Kentucky.

Tonight I'm Laura Rogers.

Thank you for joining us.

With Senator Mitch McConnell set to retire after seven terms.

Kentucky voters will soon choose a new U.S.

senator to represent them.

And Washington, D.C.

two candidates are vying to replace McConnell.

Both met our criteria to appear on tonight's program.

Republican Andy Barr declined our invitation.

Democrat Charles a formerstate representative, having served Kentucky's 43rd House district in Louisville.

As always, we want to hear from you.

You can send your questions and comments through X at Pub Affairs KET.

Send an email to KY tonight at KET dot ORG or use the web form at ket.org/ky.

Tonight, you can also call us at one 800 4947605.

Mr.

Booker, it's nice to have you >> Of course.

Thank you for the opportunity.

Good to be with you.

>> Well you're welcome.

And we do know that you're no stranger to Kentucky voters.

You have served a term in the state House.

You ran for Senate in 2020.

You came up short in the primary.

You ran again in 2022, fell short to Senator Rand Paul.

So this will be your third run for the U.S.

Senate.

So why do you think the outcome will be different this time >> Well, Laura, this is like Rocky three for me.

And one thing forsure, we are battle tested.

And what is different now is not me.

My message is the same.

I've been fighting for Kentuckians.

From the hood to the holler, showing up all across Kentucky and tonight showing up in Andy Barr's district talking about the issues thatpeople face across Kentucky.

And as we can see, Andy Barr is not here tonight.

He talks about me a lot on social media, butrefused to show up.

And not only is Kentucky tired of him, but we're disappointed because we deserve better than that.

But the moment now demands leadership that cares about us, that sees us, that honors our humanity regardless of party.

And that is genuinely my leadership style, because the people of Kentucky Democrat, Republican, independent are my family.

And because of our consistency, we've of infrastructure.

So yes, this is Rocky three, but we've gotten up off the mat and learned a lot.

We've put a team together that is filled with all stars, and the moment before us where the politics have gone to such an extent, people are really hurting, gas prices, rising, grocery prices rising.

There is corruption in Washington thatwe're all tired of and people are looking for true seen it in me, which is why people who voted for Trump are organizing with me.People who voted for Bernie Sanders, organizing with me, people who've never voted before.

So I'm disappointed in Andy Barr wouldn't show up,but I'm not surprised because we're going to takethis seat back from a person who held it my entire life in Mitch McConnell and deliver for working people.

>> I do want to get to affordability very quickly because that issue.

We see congressional candidates running on the affordability platform all across the country.

You talked just now about gas prices, grocery prices, what concrete steps would you take to help lower the cost of those items for Kentuckians?

>> Well, it's being called affordability.

Now.

I really don't care about the branding of it.

The fact of the matter is we have been struggling for a long time here in hard working, remarkable, diligent, faithful people.

But we have been struggling from corruption in Washington, from rising prices and from opportunitiesthat have been far too few.

And what I know now is this tariffs.

These tariffs that havebeen thrown around the globe, this trade war with Canada, our largest trade partner, it's hurting the people ofKentucky.

And then this conflict, this chaos with Iran, these endless wars.

We're spending billions upon billions of dollars overseas for conflicts and not investing in the people.

And as a result, inflation is skyrocketing.

We're seeing our deficit continue to balloon and get out of control more and more.

And people are tired of it.

And so liftingup policies to one stop these reckless tariffs and give the peopleof Kentucky a give them their money back, but also pushing for true living wages, making sure that everyone has the same high quality health care that Mitch McConnell's been getting while he's been in Washington.

And protecting working people in the wave of AI, we can deliver an agenda for working people.

If we have leaders who care about us,who will show up for us.

And that's exactly why I'm running.

>> And we'll get into more specifics with many things that you just mentioned here shortly.

But first, we'll talk health care because you have been open about your struggle with type one diabetes and perhaps even rationing your insulin at certain times in your life.

So when it comes to America's health care system, you support Medicare for all.

A single payer national health insurance program that would guarantee coverage for all U.S.

citizens.

How do you propose that the U.S.

pays for And what do you tell Kentuckians whohave concerns about the notionof Medicare for all?

And they're concerned they might have to switch providers or maybe some other issues they have with it?

>> Well, well, let me say this.

In the wealthiest country in the world, every single person in the Commonwealthof Kentucky deserves the same high quality health care that Mitch McConnellhas been getting to me.

No one ration their medicine to put food on the table.

