Our Strength is Our People: David's Story- Jan. 23, 2014

DAVID KENNEDY: The Eastern Kentucky people are very strong-willed, strong-minded people, and they will get by. It comes from years and years ago of the old days, back in the mountains when people just knew one another, neighbors helping neighbors, and that's what we do. My name is David Kennedy. I live in Cumberland, Kentucky, which is located in Harlan County. We've lost virtually all of our coal mines in Harlan County, and our unemployment rate is probably one of the highest, if not the highest, in the state. Approximately 30 years ago, Mitch McConnell made a pass through Harlan County here in Eastern Kentucky where I live. His promise was to help us build decent roads and diversify our economy, help create jobs. Well today, 30 years later, David Kennedy is still driving on the same roads, and you can't show me one job Mitch McConnell helped create. The big problem that I see with Mitch McConnell is the simple fact that he's been in Washington too long. We know he has the ability to help us. We know he can do this. We don't understand why he's not. About five or six years ago, Mitch McConnell came into Harlan County. He talked for a few minutes, got on his bus, and went on his way. We haven't seen him since. The first time I met Alison Grimes she was running for secretary of state. When the lady got up and spoke, I immediately turned my head and I said "wow." She's sharp, she's smart, she knows what she's talking about, she's quick on her feet. She would be one of the greatest things we could do for Eastern Kentucky is send our own into Washington. We've heard a lot of politicians talk in the past, and I have confidence that Alison Grimes is not just a talker, but a doer. Alison Grimes is not even elected and yet she's thinking for Eastern Kentucky and Kentucky as a whole. It's just coming up with a job for her. Mitch McConnell's been in there for 30 years, and I've yet to see his job done. Something that I'm happy to relate to the people of Harlan County in Eastern Kentucky is I know that she will do what she can to help support the coal industry and help turn us around. Ten years from now I think that coal will still be a driving force in Harlan County. So hopefully by that point in time, we will have developed a strong tourism base and we can get some technology jobs and different types of businesses in here, and then I think things will be better. We will band together, we will do whatever we have to do to come up with new ideas to help diversify this economy and pull ourselves back up. Let's get her elected, let's put her in there, she can get the job done.