Democratic candidates for governor, attorney general and agriculture commissioner made campaign pitches at Virginia Park in downtown Hopkinsville over the weekend. While taking questions from the press at the event billed as Jazz in the park, Attorney General Andy Beshear spoke in favor of medical marijuana. He said that the opioid crisis eventually led him to support the issue.
“So what have we done?” Beshear said. “We have stocked people’s medicine cabinets with something that’s not giving them pain relief. I believe that medicinal marijuana will create some revenue for the state, but will also create real pain relief without causing massive addiction that we see from opioids.”
Beshear also spoke in favor of expanded gaming. He said Kentucky is seeing the “stealing of our tax revenue” from neighboring states. He also said gaming destinations can boost tourism and lift up other businesses in the communities. He is challenging the incumbent Republican, Gov. Matt Bevin, in the November general election.
Former Attorney General Greg Stumbo said his main objective is “continuing the fight” against opioid companies. He claims he was the first Attorney General in the nation to file a lawsuit against Purdue Pharma. Stumbo said his lawsuit served as a basis for other suits in the country.
“We’ve got nine cases pending against those opioid distributors and manufacturers right now just like the one that Oklahoma just won.,” Stumbo said. “I want to finish those cases and I’ll promise you that we’ll finish them in Kentucky’s courtrooms.”
Stumbo says if elected, he plans to reconstitute the Kentucky Bureau of Investigation. He faces Republican candidate Daniel Cameron.
Agriculture Commissioner candidate Robert Conway said the state has lost 10,000 farms in the past decade and it’s hard to make money in agriculture. He said at the age of 63, he’s had to go back to work at an office job in Lexington. He said he doesn’t want to be in an office but instead on the farm. He’s running against Republican incumbent Ryan Quarles.
Democratic Kentucky Secretary of State Candidate Heather French Henry was scheduled to speak at the event but did not attend because she sustained a back injury Saturday morning.
The election is on Nov. 5.