And and Laura, you're right, I am a type one diabetic.

I have had to ration my insulin at times to feed my girls, my three bosses, and nearly died from diabetic ketoacidosis.

And the fact of the matter is, we deserve better than that.

Now, for me,Medicare for all is the goal.

Honoring the idea of human rights and making sure that everyonehas high quality health care.

But I'm listening to the people ofKentucky, and I know there's work to now.

These cuts to Medicaid that Andy Barr voted for, nearly $1 trillion, that is decimating a lot of communities, potentially closing over 30 rural hospitals.

We need to addressthat right now.

And the subsidies for theAffordable Care Act that were taken away by an administration that does not care about the people of Kentucky.

Andwe're seeing premiums skyrocket.

So as the next U.S.

senator, I'm going work to restore that funding so that we bring down the costof premiums.

I'm going to fight to make sure people have the health care they need and that they want.

And I know the people ofKentucky want options, and I'm going to fight for that, too, because ultimately, we need to keep making progress to secure the right of health care.

I did that in the state legislature, working with colleagues to help cap copays, working to continue to fight for what I'm proposing now.

And it is not radical to say that everyone deserves high quality health care.

To me, that is common sense.

Andy Barr opposes that, and he should be here explaining why he does not want the people of Kentucky to have high quality health care.

>> Let's get into data centers.

That is, again, something that we're hearing about all over the country.

And there's a lot of heated on both sides when it comes to data centers.

You've been outspoken about your opposition to them, your opponent says the U.S.

is in an AI race with China.

So how do you balance the need for technological independence with concerns about data centers at the local level?

>> The peopleof Kentucky are tired of excuses.

We don't need politicians selling us out and screwing us over.

We can lead from the front in the wave of AI.

This is a part of an economic revolution, and AI is at the center of it.

But we can do it with working people at the center.

Andone thing is clear, we shouldnot sit by and seethese big telecom companies ramming data centers in the backyards of the people of Kentucky, where folks are not asking for them.

They don't want them.

There are all ramifications that we're seeing with higher utility costs.

The impacts on the environment.

There are a lot ofquestions and concerns and fears that are valid and need to be heard, and they're not.

Partizan Republicans are speaking out against data centers, Democrats.

Independents are speaking out because we're tired of being bullied.

Now, the real question is how do we make sure we develop for the future?

keep working people at the center,but also, how do we make sure that politicians are not selling us out to get rich?

Andy Barr has supported data centers becausethey're paying him these telecom groups are paying him.

AT&T, Comcast, Microsoft, they're paying him and he's turning his back on us now herein Lexington, we're in Andy Barr district, so he should be here.

He does not have an excuse.We came to his hometown moratorium ondata centers, and I support the people who are speaking up and speaking out.

That's part of my Kentucky first agenda.

And that's why the people ofKentucky are standing with me.

And we're in a real position to win this.

>> What do you think is the proper role for Congress when it comes to regulating artificial intelligence?

Because it is certainly becoming more andmore pervasiveall the time.

>> Congress hasa criticalrole to who are working with AI now, these these big companies, big money folks from out of state, they're saying, hey, wait a minute, we need to put regulations in place that are real concerns.

So for me, AI needs to be used as a tool to benefit working people, not a weapon to exploit, hurt and prey on the people of Kentucky and of this country.

And seeing essentially AI be used in a rogue way that could cause a lot of long term harm.

Industries could be wiped out, folks could lose their jobs, their livelihoods.

We need jobs guarantees.

We need protections for working people.

And we need to make sure that children aren't being preyed upon, that vulnerable communities aren't being preyed upon, that people are not vulnerable to being exploited.

Their data and their intellectual property being taken without making sure they're protected.

So I intend to go to the U.S.

Senate to fight to make sure we're leveraging AI as a tool to benefit thepeople, not a weapon to hurt them.

And Andy Barr has shown he has no concern.

He has turned a blind eye to allof this.

He has sold out to Wall Street and big banks and is perfectly fine with working people being kicked off the cliff.

He been in Congress for 14 years, has not spoken up one time for the people of Kentucky will not speak up tomake sure we're safe and protected in thewave of AIwill not make sure that our small businesses thrive because he's only there to enrich himself.

Kentucky, I know you're tired of that.

I'm tired of it.

And that's why I'm running this Senate race.

>> I do want to get to a viewer question.

This is from Scott County.

What policy programs doyou have in mind to alleviate poverty, especially the impacts on children?

