Decision 2026: Democratic U.S. Senate Primary Forum

Welcome to a special edition of The Crossroad Suncast. Instead of a traditional story or feature, we're bringing you the audio version of a recent forum in the race for the United States Senate. It's a race with national implications and one that hits close to home as candidates vie to replace longtime Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell. In the forum you're about to hear, candidates lay out their economic vision for Kentucky, specifically West Kentucky when it comes to nuclear energy and the waterways industry. Today's forum features the major players for the Democratic nomination, Charles Cory Booker, Amy McGrath, and Pamela Stevenson. So let's get to it. Here's the forum in full, moderated by me and hosted by the Buduka Area Chamber of Commerce. Good afternoon. Today, the Paducah Chamber of Commerce brings to you an opportunity to hear the views of Kentucky's Democratic primary U.S. Senate candidates on issues of importance to our business community. I will also note that on May 8th, we will have a forum for the Republican candidates. To those in the TV and digital viewing audience this afternoon, we are broadcasting from the Paducah, McCracken County Convention Center with a live audience who we have asked to remain silent during the forum. Welcome to our candidates. Thank you for joining us today. Earlier, they drew numbers for their positions on the stage and are now anxiously awaiting my questions. Participating in the forum are Charles Cory Booker, current Kentucky House Minority Floor Leader Pamela Stevenson and Amy McGrath. Welcome to the three of you for being here. We appreciate it. We'll start with opening statements by our candidates, followed by multiple rounds of questions. The candidates have two minutes for their opening statements. We will begin with our candidate at podium one and then rotate through with the answers to the questions to be asked. We begin opening statements with Mr. Cory Booker. Well, good afternoon. All right, there we go. Good afternoon, everyone. I am very honored to be here. I thank God for the chance to be here. I want to thank the Chamber of Commerce for your leadership in fighting to protect our businesses and our economic future. And I want you to know I'm running for United States Senate, not because I look forward to dealing with the craziness in Washington, but because I love you. I know that as Kentuckians, we are hardworking. We're innovators. We are creators. We build brilliance every day, and we need a government that will work for us because we pay for it. And I know here at the chamber, there are small businesses represented, there are unions represented, there are folks who are leading in corporations, and I want you to know that we need a senator that is committed to ending generational poverty and making sure that every family can prosper. That's my whole reason for running, and I believe that by building coalitions from Pike to the PIC to the Purchase, from the Hood to the Holler, we can not only win a Senate seat, but we can transform our future, and that's not about party. Because no matter what your party is, we're all getting screwed right now. And we need each other more than ever. And my hope is that I can earn your support that we can go build the future we deserve for our children and our families. Ms. Stevenson, your opening statement, two minutes. Thank you. I am so honored to be here, not just because I'm a quilter and I love Paducah, but because this is an opportunity for all of us to build a better America.

I've spent my entire life serving the Commonwealth and this country. I served 27 years in the United States Air Force, retired as a colonel, and now I am the minority floor leader, because Kentucky deserves the best. Kentucky families deserve to live a life where they get deprived. Now, I was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky. I'm Kentucky's daughters, as we like to say in the middle. My parents, my mom and dad, are... waiting or were build a welder and a clerk, and they always taught us. If you help your neighbor, you're helping yourself. They always taught us. We have to leave this community better than what we found. So I am following after them when I say I'm running for the U.S. Senate because the promise of this country is being shredded, and the promise belongs to every Kentucky no matter where they live. You can look at it. Health care costs are rising. Things are not happening for the working families. Some people are working two or three jobs and still are not making ends meet. They are the foundation of the economic system that we've built in America. If we're going to have a new America, if we're going to have an America 2.0, I say, and is what I tell my friends all around this country, it starts with Kentucky. Kentucky will rise. And it will rise when we have a senator that has legislative experience, military experience, legal experience, and they experience to build coalitions. My name is Pam Stevenson, and I will earn your vote so that I can represent you as your next United States Senator. Ms. McGrath, your opening statement. Two minutes, please. Good afternoon, everyone. I'm Amy McGrath. I'm running for this open U.S. Senate seat. I thank you to the chamber, to everybody who put this on, this forum. I thank you all for being here today, and it's great to be back here in Paduca. This is such an important region, not only for our Commonwealth, but for our entire country. And I look forward to this forum. Right now, the average Kentuckian is spending $5,000 more this year than last year. $5,000 more. And it is directly a result of what these guys in Washington are doing. We have a really great governor here in the Commonwealth that has been able to focus on the economy and jobs, but a lot of these policies in Washington are hurting us. The policies that take away health care from people that have these tariffs that drive up the cost for everything, and now we're in yet another war in the Middle East that's driving up costs and gas and food and everything else. That's real. And on top of that, and I know we're going to focus on economic issues, but the democracy...

