.”

Gray said he believes McGrath is the best candidate for the seat. 

“She is doing this because she sees it as her responsibility,” Gray said. “She is tough as nails and she is as strong as new rope. She will give Andy Barr the fight of his life, I can promise you that.” 

As for McGrath, she said she remains hopeful that she will succeed in the coming election that will take place this November.

“I am not going to change things up,” McGrath said. “I am going to run just the way we have run from the start. It’s going to be more of the message that we’ve had from the very start, which is let’s put our country above our politics and even our political party, let’s do the right thing, let’s focus on the issues and let’s run a positive, substantive campaign about issues like health care.”

Following the press conference on Friday, Gray provided McGrath with a tour of the new Visitor’s Center, which occupies the space of Lexington’s former Fayette County court house. The court house, built in 1898, was under partial renovation beginning in May of 2016, and was recently opened on June 1 as the new Lexington Visitor’s Center.