>> You know, my why why I'm running this race.

I mentioned that the people of Kentucky are my family, and I actually have righthere a dog tag.

I know youmight not be able to zoom in.

It's my cousin TJ who was murdered on Easter Sunday in 2016.

I think about a lot of people who are suffering, who are struggling of my whyis to do everything I can to help end generational poverty and make sure that our government works for us and not people like Elon Musk.

That is a comprehensive conversation.

Health careis at theheart of it, which is why I talk about everyone having the same high quality health care that Mitch McConnell is getting, but also raising wages, protecting organized labor with policies like the Pro act, supporting our teachers and andmaking sure that we're bringing down the cost of basic necessities.

I mentioned the trade war with Canada.

It is hurting families across the board, and we're seeing people struggling more andmore to keep foodon the table.

I've been in that position.

I've seen what it feels like to know that I'm either going to pay the rent or I'm going to keep the lights on.

I got to choose.

And Kentuckians deservebetter than that.

SoI'm working to support local businesses, invest in our infrastructure so that we have the support and resources we need to thrive in every single step of the way.

And I want to be clear, for the person who asked that question, because it's the right question.

Andy Barrhas used his voicein Congress toblock progress.

He voted against the infrastructure legislation that has drovebillions of dollars of investments here in Kentucky.

He sure children can get the food they need, supports cutting Snap benefits.

He supports turning a blind eye to coal miners who have sacrificed goinginto those deep, dark mines and coming out dealing with black lung.

He's turned his back onthem.

So the question is, do we want a leader who's really going to fight to make life more affordable, or do we want more of the sellout policies that Andy >> It was a weekago today that we had a very tragic situation on I-65 in Warren County.

The the Kentucky State Police Trooper, Hayden Phillips, was murdered during a traffic stop.

And the man accused of his killing was tracked by flock cameras.

He was arrested in Louisville.

We were just talking about datacenters.

I want to ask you about flock cameras now, because a part of the conversation here.

Do you see to protect first responders and or to help them do their job?

So in this case, locating a suspector perhaps finding maybe a victim of a kidnaping, I mean,various scenarios that couldhappen where law enforcementuses these flock cameras.

>> Well, first, I want to say for the family of the troopers brave man who was sacrificing, trying to do his job, I'm praying for their their strength in this time.

Moments arebigger than politics.

And my heart breaks because I have lost loved ones to gun violence.

And it's something that never leaves.

The fact of the matter is, there are real concerns with how flock cameras are being utilized, and there must be regulations in place.

We're in an age where our data, our identity, there's so much surveillance that's There's so much that is being utilized to exploit people.

And there are a lot of valid concerns with flock cameras.

And I am listening to the people ofKentucky to say, we have to make sure that there are parameters in place to keep communitiessafe.

And yes,we need to make sure that our first responders and law enforcement have the tools they need.

But there are real concerns.

And the problem that I have with this debateis that we can't fully discuss it here.

My opponent should be here to explain why he's happy with having flock cameras on everyone's front porch and data centers in their backyards.

We need responsible, common sense leadership to make sure we're keeping ourcommunity safe while we leverage tools to make sure that first responders and law enforcement can do their jobs.

And I'm committed to finding those solutions because I know we need them.

>> Following up on the murder of State Phillips.

And again, you've talked about gun violence, criminal justice reform is the death penalty ever appropriate for a convicted murderer of a police officer or other first responder?

>> Well, there must be accountability.

That is abundantly clear.

And I have joined over the years a bipartisan coalition calling for an end to the death penalty, an end to the barbaric, cruel punishment used.

That has hurt a lot of people.

What we know is there must be justice, but we can do it without losing our humanity.

And that's simply my position.

I understand that there is pain and it's real, and there must be justice.

There must be accountability.And I'll continue to call for that to.

>> Pivoting nowto immigration.

You've previously said that you support abolishing Ice, Immigration and Enforcement.

Isthat still your position today?

And what does a secure border mean to you?

>> Well, I'm running for the United States Senate to fight for our safety, to make sure that Kentuckians are safe, that we can thrive.

And that means a secure border.

We must have a secure border, but we can do it without losing our humanity.

And what we're seeing from ice that is essentially operating as that has trampled on the Constitution, hurt innocent people, American citizens, and has essentially been terrorizing communities.

It's wrong.

And there is no remedy or excuse for allowing that to continue.

