LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Kentucky’s gubernatorial election is just five weeks away, and dozens of people met Saturday in Louisville for a picnic in support of new leadership.
The organizer of Saturday's "Bullied By Bevin" picnic, however, was a Republican state senator.
"I’ve got nothing nice to say about him; I’m sorry," Kentucky Sen. Dan Seum said at his Fairdale home Saturday. Nearly 150 people, all of whom were there to see to it that Gov. Matt Bevin doesn't get reelected, gathered under a large tent in Seum's backyard. The goal of the picnic was to "restore civility to public service."
"I fully expect my Republican governor to be a class act, and this guy is not," Seum said, referring to Bevin.
Anyone could attend the picnic – except Bevin. WDRB News reached out to the governor's campaign several times and has yet to hear back. No politicians were allowed to speak to the crowd at the picnic, because the event was about the voters and what they had to say.
"This is America. We’re all together in the same pot, if you will, and we have a lot of problems," Seum said. "We have to solve those problems and we got to work together and we have to be respectful of one another."
Attendees of a "Bullied by Bevin" picnic hosted by state Sen. Dan Seum, R-Fairdale, fill their plates before listening to speakers.
Several in the audience showed support for Bevin’s Democratic challenger, Andy Beshear. Not surprisingly, many were teachers upset about pensions.
"This is our money, and we want to make sure we receive it when we’ve done our long years of teaching," said Terri Farmer, a teacher in Jefferson County Public Schools.
Other topics of discussion at Saturday's picnic included cannabis legislation and alleged instances of Bevin abusing his power. A spokesperson for the Republican Party of Kentucky told WDRB News they would not comment on the event.
IMAGES: “Bullied by Bevin” picnic at Republican KY Sen. Dan Seum’s home. @GovMattBevin @KYGOP wouldn’t comment on the event. I will take you inside the picnic on @WDRBNews 10pm pic.twitter.com/axQ6h4j7Bp
— Joel Schipper (@JSchipperWDRB) September 28, 2019
"This is an event that I think that will bring people together, and that’s what we’ve got to have going forward," said Ginger Wallace, a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. "Anything that can be done to bring people together, to talk and discuss and work through the big issues facing this state, is important."
Seum said he hopes the hostility over hot-button issues will calm down to a more respectful approach, regardless of the outcome of November’s election.
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