that I swore to uphold and defend six times of my life is still under attack in our country. We have a unique opportunity with this open Senate seat to have it be filled with a senator who will actually be a voice for Kentuckians. I am ready on day one to protect health care, to bring prices down. And now, now, more than ever, don't you think we need a senator that has some national security experience? Don't you think we need somebody who knows what is happening right now right before our eyes with this global economic crisis that we're all seeing? Yes, we do. I'm running to be your United States Senator. I look forward to this forum today, and I look forward to this fight. Bring it. All right. Thank you. Now we'll move on to questions. Candidates, you have two minutes to answer. And again, our timekeepers will indicate when you have 15 seconds left and when time is up. So first question goes, and we start with Ms. Stevenson. First question, the decades-long DOE cleanup is a major economic driver to our region. Typical funding is approximately $350 million and that's expected to increase over the years. So how will you work to secure ongoing support and funding as the amount increases to provide for an accelerated level of cleanup? We would begin with you, Misty. Thank you. We first have to have transparency. The citizens of Paducah, have to know if we're on schedule, if we're meeting our goals, are we going to reach the target? The target can't keep moving. In Washington, you will have a senator that will fight for you. You can't live in a place that's contaminated. We've got to be willing to put our money where our mouth is and make sure that that gets cleaned up as quickly as we do. Our families don't suffer. That's number one. Number two, we have to make sure that when we bring in other businesses to build economic viability here, that it doesn't... happen on the backs of the city. We can't afford to have you take all the risk and the companies done. So we will work both of those issues to make sure the cleanup is known, that it's scheduled, that you know what's going on, and that the money is there to make sure that the contaminants we put here are taken. Ms. McGrath. Well, this area has a long history in defending our country and in national security, starting way back from World War II with the ammunition depot, and then during the Cold War, of course, with the uranium enrichment. And that's been super important for our country. But let's be real, it's also the community has suffered because of what has happened over the years. And we absolutely must have a government that does not just walk away from that.

And as your senator, I'll make sure that the cleanup is monitored appropriately. My background is, I spent three years at the National Defense University Center for the study of mass destruction, okay? So talking about nuclear issues at the secret and top secret level, and also in the last five years, I was on the board of the Plowshares Fund, which is a nonprofit international group working for nonproliferation. Okay, nuclear weapon nonproliferation. So I see this issue. I know very deeply about the science behind this. The federal government owes communities like Paduca back an investment in the future, all right? And that investment needs to be, in my mind, advanced manufacturing. And I know that that is what a lot of folks here are really working on right now. And I think that's great because that is the future. At the same time, what we need from a senator is somebody who has the vision and understanding to make sure that the community is always involved. That's the legacy here. The community has to be involved. There has to be transparency. We have to understand the magnitude of the cleanup, which I do. I come from the aviation community and the military, which is very safety conscious. So as your senator, I'm going to be focused on those things. And also, I think there's tremendous opportunity for growth here. And Paduca is uniquely qualified, uniquely qualified with the scientific knowledge to fill that need. I look forward to this. And Mr. Cory Booker. I see the cleanup of this region is not just... a matter of doing what's right. It's an economic issue, it's a justice issue, and it is about how we secure our future, and it's a conversation we've been having for years. During my time in the state legislature, I worked on the Natural Resources Committee, and I was actually a Director of Fish and Wildlife serving across Kentucky, and I've seen the impact. of what happens when we don't take care of our home. And so I know that there is some real funding that we need to continue to make sure that it is on time so that you can do the work you need to do here. But I know we need a senator that will deliver. And to be quite honest, I took some notes from Mitch McConnell. Now, he was elected when I was two weeks old. So I'm sort of dating myself here. But what I've seen is over time, there was a period where Mitch McConnell was bringing resources to Kentucky. And I think along the way he forgot about us. And I know that we need someone who can build coalitions, someone who will be a loud advocate, but also someone who will amplify your voice and lean into the power of community. That's literally what hood to the holler is. My platform is all about. And again, I see this as a fight for working people. I know as a small business owner, I know as someone who is aspiring to develop and go into your career, you have to make sure that the environment around you is safe and mitigating a lot of harm. from a lot of big money interests who have not cared about the people of Kentucky, like folks, like Elon Musk, is a priority for me. And this is not something I'm just talking about. I've lived it. Growing up in the western of Louisville, in an area that is close to what we call Rubbertown, where the health implications are drastically worse because of the companies that are there.

