In the race for Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, the Fairness Campaign's Political Action Committee, C-FAIR, joins the Kentucky Fairness Alliance's FAIR-PAC in a unanimous joint endorsement of Governor Steve Beshear for reelection. After winning both the C-FAIR endorsement and the 2007 gubernatorial race, Governor Beshear soon proved that he was the public servant promised in his candidacy--one committed to fair and equal treatment of all Kentuckians. He reinstated the Executive Order rescinded by his predecessor that extended employment protections for Kentucky's state employees based on their perceived sexual orientation and gender identity.
Governor Beshear is supportive of the public universities that have chosen to extend domestic partner benefits, streamlined the process to restore voting rights to former Kentucky inmates, and is a strong ally of organized labor. But, equally as important, Governor Beshear has been a strong leader during these tough economic times. Though he has cut more than $1 billion from the state budget, he has protected education, Medicaid, and public safety programs from cuts and he is working to find jobs for all Kentuckians.
Governor Beshear shares a vision for our Commonwealth that gives every Kentuckian a chance to succeed and live a happy, healthy life. It is because of that vision and the actions he has taken in testament to his commitment to Fairness that C-FAIR and FAIR-PAC endorse Governor Steve Beshear with vigor.
Independent candidate Gatewood Galbraith also responded to the C-FAIR/FAIR-PAC questionnaire. While Mr. Galbraith indicated support of statewide anti-discrimination Fairness protections, his lack of campaign fundraising and ambiguous statements on other issues of importance made him a candidate not viable for the C-FAIR or FAIR-PAC endorsements.
Attorney General
Given the integral role Kentucky's Attorney General plays in upholding laws that protect our Commonwealth's lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender residents, C-FAIR offers these profiles of the candidates running for that office though neither responded to the joint C-FAIR/FAIR-PAC questionnaire.
Elected as the Commonwealth's Attorney General in 2007, Jack Conway has said publicly that he favors abortion rights during the first trimester of pregnancy, supports President Barack Obama's health-care reform bill, supported the end of the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy on lesbian and gay service members, and supports expansion of the federal civil-rights law to add protections based on sexual orientation.
Candidate Todd P'Pool has stated his overriding goal if elected will be to join the legal battle against President Barack Obama’s health care law. Mr. P’Pool has pledged to be a “pro-life” attorney general and to bring more “faith-based” solutions to problems such as drug addiction. He has won and accepted the endorsements of Kentucky Right to Life and the Louisville Tea Party.
No other candidate in any race returned a C-FAIR/FAIR-PAC questionnaire.
In a show of solidarity with the Berean effort to pass a local anti-discrimination Fairness ordinance, C-FAIR has made a financial disbursement to FAIR-PAC endorsed Guy Townsend for Berea City Council.