For me, making sure we have immigration that is rooted in humanity, thatwe enforce our laws, but that we address the backlog in our immigration system where so many people who their only infraction is paperwork that is out of date, people that are pursuing the American dream, doing everything that we've asked for them to do, paying taxes, but dealing with the corruption in Washington and failed leadership that has not addressedthe crisis and challenges in in immigration, in Andy Barr has been in office, in Congress for 14 years up therewith Mitch they have failed to deliver the solution of pathways to making sure that we have immigration, but also that we keep our country safe.

To me, this is not a partizan issue.

It is an issue about what type of future we want as a country.

Do we want one where we can thrive, where we can be safe?

Or do we want more chaos, which is all that Andy Barr is bringing to the table?

And he has called my idea my proposal of keeping Kentuckianssafe, radical.

He throws out words like socialism to scare people because he has no vision.

Andy Barr has no plan.

Andy Barr only wants to getrich, protect the Epstein files and child predators, and sell Kentuckians out to the highestbidder.

We can keep our country safe without sacrificing our humanity, and I'mgoing to make sure we do it.

>> Let's talk more about that.

You said they are.

The opposing party has socialist.

A communist.

Do you embrace those labels?

>> I really don't know why Andy Barr keeps calling me that.

I have never called myself any of those labels, to be quite honest.

Where I'm from, the hood and the West end of Louisville, we don't care about the labels and people in the hollers.

We don'tcare about labels.

The questionis, are you going todeliver for me?

Are you going to work for the people?

us over like we've seen my entire life from politicians like Mitch McConnell and Andy Barr.

The only label I'm concerned with is the one on thosegroceries that'sshowing rising prices.

So for me, my policies are about speaking to the issues people face day in and day out and bringing down the cost of gas,making sure groceries are affordable, making sure people can have a roof over their head their utilities.

Andy Barr might call those things socialist, but I think he should dosome soul searching because fighting for the people of Kentucky is not radical.

It is right.

And that's why folks whovoted for Trump are part of my campaign.

People who have lifted up ideas that understand that we need change and we need it now, are fighting with me because I'm not subscribing to the BS rhetoric Barr's throwing around.

He's it's lazy.

He's afraid, which is why he's not here tonight.

>> Ron from Madison County asked, do you commit to having in-person town halls if you're elected?

>> Not only will I have in-person town halls, I look forward to creating advisory committees across Kentucky where I can sit downwith regular people in various industries tohear their voices, to bring their concernsto Washington, becausewe got to go there together to deliver forworking people.

What I know is Andy Barr hasnot shown up.

He won't hold a town hall because he doesn't want to be held accountable.And again, that's why he's not here tonight.

So yes, I'm excited about holding town halls.

And more importantly, I'm excited about listening to the people for a change.

Because change won't happen unless we do it.

So we're going to go to Washington asked that question, let's go make some noise together.

And Washington.

>> Let's talk foreign policy.

Now, what should America's role be in the Middle East?

We have these ongoing conflicts.

The Israeli Palestinian conflict and the Iran war.

What do you think, America what should the country's role be?

When wetalk about the Middle East?

>> Yeah.

You know, part of my Kentucky first agenda is really listening to so many including service members and veterans, who are frustrated.

They're tired of the chaos.

We need leaders on theglobal stage who will lift up humanity, and we needto invest here at home instead of billions upon billions of dollars to fund endless wars and brutal conflict.

People are tired of that.

Donald Trump said he was going to stop the stupid wars.

Instead, they've continued to enlist us in nowwe're seeing with Iran a conflict, devastation that the people of Kentucky didn't ask for, that Congress didn't approve it.

They said it would be only a couple of weeks.

It's months on endnow with no end in sight.

And we need leaders who will listen to our service membersinstead of disrespectingthem.

Take care of our veterans instead of leaving them on the streets and propose the types of policies that conflicts abroad, but push for humanitarianism, pushfor diplomacy.

And I havedone throughout my career a lot of work aroundbuilding coalitions.

Andwe need that at the federal level to lean into our common bonds, find opportunities to speak to those, and bring people together in a time of great chaos and division.

That's the leadership I'm proposing, and I know we need it in the Senate.

>> Should provide military support to Ukraine.

>> I do believe that it's important that we stand with our allies to stop brutality.

So we need to make sure that we stay the course in supporting our allies abroad.

But at the same time, because I often hear with this question, we need to make sure that our tax dollars are notbeing used to to further brutality, to further harm.

for our tax dollars because we need to be investing here at home.

