LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A Jeffersontown mayoral candidate is defending an unusual campaign mailer that doubles as an ad for his pizza business.
Ray “Chubby Ray” Perkins told WDRB News that there was nothing inappropriate about the flyer, which is half campaign ad for his mayoral run and half coupons for his Jeffersontown restaurant, Chubby Ray’s Original Louisville Pizza Co.
"People know me, for better or worse, as Chubby Ray Perkins, and I'm just letting everybody know that the guy running for mayor is the same guy that runs the restaurant," Perkins said.
A Jeffersontown mayoral candidate is defending an unusual campaign mailer that doubles as an ad for his pizza business.
Campaign finance laws in Kentucky generally prohibit businesses from spending money on behalf of political campaigns, and campaigns from using their funds for non-campaign purposes, according to John Steffen, the executive director of the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance.
Steffen said he couldn’t speak to any specific cases, but the agency investigates situations when it receives complaints.
Perkins said he paid for each side of the flyer separately, using his business and campaign accounts.
"The campaign pays for the campaign portion and the restaurant pays for the restaurant portion," Perkins said. 'Here's the same ad cut in half. They're clearly separate. This has got a blue background, it says 'Paid for by campaign to elect Chubby Ray Perkins', and this is the restaurant ad."
Perkins said it would have been more expensive to mail both separately, and argues its similar to Jeffersontown Magazine runs political and restaurant ads side-by-side.
"I don't believe it's unethical," he said. "I'm letting the voters know it's the same guy that owns the restaurant, but I'm not using restaurant funds to pay for the campaign."
Perkins is running against Carol Pike in November's election.
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