Progress Kentucky Calls on Judd Supporters to Focus on Defeating McConnell
For Immediate Release:
March 27, 2013
For months Progress Kentucky has been encouraging many candidates to run against Mitch McConnell, including Ashley Judd. Today we learned that Judd will not seek the senate seat. Her announcement is disappointing news to many who saw her as a winning candidate. Fortunately, we have a deep bench. There are very qualified candidates who can take on a discredited senator who, after 28 years of in office, is the least popular senator in the country.
Progress Kentucky hopes that Ashley will continue to stay involved in Kentucky and put her celebrity platform behind the eventual nominee. We also hope she will put her time, talent and treasure into the job of defeating Mitch McConnell, because that is something that will take all of us working together.
To those who have enthusiastically supported Ashley Judd these last few months, Progress Kentucky encourages you to stay optimistic and keep your eyes on the prize... defeating Mitch McConnell in 2014. We invite Ashley, and her supporters, to join Progress Kentucky as we work to do just that. We are very optimistic that a strong, energetic and serious challenger to Mitch McConnell will step up to the plate.
- Shawn Reilly, Executive Director
Join the campaign to defeat Mitch McConnell visit http://www.progresskentucky.com
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Video: Citizens protested outside McConnell speech in Frankfort
For Immediate Release:
March 26, 2013
Frankfort, KY – About fifty people angered by Mitch McConnell’s obstruction around the sequester and his support of the Ryan Budget protested in front of the Capitol Plaza Hotel today as Senator Mitch McConnell addressed the Frankfort Chamber of Commerce. Kentuckians braved the cold weather and snow to greet him by highlighting how his obstruction and corruption has hurt Kentucky.
“Citizens rallied because while Senator McConnell is telling Kentuckians how he’s working his heart out protecting us from Washington DC, the truth is Kentucky doesn’t need McConnell’s protection from Washington, Kentucky needs protection from Mitch McConnell,” said Shawn Reilly Executive Director of Progress Kentucky.
The protesters focused on how McConnell’s obstruction in the Senate makes him a jobs killer, how McConnell’s support of the Ryan Budget that kills Medicare puts Kentuckians at risk, and how his votes against veterans are bad for Kentucky and bad for the country.
When asked why he was protesting, Max Thomas of Frankfort said, “When Mitch claims he’s protecting us from Washington he’s really hurting a lot of people in the state, like the thousands of people who will lose their jobs because of McConnell’s failure to replace the damaging sequester cuts with smarter policies.”
Bud Andrews, of Henderson Kentucky, said he was protesting because, “It really angers me when Mitch claims he supports our troop, because he doesn’t. He voted to send them to war in Iraq, but when they came home he voted against the Veterans Jobs Bill and a bill to help homeless veterans.”
Mike Mansfield of Frankfort, when asked why he was protesting, responded “I want to make sure that Mitch and the Congress don’t kill my wife. By that I mean she’s a Medicaid patient and if they cut back in Medicaid her care will be gone and it will kill her.”
Progress Kentucky: The single most important thing we want to achieve: Electing a new US Senator to represent Kentucky
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Citizens Rally to Protect Kentucky from Mitch McConnell
March 26, 2013
Frankfort, KY – Citizens angered over McConnell’s obstruction around the sequester and his support of the Ryan Budget will rally in front of the Capitol Plaza Hotel at 405 Wilkerson Blvd Frankfort, KY 40601 today at 11:30am to set the record straight that Kentucky needs to be protected from Mitch McConnell and his failed policies.
Senator Mitch McConnell will be the featured speaker at the Frankfort Chamber of Commerce’s Membership Luncheon, where he will repeat his latest campaign ad that he “works his heart out, to protect Kentucky from Washington’s bad ideas.” Kentuckians will be there to greet him by highlighting how his obstruction and corruption has hurt Kentucky.
“Citizens are holding this rally because Senator McConnell needs to hear he’s not protecting Kentucky and he’s not helping our state,” said Shawn Reilly Executive Director of Progress Kentucky. “The truth is Kentucky doesn’t need McConnell’s protection from Washington, Kentucky needs protection from Mitch McConnell.”
“Folks are starting to stand up to Mitch McConnell because we’ve had enough of his obstruction, said Max Thomas of Frankfort, KY. “When Mitch claims he’s protecting us from Washington he’s really hurting a lot of people in the state like the thousands of people who will lose their jobs because of McConnell’s failure around the sequester.”
Members from Kentucky organizations and unions will rally in front of the Capitol Plaza Hotel at 405 Wilkerson Blvd in downtown Frankfort on Tuesday, March 26th at 11:30am to highlight the failed policies of Senator Mitch McConnell.
When: Tuesday, March 26th at 11:30am
What: Rally to Protect Kentucky from Mitch McConnell
Who: Progress Kentucky and members from Kentucky organizations and unions
Where: Capitol Plaza Hotel at 405 Wilkerson Blvd Frankfort, KY 40601
Progress Kentucky: The single most important thing we want to achieve: Electing a new US Senator to represent Kentucky
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Progress Kentucky responds to McConnell ad
Media Release – March 14, 2013
Mitch McConnell is out with a new ad claiming he “works his heart out to protect Kentucky from Washington DC’s bad ideas.” Kentucky doesn’t need to be protected from Washington, Kentucky needs to be protected from Mitch McConnell.
“A prime example is Mitch McConnell’s vote to prevent the Violence Against Women Act Re-Authorization, a law that is saving women’s lives,” said Shawn Reilly, Executive Director of Progress Kentucky. “McConnell’s opposition to a law that strengthens protections for victims of domestic violence and provides law enforcement important tools they need, demonstrates that he is a problem for all Americans, not just Kentuckians.”
