FRANKFORT, Ky. — The primary election is on June 23. Spectrum News 1’s Political Reporter Michon Lindstrom sat down with Democrat U.S. Senate Candidate Charles Booker who is hoping to take on the Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in November.
Q. We have less than a week left until the election, how are you feeling?
A. I'm inspired, I'm fired up, I'm humbled and I'm standing with a lot of Kentuckians that are ready to fight for our future and transform our future, demand justice and accountability in this moment, but also deal with the structural issues that leave so many Kentuckians struggling. And these times we're facing, so much pain, so much frustration dealing with the pandemic, the height of racial tension. I'm inspired to see how Kentuckians are fighting back and standing up and standing together. And I'm just proud to do my part and it means we're gonna win this race.
Q. You have been surging the past few weeks, your campaign has really picked up steam and picked up huge endorsements. What do you think that’s a result of?
A. Yeah, we just had a couple more come in today. We've been working hard, not only in this campaign but over the past few years. In my work over the past decade plus in every level of public service, trying to fight for better government, trying to make sure that government doesn't ignore people that come from where I come from, or look like I look or don't come from a lot of power. How do we make sure the government is accountable to the people. And that's what this campaign has been about. We got to get rid of Mitch McConnell, so that we can do the work of transforming our future, but it's not about him. This is about us and these past couple of weeks have just shined a light on the fact that my policies, the vision that I'm casting is not just, it's not radical, it is good public policy to invest in people in the prioritize people to listen to them and to be accountable to them and that's why we're gonna win this race, because we're standing up and we're fighting back.
Q. It's always been said that progressive can't win statewide. You’ve been traveling the state and seeing crowds in eastern Kentucky and other parts, is that correct?
A. Absolutely everywhere we go. I was in Prestonsburg, Whitesburg, just came back from Paducah, Owensboro, Hopkinsville. We're about to hit the road again and everywhere we go there's hundreds of people that are standing outside Maysville, that are socially distant but fired up because we realize we finally have a choice, we don't have to choose the status quo. We don't have to choose the same old political game that ignores regular folks and just those with a whole lot of money and media and all we're left with is poverty again and rationing our insulin again and struggling to keep the lights on. So folks are excited, and they're proud to stand with someone they know is gonna stand for them and, and I'm just honored to be part of it. We're making history, herstory, their story, our story in real time. And I'm so inspired by it.
Q. Your fundraising has picked up, but I think Amy McGrath has raised $41 million and polling says you are now, what about 10 points away. Is there enough time for you to catch up and to win?
A. Oh yeah it’s closer than that, and yeah, we are gonna win. It’s because of all the work we've put in to inspire folks to reach out to elevate people. We have folks organizing in our campaign in Appalachia, all the way to the purchase, folks that have never been involved in politics before. And so we have the base. I've built the coalition, labor, folks in the establishment but also people that understand that we got to shake up the status quo, because they know that I'm fighting for all Kentuckians and because of that, our fundraising has picked up incredibly over the past couple of days we've raised over $1 million going into this final search, we're able to go dollar for dollar with the DSCC chosen candidate, because we prioritize people. So yeah, we have enough money to do what we need to do. But the most important thing is we're elevating the people of Kentucky. And that's why we're going to win.
The interview was cut short after members from the community came to speak with Booker.