LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — The Democrats running for Kentucky's U.S. Senate seat currently held by Mitch McConnell faced off Tuesday in a debate.
Affordability, health care, national security and the war in Iran were hot button topics on the table in the hourlong debate hosted by Spectrum News.
Former state Rep. Charles Booker, House Democratic Leader Pamela Stevenson, retired marine Amy McGrath and horse trainer Dale Romans made their case to voters.
It's been 34 years since Kentucky elected a Democrat to the United States Senate.
McConnell, a Republican who has represented Kentucky in the U.S. Senate since 1985, announced earlier this year that he won't seek reelection in 2026 after more than 40 years in office, creating the first open Senate seat in the state in years.
The Democratic candidates went head-to-head, trying to prove they can win in November.
"I can build a coalition that can win this open Senate seat and I will work to bring back a government that will work for you," said McGrath.
"The people of Kentucky need a proven leader who will stand on the frontline, in the street, on the picket, in the halls of government," Booker said. "Lifting up a vision to put more money in their pocket, to make sure they don't have to ration medicine, to make sure they can live a good life, and that's what I've done."
"I have traveled all over the state and listened to people, and I know what they want," said Stevenson. "They want someone that can lead. That has vision. Someone who will make sure they get what they need."
"I'm not a lawyer. I'm not college educated. Never was in the military. But I think I have a PhD in life, and I think that would do me a lot of good when I go to Washington," Romans said. "I understand the working class people here in Kentucky."
The candidates also weighed in on affordability in the U.S.
"Why don't working families get the same tax loopholes as big corporations? Why can't we raise the minimum wage? Why can't we make sure people have a living wage," Stevenson asked.
"If we can fund endless wars, we can fund Medicare for all. If we can fund endless wars, we can fund food support for our children. If we can fund endless wars, we can make sure no one has to struggle," said Booker.
"First of all, this tariff policy, unilaterally put in place by our president and championed by our Republicans in Congress, is a tax on all of us," McGrath said.
"The first thing we need to do is take back the House and the Senate so we can repeal the big ugly bill that was shoved down our throats and take a lot of that money that was pushed towards ICE and taken away from Medicare and Medicaid and put it back where it belongs with Medicare and Medicaid," said Romans.
Tuesday's debate came a day after the Republican Senate frontrunners took the stage in a debate hosted by WDRB News. You can watch the debate in full by clicking here.
Kentucky's primaries will be held May 19, followed by the general election Nov. 3.
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