The Violence Against Women Act funds law enforcement efforts as well as educational and community programs to prevent domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, and provides assistance to victims. In addition to reauthorization the bill makes several updates to the law, including an expanded focus on sexual assault, new tools to identify and manage high-risk offenders and prevent domestic violence homicides.1
"All women deserve the right to live free from fear," said Nancy Jakubiak, a retired legal assistant “Mitch McConnell’s vote against the Violence Against Women Act threatened to derail a law that protects women, and I think women need to know that.”
Progress Kentucky is committed to removing Mitch McConnell from the Senate and ensuring that the Commonwealth has the kind of representation it deserves.
1. Factsheet: The Violence Against Women Act
http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/vawa_factsheet.pdf
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Progress Kentucky Recommits to Appropriate and Vigorous Debate
March, 1, 2013
First, Progress Kentucky apologizes again to Elaine Chao and Senator McConnell for the inappropriate tweets sent by our organization. Those tweets did not reflect our values, and we are committed to making sure nothing like that happens again.
We also apologize to our many supporters, and all Kentuckians working for change in 2014, for those communications. Comments with references to race, ethnicity or sexual orientation have no place in any debate, and we are deeply embarrassed by such a mistake.
Our key goal is to elevate the conversation about Senator McConnell’s record and the kind of representation Kentucky deserves. We didn’t advance that goal with a few of our tweets. We pledge to do better in the future.
Finally, we recognize we did not handle this situation appropriately. We should have reacted quicker and stronger in rectifying the situation. We are doing that now.
We are continuing to update our social media procedures to ensure that in the future all messages represent the official position of Progress Kentucky, and we will use the next few days to focus on connecting with our key supporters and mending relationships we may have damaged.
The volunteer responsible for the tweets is no longer affiliated with Progress Kentucky. Additionally, Curtis Morrison has resigned. We wish them success in the future and thank them for their support.
Going forward we are going to take some time to fully evaluate our communication processes to ensure that all information we present is appropriate to the message. We are working to rebuild the trust that so many supporters have bestowed upon us. We will continue to educate voters about the key issues with Senator McConnell.
Progress Kentucky is committed to defeating Senator Mitch McConnell and ensuring that The Commonwealth gets the kind of representation it deserves in the future.
Sincerely,
Shawn Reilly and the Team at Progress Kentucky
Progress Kentucky issues apology to Elaine Chao
February 26, 2013
Progress Kentucky is dedicated to ensuring the people of KY have the kind of representation in the US Senate they deserve. In an effort to educate KY voters as to the varied interests of Sen. McConnell we provided information about connections between the senator and business and government interests in China. This information included an inappropriate comment on the ethnicity of the former Secretary of Labor, Elaine Chao, the senator’s wife.
We apologize to the secretary for that unnecessary comment and have deleted the tweets in question. In addition, we have put a review process in place to ensure tweets and other social media communications from Progress KY are reviewed and approved prior to posting.
Senator McConnell’s record deserves a thorough and legitimate airing. We believe that after fair examination of it Kentuckians will agree that Senator McConnell has been wrong over and over on the issues that matter. We will continue to inform Kentucky voters the important issues at stake in this election.
McConnell is selling out the middle class of America
Media Release – February 26, 2013
McConnell is selling out the middle class of America
Mitch McConnell’s campaign manager, Jesse Benton, has accused Progress Kentucky of race-baiting by retweeting a Twitter message that mentioned McConnell’s wife’s nationality.1
“Progress Kentucky strongly denies that the organization has engaged in any such thing,” said Shawn Reilly, executive director of Progress Kentucky. “Benton’s statements are an attempt to divert attention from the fact that Mitch McConnell has engaged in the selling of the American middle class overseas for decades.”
Here are the facts:
In 1997, McConnell pushed for trade relations favorable to China resulting in American jobs going overseas. McConnell and his father-in-law James S.C. Chao, who is president of Foremost Maritime Corporation, met “privately with Chinese officials, including Jiang Zemin, then general secretary of the Communist Party of China. (Chao’s father and Jiang were schoolmates in China.),” according to the Herald-Leader. 2
Poll results: McConnell struggles against hypothetical candidate
PRESS RELEASE
February 13, 2013
Senator Mitch McConnell is still unpopular with Kentucky voters, and vulnerable to challengers in 2014, according to a new poll released Wednesday by Harper Polling.
Senator Mitch McConnell is still unpopular with Kentucky voters, and vulnerable to challengers in 2014. That’s according to a poll released Wednesday by Harper Polling, reported by Joe Arnold with WHAS11 (http://www.whas11.com/community/blogs/political-blog)
"If Mitch McConnell, a 5-term incumbent, is performing this poorly against a hypothetical candidate in a virtual race, he should just retire," said Shawn Reilly. "But if he’s staying in the race, Kentucky Democrats and Republicans are still waiting for answers on his involvement with the Amgen scandal."
Kentuckians set the record straight McConnell’s No 'fiscal cliff hero'
MEDIA ADVISORY:
January 18, 2013
Lexington, KY – Kentuckians angered over Senator McConnell’s failed leadership around the ‘fiscal cliff’ crisis will gather in front of the Hyatt Regency at 401 W. High Street, Lexington, KY 40507 at 11:30 today, January 18th to set the record straight about his failed policies that caused the crisis.
Progress Kentucky Launches Campaign to Draft McConnell Challengers
MEDIA ADVISORY
January 9, 2013
Despite recent polls showing that Sen. Mitch McConnell is vulnerable to a primary challenge and/or a general election challenge, only a handful of candidates have so far expressed interest in running against a five-term incumbent with $7 million in his campaign war chest and a history of nasty, scorched-earth campaigning.