Pat Freibert is a correspondent for The Lane Report.
Don’t look now, but Kentucky is becoming a two-party state. Throughout modern times, Kentucky has been dominated by a single political party standing nearly unchallenged astride the political landscape of the commonwealth. In November’s general election, the Kentucky Republican Party increased its majority in the state Senate by one. More astonishing, Republicans gained four seats in the state House of Representatives for a total of 45 of the 100 members, the most since 1920. They now need only six seats to claim a majority there. Three House races were lost by Republicans by fewer than 600 votes combined, including one by only five votes.
The Republican Party achieved these results by targeting and putting together a superior “ground game,” with an all-time high Republican voter registration. GOP House Floor Leader Jeff Hoover and Senate President Robert Stivers, veteran lawmakers, were key leaders in advancing Republican fortunes at the polls. Kentucky also elected Central Kentucky Republican Andy Barr to Congress to replace a Democrat. The GOP is on the march.
Long known as a single-party state, Kentucky has elected only two GOP governors in the past four decades. Democrats continue to occupy all statewide constitutional offices except one: James Comer, secretary of agriculture, who captured more votes in the most recent statewide election than any other candidate on the ballot (including Gov. Steve Beshear). This places him on the stage as a potential gubernatorial candidate, along with Sen. Stivers, Rep. Hoover and others.
Kentucky’s Democratic attorney general is considered a potential candidate for governor next time, as well as Auditor Adam Edelen and Crit Luallen, a veteran in Democrat politics. In the Democrat stable, Secretary of State Allison Lundergan Grimes seems destined for higher political office. She is bright, articulate, well educated and engaging, with an abundance of energy and initiative; from an activist political family, she seems to have a compelling understanding of public service and what it takes to win elections.
It’s still early, and others will emerge as possible candidates from both parties. Kentucky and the nation will benefit from strong debate between the parties and among the candidates. Public debate is the best way for Kentuckians and Americans to understand and choose their political leaders.
Debate has almost disappeared from Congress. The late U.S. Sen. Everett Dirkson, R-Illinois, was the last truly accomplished debater in the Senate. In the House of Representatives it was the late African-American U.S. Rep. Barbara Jordan, D-Texas. Each was eloquent and effective in debate skills. Bring back debate by elected officials! That’s the best way for Americans to make choices – not TV commercials and dirty tricks.
Political decisions should not be made behind closed doors, passing out favors to benefactors. “Obamacare” was put together in secret and behind closed doors. This measure should have been honestly debated in the light of day.
Welfare explosion. Impending national bankruptcy. Historic chronic unemployment. The mess in Libya. A shrinking economy. Class warfare. Unsupportable debt. Confiscatory taxes. Weapons of mass destruction in North Korea and Iran capable of threatening our homeland. Candidates and office holders should address these serious national concerns – not behind closed doors but in public fresh air.
And in Frankfort, legislators and other officials should debate possible solutions for pension reform, joblessness, right to work, economic opportunities for Kentuckians, tax reform and casino gambling. They should tell voters what their views are so the voters can evaluate. And please, no mudslinging, dirty tricks or misleading TV commercials.
Government works best when there are two strong parties, each challenging the other with competing ideas and solutions. Knowledgeable and mutually agreed upon moderators for campaign debates are preferred to media personalities who are basically entertainers with propaganda goals.
May the best men and women win, whether in political campaigns or the halls of the Kentucky General Assembly and the U.S. Congress.
Pat Freibert is a former Kentucky state representative from Lexington. She can be reached at editorial@lanereport.com.