I want to be a partner as we develop our economic future, but make sure we center the people in everything we do, which means we're going to clean up our home and bring good jobs in the process of it. All right, next question. In 2025, the federal government announced the Department of Energy Paducaa site could be one of four DOE sites in the nation to host an artificial intelligence data center. When the RFIs were issued, the Paduca site received significant interest. Rumor has it, it could be announced soon. What role do you see our region playing in AI data centers? We begin with Ms. McGrath. Well, look, AI is the future, and I think it's twofold. There's two sides of the coin here, right? AI is also scary. We're worried about jobs, what it's going to bring to the future. We've got to have some people in Washington that understand this technology and are willing to put some guardrails around it. At the same time, it has tremendous potential. And it's also important for our national security. And this area, being so important for our country's national security in the past, has the potential to continue that legacy. Look, I think with any AI data center, if it's going to come to any area of Kentucky, regardless of where it is, it has to be something that the people in the community want. And we can't have the power bills going up. It can't be on the backs of consumers. All right. So whether it's big tech coming in and building that, it's got to be environmentally friendly, can't jack up the prices for everybody, or whether it's the U.S. government. doing it. It's the same thing. And as your senator, I will certainly make sure that that happens. With the new technology coming, I think AI data centers are something that we should be definitely looking into. And if the community, again, wants that, it is our future. Again, this area is uniquely positioned with the Department of Energy site that we already have here. to be the leader for the future here. It could create jobs. I know that the laser technology to enrich uranium has tremendous potential. And it's led by a lot of folks who were in the Navy, in the Navy sub-community. I went to school with these guys. They are the best, a lot smarter than me. So I'm definitely excited for this technology. All right, Mr. Cory Booker. We're in the midst of an economic revolution, and AI is at the center of it. And I believe that this region, all of you and our entire Commonwealth, needs to lead from the front. Oftentimes, we're told that the developments are going to happen and the benefits will trickle down. And as we've seen, they never do unless we have leadership that will demand it. And that's my commitment to you. I've actually lifted up and published what I call it, Working People's Bill of Rights.

And at the center of it is how we lead in the wave of AI. And what I know is it's happening. And industries are being impacted. And in a lot of cases, industries are being completely and dramatically removed or replaced or modified. And with these data centers, any type of development, and this is from my community organizing background, any type of development that is coming into a community has to be done with the people at the center of it. It can be at your expense. You need to receive the benefits. Your health, your bottom line needs to be prioritized because, again, people like Elon Musk are just trying to get rich. So I want Kentucky to be open for business. I want us to have good paying jobs. I want to have sustainable energy. I want to have low utility bills. And I believe we can do all of that and make sure that the developments that happen don't run over regular people. And I've been allowed advocate for saying that we need to make sure that data centers are not being used to move people out of their homes, jack up utility costs, great harms in the environment, making people sick. We can do right by people and develop the future at the same time. And what I'm seeing is people across Kentucky understand that. This is not either or a conversation. It is a both-and because we deserve that. And that's why a lot of folks in organized labor who are actually building. those data centers have supported me, Lyuna, the laborers, have endorsed my campaign because they know we need a leadership with the poise and vision to do right by working people. Ms. Stevenson. Thank you. As a minority floor leader, I was placed on a task force to analyze AI to see how Kentucky could join some of the other states in making sure that it was available and used appropriately. It was astonishing what we found out. It was astonishing that the bad guys are ahead of the good guys when it comes to using AI. And also that people are going into... Rural areas wanting to take up land and resources at the risk of the people living there. Now, they say they're going to give you jobs, they're going to do this, your life is going to be better, and what we've found so far not true. They might, after it gets built, hire six people, 10 people, 20 people. But not enough for the grief you're going to have if we don't manage it. It's going to happen. We have to be responsible for listening to the people and managing it. We need to have an agreement where you don't take all the risk, where, for example, if the utilities go out, your stay out, but the AI centers stays on. We can manage those agreements and make sure they benefit the community and that we do actually have jobs so that the working people who are at the foundation of this economic system. can help switch around the, right now there's an imbalance, the bottom 50% earn 2.5% of the income in this country. We, if we don't keep our eye on that, working families will work two or three jobs and still not be able to make ends meet. AI could hurt that. We could use AI to make sure that we listen to you and working families get what they need to raise their families.

