FANCY FARM, Ky. — The political speeches at the 144th annual St. Jerome Fancy Farm Picnic Saturday, Aug. 3 skewed heavily Republican, with just two Democrats taking the stage.

What You Need To Know

  • Political speeches at the 144th annual St. Jerome Fancy Farm Picnic skewed heavily Republican  

  • Only two Democrats took the stage, despite the church's effort to bring in more Democratic speakers

  • Gov. Andy Beshear, D-Ky., and Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman, D-Ky., did not attend 

  • Republicans directed several digs at Beshear, who is considered a potential running mate for Vice President Kamala Harris 

One Democrat who wasn’t there, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, got the most attention.

“Governor Beshear said she’d be a phenomenal president,” said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., referring to Beshear’s comments on Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate. “I guess that’s no surprise for a guy used to having jobs served up to him on a silver platter.”

Beshear, whose father Steve Beshear previously served as governor of commonwealth, has won three statewide elections in solidly conservative Kentucky.

He has been named a potential running mate for Harris, who is expected to announce her pick by Tuesday, Aug. 6. 

“I really don’t know who she’ll pick, but I know it ain’t Andy,” said Attorney General Russell Coleman, R-Ky.

With no gubernatorial or constitutional office races on the ballot in November, Republicans in the crowd focused their support on incumbent Congressman James Comer, R-Tompkinsville.

He’s running against Democrat Erin Marshall, a Frankfort mom who calls him an “anti-abortion Republican.”

“For a man that professes to love small government so much, he sure loves to be in our business,” Marshall said.

“Many of you have asked if I had an opponent. Well, you just heard from her. Welcome to your first and last trip to Fancy Farm,” Comer shot back while addressing Marshall.  

With a little more than three months to go until the Nov. 5 election, former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron spoke on behalf of the Republican presidential candidate, former President Donald Trump.

And though Beshear has been stumping for Harris around the country, there wasn’t a Democrat speaking at Fancy Farm to represent her campaign.

The picnic's political chairman, Steven Elder, previously told Spectrum News he had contacted party leaders in an effort to bring in more Democratic speakers. 

"We want to have ... members of both sides of our two major parties present at Fancy Farm," he said. "That's what makes it exciting." 

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