FRANKFORT — If there was any doubt coal is king in parts of eastern Kentucky, the dueling television ads by the Senate campaigns of Trey Grayson and Rand Paul should eliminate it.
One day after Grayson put up an ad with video footage of Paul saying “coal is a very dirty form of energy,” Paul fired back with an ad claiming Grayson is “a friend of Obama – no friend of coal.” The two are running for the U.S. Senate in the Republican primary, along with Bill Johnson, an Elton businessman and veteran, Gurley Martin of Owensboro and Jon Scribner of Gray.
The ad is running on the same television outlets as the Grayson ad – WYMT-TV in Hazard and several cable systems in eastern Kentucky. It begins with the opening clip of the Grayson ad then cuts to footage of Grayson saying, “As some of these coal plants are being phased out, we need to bring nuclear on.”
The ad says, “Rand Paul will stop Obama and the EPA from crippling the mining industry.” The next clip is of a congratulatory message Grayson – Kentucky’s Secretary of State and chief election official – filmed on President Barack Obama’s inauguration day. Grayson says, “I look forward to doing my part as Secretary of State and as a citizen in working with President Obama.”
Each clip ends while Grayson continues to speak, breaking off before Grayson finishes a sentence.
Grayson’s campaign manager Nate Hodson said both clips take Grayson’s comments “wildly out of context.” The first, he said, is from video from the Republican National Convention platform committee meetings at which “he successfully added pro-coal language.” Hodson said there’s nothing inconsistent in supporting both coal and nuclear power.
He said the Grayson ad does not take Paul’s comments about coal out of context. That video is from a speech Paul made in Tennessee in 2008 on behalf of his father, Texas Congressman Ron Paul who was running for the Republican nomination for president at the time.
Hodson said the Paul ad uses the logo of Friends of Coal without authorization. Paul campaign manager David Adams said the logo has been removed from the ad at the request of the group.
Adams said the ad shows that “turnabout is fair play” after Grayson’s coal ad which went on the air Tuesday.
“It shows we can play these political games as well,” Adams said. “We’re just looking forward to getting past these games and discussing the real issues.” He said no candidate will stand up for Kentucky coal more than Paul.
Paul’s campaign issued a press release Thursday accusing the Grayson ad of being “intellectually dishonest” but does not deny the comments made by Paul. However, Adams has said those comments were taken out of context.
The issue is key in southeastern Kentucky where coal dominates politics and commerce. That is also part of the critically important Fifth Congressional District which plays a pivotal role in Republican primaries.
On the Democratic side Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo of Hazard, Attorney General Jack Conway of Louisville, Darlene F. Price of Whitley City, Maurice M. Sweeney of Louisville, and James Buckmaster of Henderson are running for the seat being vacated by retiring Republican Jim Bunning.
RONNIE ELLIS writes for CNHI News Service and is based in Frankfort. Reach him at rellis@cnhi.com. Follow CNHI News Service stories on Twitter at www.twitter.com/cnhifrankfort.
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