Thank you. Next question. The Kentucky Lock Edition is expected to need additional funding because of its importance surrounding our inland waterways. What steps will you take to work with other lawmakers to secure that funding? We begin with Mr. Cory Booker. Well, again, I appreciate that we're having a holistic conversation about the health of not only this region but the Commonwealth because, again, we think about jobs and we think about wages, but we also have to think about our environment and the place we call home. And a lot of my work, again, working in Fish and Wildlife and traveling across Kentucky, I've seen a lot of the impact that happens when we don't take care of our waterways. And I know that this region is ripe and has been working for development to not only expand the river port, but also to make sure that we're protecting our waterways. And we need a senator that will be a champion for our environment. There will be a champion for development here. and that has the ability to build the coalitions in this crazy time to bring the funding and resources back home that we need but that starts with having partnership on the ground again this is where building family building community is all about to me this is not about politics it's genuinely about building a relationship with you so that we can be the champions and advocates together to go to Washington to speak for the development that we need here at home and i know that also In the age of Donald Trump, in the age of Mitch McConnell, we've seen a lot of our funding for critical infrastructure being stripped. We're seeing an endless war that's happening right now where there is a blank check. But when it comes to funding that we need for our infrastructure, we're having to fight tooth and nail just to get what we were already promised. I've seen it in my time working in the governor's office and we're seeing it now. So I'm committing to you. I will go to Washington to fight for the funding that you need to protect your home, to protect our home, to protect our waterways, and to make sure that we are healthy for the future we deserve. Ms. Stevenson. As the commander of military men and women, I was in England negotiating with the foreign government to make sure we could have housing. When we were in Kuwait, I had to negotiate with the Kuwaitis to make sure that the leakage in the bladder's, the environmental dangers, was ratified before America left. We have to take advantage of this unique... beautiful area, the place where four rivers come together, the place where we can move if we had the proper infrastructure, people and freight. Not everybody has a river. We could really build the economic arena in this area if we put the money to it. We often say we don't have the money for infrastructure, and we know that's not true. started a war. We could use that money to build the locks. We could have used that money to speed up the cleaning process from the nuclear center. We could do so much if we were people focused and if we listened to the people that live here.

How do we make sure that we have a rainy day fund that will get us through any emergencies and at the same time provide for the things we need today? That's the same thing that America has to do. Someone that has the experience to look and see what you need right now and see if we can provide it. And then secondly, take care of the workers. It is disappointing for many people to work two or three jobs and still be concerned about the future, not have enough money to pay the bills. We must take care of the workers and make sure that they can make a living wage so that corporations can make more money and can make more investments and the economy can grow. One of the things that we... like to do, well, one of the things that we like to do in the military was to make sure that everybody had the basics. Food, shelter. water, and healthcare, because we knew we couldn't send our soldiers into harm's way if they didn't have the basics. It's the same model we could follow to have a strong economy that grows is making sure that workers have the basics, that they're not worried about where their next mill is going to come from. If you can imagine what it's like to have someone coming to work that's happy, fed, their children are satisfied, then your business grows. We have the technology and we can do it. And in addition, I agree that we have to put Kentucky in the middle of the next century. And that requires every home having clean drinking water, every home having broadband, because that is the economy of the future. Ms. McGrath. So in answer your question, of course it's about growth. We absolutely have to be growing. Not only for our state, our Commonwealth, but also I'm somebody that wants us to lead the world. My whole life, the greatest generation, gave us this tremendous opportunity in this country that stands for something and should be leading the world in so many ways. I worry that we're taking a step backwards right now, particularly on the economy. We have zero net growth in the private sector right now in terms of jobs. Think about that. It hasn't been this bad since COVID. Why? We have manufacturing jobs are going away. Why, I thought these tariffs were supposed to help manufacturing. Come on. Anybody that knew anything about tariffs knows that the across-the-board tariffs don't help us. That's why they haven't been done since Herbert Hoover. Okay? And so...

The other thing about this is the affordability, the cost for everything is going up. So it stifles our growth. When the cost of everything goes up, guess what small businesses, they don't invest. There's an uncertainty there. We don't have the, we don't see the job growth. So the affordability piece is really important. And I spoke about 5,000 at the beginning in my opening comments. But let me just break that down for you. $2,500 is what we're spending because of these tariffs, the average family in Kentucky. $2,500 more a year. $1,500 more in health care because of what these Republicans have done with the Affordable Care Act subsidies and others. $750 more a year because of the stupid war in Iran that we never needed to be in. All of that adds up, and including inflation, and you're up to $5,000 more. That is what is stifling growth. So how do we get rid of it? We get rid of these tariffs. We bring back things like the Affordable Care Act subsidies so people can afford health care again. We stop this war and bring it to a diplomatic end. We bring gas prices down. Then we get back to growing our economy. And, Mr. Cory Booker, I want you to have more money in your pocket. I want you to be able to take care of your family. Go on a vacation, make investments. I want you to thrive. I want every single Kentucky to be prosperous. So, yes, I want our economy to grow, but I want it to grow for working people. It's grown for Jeff Bezos. It's grown from Mitch McConnell. It's grown for Elon Musk. And now it's time for us, regular people across Kentucky, to be the priority. We're not going to grow the economy with tariffs that are thrown all over the place because the president is emotional. We're not going to grow our economy by going into endless war. We're not going to grow our economy by giving tax breaks to people like Elon Musk. We grow our economy by centering regular people. And that's why my platform of a working people's bill of rights is what we need right now, and it's what the people of Kentucky have been demanding for years. You can call it affordability. I'm saying we deserve to do better than the struggle less. And I believe we need policies like Medicare for all to do it. No one should have to ration their medicine to put food on the table. That's about growing the economy because that means we're healthy. to work. And it also helps small businesses impacting their bottom line because now they don't have to worry about how they keep their workforce healthy. I believe we need to secure Social Security, we need to protect retirement. We need to make sure that everyone has true living wages. And honestly, I believe we need to finally make the investments in securing and protecting organized labor, protecting everyone who sacrifices to make this country thrive, and do the type of work that will make sure that we're not passing down debt from generation to generation. My message is simple. I think the government should work for you. I think you should reap the benefits from all the taxes you pay into a system that is giving the wealthiest few every cut they could imagine. And I think we needed a senator that understands your struggle that will finally fight for you. And that's why I'm running. All right. We'll move on to the next question. Japan has committed to putting $550 billion in the U.S. investments. How do you look at this commitment, Ms. McGrath? Well, there's a lot of commitments out there. You know.

