After months of speculation, State Representative Charles Booker has confirmed that he will be running for a seat in the U.S. Senate. The representative from the 43rd district could be seen traveling across all of Kentucky on his listening tour, which he describes as a way to hear the stories and struggles of families across the Commonwealth. You might have also seen him just a few weeks ago at the Climate Strike march in Bowling Green. However, now you will likely be seeing him much more.

It’s official: I’m running for Senate to defeat Mitch McConnell.



This is a statement that we're taking our future back. It is a declaration that nothing will change unless we stand together and fight for it. Join our movement. Chip in: https://t.co/0jwsl8VSOu. pic.twitter.com/vDSeeHcnUt — Charles Booker (@Booker4KY) January 5, 2020

Representative Charles Booker now joins a field of Democratic candidates, including former fighter pilot Amy McGrath and retired Marine Lt. Col. Mike Broihier, who plan to challenge current Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. The incumbent has held this office since 1984. McConnell’s extended career in the Senate is a cause for concern, as they believe the problems Kentuckian’s face today is not the priority of a 36-year career politician. Charles Booker is keen to change this standard and solve the problems that have long gone unheard.

In a previous interview with the New Voice, Booker criticized McConnell for not improving the lives of Kentucky families with all the time he has had in the Senate. The State Representative asserted that he understands and has personally experienced many of the struggles of everyday Kentuckians. Booker is persistent in his efforts to inspire Kentuckians to open their minds from the confines of the “Political status quo” of the Commonwealth. Progress and updates go hand in hand.

As Kentucky’s primary election is coming up, many voters are becoming more energized about the election and what the future of Kentucky will be. Matt Dacey, a 52-year-old resident from Lexington, Kentucky, said in an interview with The New Voice, “I like Booker because of his background. He comes from modest means, and he has personally experienced many of the same struggles as the people he seeks to represent. Ideally, a Charles Booker campaign will seek to mobilize folks who haven’t been participating in our election process to come out and vote. He would be best served to stick to issues that truly matter, like income inequality, health care, education, and the environment, and not be distracted by hot-button fake issues like abortion, gun rights, or illegal immigration. I do think Booker stands a chance against both McGrath and McConnell. Booker’s message resonates very well with folks who support Bernie Sanders, and those folks will be voting in force in the primary this year. There are enough voters out there who are sick of Mitch McConnell that the right candidate can unseat him. The key will be mobilizing those voters and getting them to the polls on Election Day.”

Sammi Mathew, a 23-year-old student from Louisville, Kentucky told us, “I think Booker’s campaign will contrast significantly from his competitors. I believe Kentucky’s youth, people of color and the working class will be excited by this campaign. I imagine that Booker will seek to engage with as many people across Kentucky as he can, particularly those disenfranchised. It will be a lot of grassroots efforts, with his supporters being everyday Americans rather than powerful elites. Charles Booker is the first candidate I am going to vote for who is not simply just the better of the candidates running or the lesser of two evils, but a candidate with a mission I can truly get behind and support. I fully believe Charles Booker stands a chance against Amy McGrath and Mitch McConnell.”

We won’t beat Mitch McConnell by running to the soft center and not taking any real positions. By ignoring the realities of gun violence and drug addiction.



Democrats have tried that, and it fails every time. We can’t afford to lose anymore. pic.twitter.com/y0L6nlNlyb — Charles Booker (@Booker4KY) January 9, 2020

There is no doubt that Representative Booker has shown himself to be one of the more progressive candidates in this race. He has come forward in support of a Green New Deal, Medicare for All, and a universal basic income. Additionally, he has mentioned having strong concerns for money in politics, which leads many to believe that a large sum of the fundraising done on his campaign will come from small-dollar donations. It does not help that Booker waited a relatively long period of time before officially declaring his run for office. This means many months of losses in campaign canvassing efforts and fundraising opportunities. Regardless of the source of fundraising, it is crucial that Representative Booker gets his fundraising numbers up, given that other candidates in the race will be relying on more substantial sources than dollar donations.

Despite potential financial setbacks, Booker has entered numerous conversations on a list of hopefuls who could join the race to oust Senator McConnell. Now that he has declared, it is very likely that donors who were hesitant to contribute to his campaign will now be more willing to. Charles Booker plans to relinquish his seat in the Kentucky House of Representatives after his term, which is a bold move for an up-and-coming political figure like himself.

Even so, it is possible that his decision to run for McConnell’s seat will heat up the current race as early as May 19, 2020—the day of Kentucky’s primary elections. Facing off with Amy McGrath—a candidate backed by Senate Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and many other high-ranking legislators—may prove to be a steep uphill battle. However, Booker has made it clear that he will not be a democrat who “Dances around” Mitch McConnell. Throughout his campaign, he plans to directly address issues on social welfare that past nominees have shied away from and hold McConnell accountable for the pain he’s caused Kentuckians. He holds firm to his “Unabashed liberal” platforms, as the Courier-Journal puts it.

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