That's something that I hear acrossthe board, regardless of party.

We need investments in our schools, in our infrastructure, in our economy.

And that is my priority.

That is part, part and parcel to my Kentucky first agenda.

>> I do want to ask you about the National Democratic Party a little bit.

Senatorial Campaign Committee, which helps candidates organize and fundraise, has not publicly endorsed your campaign.

If national Democrats aren't heavily investing in this race, what do you think that says about their view on your chances of winning this race?

>> Well, as much as I am a believer in my I, my faith is strong.Both my parents are ministers.

I'm also and I know that a lot of people look at the political dynamics in a state that Kentucky Kerry Trump carried in Kentucky, rather by over 30 points, and might just conclude that change is impossible.

And a lot of folks have a bit of muscle memory thinkingthat what Mitch McConnell has been there forever.

So surelynothing's going to change.

So folks nationally who don't know how we show up on the ground while, I think they just didn't see us.

But now they see it and support is picking up.

And this is in part because we've been doing this for years.

We're going to win this Senate race because of the work we've been doing for years.

We've been steadfast.

We've been resilient from the hood to the holler.

And more importantly, we're beating Wall Street.

The big money folks like Elon Musk that want todump millions millions into campaigns to drown out democracy,drown out Kentuckians.

We're beating it.

And what a way to show the democracy is still worth fighting for by winning a Senate race rootedin community, rooted in justice, and defeating not only a corrupt politician.

In Andy Barr, but replacing his boss and protege in Mitch McConnell.

This is the race that thecountry will be looking at, and we're going to make some history this year.

>> Do you think that or do you anticipate any prominent nationally known Democrats coming to Kentucky to campaign and rally with you here in the last few weeks of thecampaign?

>> Well, we've been having a lot of talks.

I'm excitedto sharemore soon, but there is a lot of support nationally.

People see in the polls show it that we are in a realposition to win this race.

When our message is out there, we're tied with Andy Barr.

And again, this is a state that Trump carried by over 30 points.

Andy Barr should be up 2030 points.

Butthe fact of the matter is he knows that he's a threat, which is why he's putting out ads trying to campaign to Democrats, trying to convey himself as someone who's building coalitions.

Hetook Trump off his website.

He's trying to hide.

But people of Kentucky see his BS.

And so I'm excited to share more about folks that are speaking upand stepping up for us.

But more importantly, the people of Kentucky are organized labor, grassroots organizations, fired up, Republicans, off Democrats, frustrated independents.

We're all standing together, and we're going to take this seat back for working people.

>> You did say in your May primary victory speech, Kentucky is one of the most winnable races in the country.

So you do you still feelthat wayas we draw closer to November 3rd?

>> Oh, absolutely.

My pastor, doctor F, says this is a moment whose time has come, and I believe it.

It's a combination of the fact that I have been organizing for years across Kentucky, Building Trust, standing up on the issues, standingon the tracks with coal miners, sitting down with small family farmers doing the work.

But then also the change of the climate in our politics and the fact bottom is falling out for so many people where they're looking for real change, it has created this opportunity for us to do something different.

And my opponent is one of the weakest candidates running in the country and put out ridiculous ads mocking the people of Kentucky.

He has no platform.

He has no vision, and people are tired of that.

So all of that together sets us up to make some excited for the Kentucky because we're going to do it.

>> Have you had a chance to visit most of the Kentucky counties, and are you seeing support even in very deep red areas for progressive Democrat?

>> You know what?

I've been all across Kentucky, and I'll just say this, Kentucky is one of the most beautiful places.

Everywhere I go, I see hard working, incredible, brilliant people and people are frustrated and fed up and fired up.

filled with Republicans, folks who votedfor Trump, veterans, organizers, and they are standing with me because they know the corruption in Washington.

The swamp that Donald Trump said he was going to drain Andy Barr swimming in it.

He's pedaling in it.

He's trying to profit from it.

And so we're seeing a lot of cases where folks have not only taken up their Trump seeing those Bookersigns popping up in counties that have been solid red for a long time.

Because one, we're going thereand two people know that change is needed.

So I'm excitedto tell a new story in Kentucky.

>> Charles Booker, a Democratic nominee for U.S.

Senate in Kentucky.

We appreciate your time this evening so much.

And our candidate conversations do continue.

Next Monday right here you'll find in-depth coverage throughout the week on Kentucky Edition.

Good night.

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