I think it's really important. Obviously, if any country wants to invest in our country, I think that's great. And here in Kentucky, we have investments from lots of different... Lots of different countries. Japan started way back in the 1980s under Governor Susan Collins, Martha Lane Susan Collins, with the investment in the Toyota factory. But we have investments from Germany and all over the place. If your question is, should we be open to investments from other countries? Absolutely. Commitments are one thing, though, and the follow-through is another. And, you know, in my mind, commitments are way off. I'm way more interested in helping people make ends meet right now and way more interested in growing the jobs and all of these things that are hurting our economy right now, going after health care that these Republicans have thrown away and hurting people. I think that is also how we help our economy. I'm happy for potentially foreign countries, particularly our allies. I spent nine months in Japan. They're fantastic people, and I would love to have more investment from Japan here. But I think as a United States center right now, we've got to stop the bleeding. Okay, we got to stop the bleeding on health care. We got to stop the bleeding on the affordability crisis that we're seeing, and we got to stop this war and make sure that we're focused back on America and back on Kentucky. Mr. Cory Booker. Well, I'll put it to you like this. Kentucky... It's open for business, but we ain't for sale. And what I mean by that is any type of investment that is seeking to come to our Commonwealth and reap the benefits of our land and our incredible, brilliant workforce has to center working people. That's going to be my bottom line. And I know that it's possible. And I've seen our governor do it. Over the last couple of years, I've served in the governor's administration. I was one of his executive staff. And I've seen him travel abroad to build relationships that are needed to bring investments back home. And we've seen a lot of promises that have been made and that have not been kept. So we know we have to be diligent in fighting for the needs and priorities of folks here in Paducah and not just being happy that someone expressed that they want to make an investment. We need accountability because we have been sold out for far too long. I know that we have to do the work of keeping jobs here, bringing jobs back. I know we have to center our industries here, make sure that they are growing, that they are thriving, and I know that we need global investments to do that as well. So, yes, we're open for business if you respect our values and respect our people. And that's not an extreme thing to ask for. And I see the people across Kentucky are lifting up their voices as well, saying we need development.

But we also need to be centered because we've been ran over for far too long. And that's why I've seen so much support in my campaign. Like I said, organized labor standing with me, Working Families Party, standing with me, Congressman John Yarmouth, leader in the federal delegation for years, standing with me. We're seeing a lot of regular folks know what this moment means. We have to lead on the global stage, and we have to center working people, and that is what I'm going to do for you. And Ms. Stevenson. The world is interconnected now and forevermore. Our children and our grandchildren will be global citizens. And what we want is a strong America because they can then be the leaders and not have another country telling them what to do. We call this thing called America, we're celebrating 20 years and they call it a great experiment. It's not. It works. with liberty and justice for all, all the freedoms. It works when we engage. I am willing to listen to what people want to, how people want to invest in this country. But I'm not willing to take every dollar that comes. Why now? Why do you want to give us all this money now? Because we're at our weakest. If you think about it this way, America was a world leader. Other countries could believe everything, most things we said, not everything, but most things we say. And we have responsible for world peace because no one wanted to deal with us. And now that we're having our own internal issues, now that no one trusts what we say, you notice all over this globe, there's squirmishes, they're fighting, people jockeying for position, people looking around to see what country they can take. People looking around to see if they can take America. We are not for sale. We will create a new America and we will create America 2.0 and we will stabilize what's happening now so it won't happen again. And then we'll take your investments. You're not going to tell us how to spend whatever money you want to spend in America. We'll tell you what we need. And then if you want to participate, we might allow you, but we will not grow at the expense of not maintaining who we are. All right, next question. Politics is polarizing across all parties. If elected, how will you stand firm in what you believe while balancing working with others to get things done for Kentucky? Mr. Cory Booker. There is absolutely a lot of division in our politics. I think that is an understatement. And one thing I know for certain is we are all tired of the BS. We are tired of people telling us what isn't possible. We're tired of the hate and division that's being weaponized. I know I am. And I know that in the face of all of this darkness, we're seeing all the hate that love still works. Love is still the power that can change things. Faith still moves mountains and coalitions and still be the force that builds the bridges to our future.

That's why I say I'm running as a testament to a community, as a tribute to you. And the way that I go about my leadership, whether it was in the state legislature, as a director at the state level, working in local government, I've worked at every level of government, work with small businesses, I've worked with family farmers, I've done a lot of work in my career. You show up. You bring yourself, and you bring a listening spirit, but you stand on your integrity. And this is where... running for a third time has sort of been to my benefit. You never know what the journey has in store. And I tell folks, this feels a little bit like Rocky 3. But the fact that I have shown my consistency over the years has let the people of Kentucky know where I stand. And so the majority of Kentuckians that are voicing their opinions about where we are in this country, poll after poll, are showing that Kentuckians are standing with me, not only in this primary, but in the general as well. I'm within single digits are tied with any of the Republicans running, and it's because people know where I stand. This is not a convenient talking point for me. And I'm not asking you to agree with me on everything. I believe health care is a human rights. And I believe no one should be sleeping on the street in the wealthiest country in the world. I believe that everyone should have high quality public education. I believe we should all have food on the table and not have to worry about whether we can pay the light bill to keep it on the table. And if that seemed to be radical, I'll take that title, but at least you know what I'm fighting for. And I'll work with anyone that's willing to work for the people of Kentucky. Ms. Stevenson. As an ordained minister, I believe with all my heart, love never fails, love never fails, love never fails, love never fails. And when I go to Frankfurt, there are 80 Republicans and 20 Dems, and you can ask any Republican how I reach across the aisle, how I made this budget bill better this term, how I honor their humanity by keeping my points. In other words, I don't talk about their mamas. I stay focused on the issues, and the issues are Kentucky. We are uniquely poised to make sure that every person has health care, food, water, and shelter, the basics. And once everyone has the basics. businesses will grow even more than they're growing now. Because you have happy workers that don't have to worry about where their next meal is coming from. Don't have to worry about if their children are going to go to school or have a school to go to. I don't believe in politics. I'm a public servant. I've been a public servant in my entire adult life. I serve America in 11 different countries. I negotiated crises. I went and I said to countries, this is what America needs. And even when I didn't speak the language, if I can get what America needs, let me know what you need. I might be able to help you too. But America.

needs these things. So I'm able to negotiate with anyone for the people. So this country can stay for the people, buy the people to serve the people. That's who we are. Every day across this world, this country, we say the Pledge of Allegiance, and we say liberty and justice for all. You can't have all if you beefing with somebody. I can work with anybody about anything. I've got lots of results to prove it. I will continue. Just check it out. I've proven my ability to work with all people. And Ms. McGrath. I think what sets apart the candidates, particularly from myself and the other side of the aisle, is that, you know, right now when you're looking at the other side, these guys are basically a voice of Mar-a-Lago. Okay. Is that what you want from a senator? Somebody that's just going to stand up there and do whatever the party or the president says? That's not what I want. And what I'm telling you today is that I'm going to be a senator who no matter what the president is, no matter who the president is, I'm going to stand for Kentucky. That's not what you're seeing from the other side. These guys know the tariffs are bad. And they're for them anyway because that's what the president wants. That's not what we need. So that's the first thing. Second thing is, I've already talked to you about how I could work with our own senator here in Kentucky on many things. But to go back to your question about values, you really want to know what I stand for? My values are, hey, I think we should fix our health care system. I do think it's unfair. I've seen it in my own family when my father had cancer and my mother had to fight with the insurance companies to get him the care that he needs. And that's not a story from just Amy. That's a story from all of Kentuckians. We all know this. We've got to fix it. That doesn't mean throwing everybody in our entire health care system into upheaval. But it also doesn't mean throwing people off their health care, which is what these Republicans have done. That's a value that is deeply important to me. Education, because my dad was a teacher, and I think education is the future for our country, and our country's power, by the way. And the third thing is national security. It's why I've been so outspoken against this war in Iran, because it was stupid to begin with. All right? But the last thing I'll just tell you. is we need real reforms. We need things like term limits. We need to end stock trading in Congress. The first bill that I'm going to put up is if there's a government shutdown, guess who doesn't get paid? Congress doesn't get paid. Those are the types of things I want to work on. All right. Thank you. Next question. What can you say to assure your constituents in Western Kentucky that you're committed to their priorities? How do you plan to stay involved throughout the state and are you committed to having an office in Paducah, Ms. Stevenson? I would ask you to follow my record. Every place I've served, every job I've had, I've taken care of the people, and I've honored my word.

We can only go as far, Kentucky can only go as far as Paducah goes, Louisville goes. We have to expand our reach. Yes, we will have an office because otherwise we won't know what you need. I can't tell you what you need. You live here, but I can listen and I can tell you if it's available or not. We've got to find a way to make sure that the citizens can communicate with the elected officials and are heard, starting with term limits. At some point, if you're in there for 50 years, it stops being about serving you and keeping a job. It also needs to, we need to make sure that we don't, people that go to Washington don't get rich. Keep it about the people for the people to serve the people. And my history has proven that. What we also can do is take my cell number, blow it up. We want you engaged. We need you engage. America works because you are engaged. And when people don't engage, we get what we got. Which is someone in the White House that causes wars and all the ugly stuff. I've advised war commanders, combatant commanders on the law of war. And that fact that we're in a war we can't get out of, we shouldn't have been in, that we got a billion dollars a day, that tells me that he wasn't listening to us or himself when he said, no wars. So. Look and you will see that every place I've been I've listened to the people and produce results after results after results so that people can thrive. Ms. McGrath? Yeah, absolutely. I would have a field office here. Our senator, our other Senator Rand Paul, has two, one in Bowling Green and one in Washington, D.C. I would not do that. I would have field offices all around the state. Why? Because I'm your representative. If I'm not out there talking to people and the staff needs to be in the community, hearing things, being a part of it, that is really important. And it stems all the way back from my leadership experience in the United States Marine Corps. You don't lead by being 100 miles away. You got to have people there listening and hearing. So that's a given. How do you know that I will pay attention? When I talk a lot about health care, this bill that was just passed by these Republicans last summer, it puts 35 of our rural hospitals at risk. And now these guys are talking about that. They don't want to talk about. They want to talk about bathrooms and all kinds of other stuff. They don't want to talk about the fact that hospitals around here may close because of what they did. It is already starting. We need a senator to get in there and protect rural hospitals. Why? Because that is the difference between, you know, if your dad has a heart attack, you have to drive 20 minutes or two hours. That could be life or death right there. So those are the types of things that I hear from people when I go and crisscross the state. Farmers.

Right now, these tariffs are crushing our farmers. The war is crushing our farmers. We're talking about bailing out Argentina. Now we're talking about bailing out Middle Eastern countries. Are you kidding me when our farmers are going bankrupt? What are we doing? We need a senator to get up there and put partisan stuff aside and say, enough is enough. And the final thing is, we're spending a billion dollars a day in this war. We've already spent $50 billion in this war. Think about that. We could be investing back here in Paducah and things like the infrastructure I just talked about. We could be giving universal pre-K for the entirety of America for that amount, less than that amount. All right. Thank you. Mr. Berker. I'm humbled to answer this question because actually in the first pages of my book I write about Paducah. You all may not have known it, but you all are a big reason I'm still here today. Your encouragement, your support, let me know that the fight I was fighting was not in vain in my time in the state legislature. When I was yelled at and told to sit down, it was people from Paducah. who spoke up and said, Charles, we hear you. We know you're fighting for regular people, and we got your back. And so every year since, I made it my responsibility and obligation and opportunity to come down and to just be a part of community. And I'm not going to Washington without you. I know that so many of us across Kentucky have been ignored by the political status quo, and a lot of times in conventional political playbooks, you ignore Western Kentucky, you ignore far eastern Kentucky, you ignore the West End of Louisville where I'm from, and I really am tired of that. So I commit to you to have a regional office here. But I want to do more than that. And this isn't just something I'm telling you. I've shown you how I'm going to show up. So you can take my word and you can look at my record. But I want us to have a purchase area citizen-led council. I want your voices to help shape our policies. It helps shape what I'm fighting for in Washington. Because, again, I'm not going into that crazy place without you. And what I know for certain is we need leadership that will be on the front line with us day in and day out. I got this suit on right now, but many of you all know I'll take this tie off and roll up my sleeves and get out there and help you clean up when those storms come. That I'll be on the front line on that picking line if you need me to be. That I'll go into the halls of government or wherever you need me to fight for you. We need steadfast leadership that's committed to us. It cares about us. And I'm putting my heart out there for you because... I got you back, and I'd be honored to earn your support. Finally, we move to closing remarks. We begin, Ms. McGrath. Well, look, it's been great. This is a great conversation, and again, thank you for putting this on. For far too long, politicians on both sides of the aisle.

have sold out to big corporations that are jacking up prices on all of us. And nowhere is this more real than in the health insurance industry. And the democracy that I swore to uphold six times in my life, and I know we didn't talk about the threats to democracy today, but it is under attack, and that is real. Kentucky deserves a senator who is ready on day one to take on these challenges. It is serving my country has been what I have done my entire life for 24 years in the military and then in the political arena, taking on the special interests, taking on the very powerful in my own party. and taking on our states and our country's most powerful politicians for the betterment of all of us. So I'm running for this Senate seat to be a voice for Kentucky, not for Elon Musk, not for Mar-a-Lago, not for my party, but for you, for Kentucky. That is where my loyalty is. And I think any Democratic nominee who's going to win here, win this seat in a red state, has to be able to speak to and listen to and hear, not just Democrats, but also moderates and independents. We have to. I will build a broad coalition that can actually win this seat for Kentucky. I ask for your support and your vote. Thank you. Ms. Stevenson. We've heard a lot about politics, but this race is much bigger than politics. It's about a new America. It's about America 2.0. Kentucky needs a senator that has been in uniform, been a legislator, and been a community builder. That senator would be me. I'm the only one that's done all these things, has the experience building laws, drafting laws, building coalitions, and doing the things for working families. Look at my results. All my results point to working for working families. Said it another way, I'm sure you'll appreciate this. Kentucky at this time needs not just a derby horse, but a triple crown winner. We need someone that's done the dance, someone that has proven that they can win no matter what the circumstances are. And I believe that you believe also that if we can get a Kentucky where people have the basics, housing, food, clothing, and shelter, then Kentucky will rise. And when Kentucky rises, everybody prospers. I tell my colleagues in the other states, the other House legislators, Kentucky's going to lead the way, and we're going to show you how to treat working families. We're going to show you what needs to be done so that everybody wins. And I know when you look, you'll see the work I've done for working families. And I will continue to do that work in the Senate because I've already done it internationally, nationally, and I do it because I love Kentucky. We always say,

If people can hate for any reason, we can love for any reason. I ask humbly for your vote to allow me to serve you, as I've done before, as I've served America, as I've served globally. Allow me to serve you and lift up Kentucky. Mr. Cory Booker. Well, I'm a father of three girls. I often say that are my three bosses, and they are the greatest gift in the world. And right after being their dead, being able to stand for you is the greatest privilege on my life. I don't take this for granted because I know what it means. And I'm running for office because I am sick and tired of regular people being screwed over and kicked off the cliff. because I know we deserve better. And when I was a child around my middle child's presence around her age, I told my parents that I was going to speak up for those who get ignored. I didn't think I was going to be here, being the first to graduate and go to law school, going on to work in every level of government, the youngest black state legislator in nearly a century, the first black Kentucky to be nominated for the United States Senate, standing with people all across Kentucky saying from the hood to the holler, I didn't. I think I would do any of this. I just knew I was going to do whatever God called for me to do. And I know that we need a senator in this moment in time that sees us, that cares about us, and that is going to lock arms with us. And I want to tell you something. We ain't really say much about Trump tonight. I'm going to say a little bit about him because for all the choice words I could have, Donald Trump spoke to something. He called out that the system is broken. He called out that a lot of regular people are getting screwed over. And he said that he was going to change things. And we see that he was lying about that, but he did speak to something that's real. I know you're tired. I know that you are creating these businesses that are thriving in the face of a government that has really ignored us in a lot of ways. And it is hot time we had someone that would fight for us for a change. And one of the last things I'll share is this is for our future. I'm thinking about our young people. The students here that said they're concerned about homelessness. They're concerned about public transportation. Our young people need leaders who are going to fight for the future they deserve right now. Let me go to Washington and do that for you. All right. Thank you. Candace, please stay on the stage, but let's give our candidates a nice round of applause.

I'd like to express that Paduca Chamber's appreciation to our candidates for your participation. Thank you for being here today for our forum. Best wishes to all of you, and again, thank you for bringing your message to the citizens of West Kentucky. The other two featured events in our series include May 8th, the Republican candidates for U.S. Senate Forum, and May 12th, the McCracken County Judge Executive Candidates Forum. And you can register for both of those events at paducah chamber.org. And most importantly, Please don't forget to vote on May 19th in the primary election. Thank you for joining us and being here today. Kentucky's primary election is set for May 19th. On May 8th, I'm moderating a forum featuring the major candidates for the Republican nomination, Daniel Cameron, Andy Barr, and Nate Morris. We plan to release that forum in its entirety as well. Thanks for listening.