Latest news with #PulaskiCountyRepublicanParty
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Barr, Rogers talk Trump, '26 Senate race at Lincoln Dinner
The Pulaski County Republican Party's Lincoln Dinner is named after the United States' 16th president, Abraham Lincoln. But it was the current GOP occupant of the White House who was mentioned most of all on Tuesday night. Speakers Kentucky Congressmen Hal Rogers of the Fifth District and Andy Barr of the Sixth District both took the opportunity to unequivocally throw their support behind President Donald Trump during the party event held at The Center for Rural Development. Barr's visit was not just as a guest speaker but a campaign stop, since he is in the running for the U.S. Senate Seat from Kentucky currently held by longtime Senator Mitch McConnell. That race will take place next year, but Barr, of Lexington, worked to build momentum Tuesday night by making his case as both someone who has successfully won in a Democrat-heavy area and who would back Trump in Washington. '(W)ith this great privilege of having represented central Kentucky, what an enormous blessing it would be to get a chance to represent the people of Pulaski County, eastern and southern Kentucky, western Kentucky and the rest of our commonwealth,' said Barr. 'Failure is not an option,' he later added. 'We must nominate someone who can make sure that this U.S. Senate seat stays in conservative American-first Republican hands. ... We have a governor who has shown how Democrats can win a statewide race in red Kentucky. ... The only way a Democrat can win statewide in the commonwealth of Kentucky, in 2023, '24, '25 or '26, is to win the Sixth District. That's how Andy Beshear did it. He did it twice. ... I pledge this to you: I will not lose the single swing purple district in Kentucky, my district (including Lexington).' Barr described himself as 'an America-first conservative' raised in the era of Ronald Reagan, and said that 'for the first time in our lifetime, our country is teetering on the brink, and thank God we've got President Trump to help us save our country.' Barr further connected himself to Trump and his tariff policies by saying, 'Finally, we have a president who is fighting for reciprocal and, yes, free trade, but free trade on level terms. We have been ripped off, even not just from our enemies, from our trading partners and allies, and we finally have a president who is trying to get us better, more reciprocal deals ... the turbulence that we've seen in the short term will lead to long-term stability and better access to markets.' Referencing his place on the House Financial Services Committee, Barr said that he is actively working to 'take politics out of your retirement accounts and your investment accounts and your college savings and your retirement savings,' and to 'unleash our capital markets and our community banks, because we know those are the American Dream makers. Those are the folks that provide those loans in our hometown communities to the farmers and to the mainstream businesses and the entrepreneurs. 'We believe in the Republican Party, in the power of the American Dream, the idea that in this country, regardless of where you come from, you can get ahead through the power of free markets,' he continued. '... We're about the American Dream through freedom, not government, because we believe that government should be the servant of the people, not the master of the people.' Barr also praised Trump's handling of the nation's border crisis — '(T)he border is closed,' he said. '(Former President) Joe Biden and the media, they said, 'Oh we just need a bipartisan immigration and comprehensive immigration reform bill.' No they didn't. They just needed a commander-in-chief who knew how to protect our country' — and said that lawmakers are working on a bill to 'surge resources to border patrol to build the wall ... (and) keep our communities safe.' In addition to Trump, Barr also had words of praise for Pulaski County, calling it 'a place near and dear to my heart' — he talked about camping at the Bee Rock area, which he did as a young boy as well as now with his own daughters; he also proposed to his late wife Carol there in 2007 — and for Rogers, saying, 'There is no better mentor in the U.S. House than Hal Rogers. ... Unlike most politicians in Washington who like to hear themselves talk, he is very selective about when he speaks up, but when he does, people listen because he is a man of wisdom, a man of influence, and a man who knows how to deliver.' Rogers did deliver his own address at Tuesday's Lincoln Club event, saying that he and Barr were 'having fun in Washington D.C., getting a lot of blisters on our hands,' and working to support the Trump administration's agenda. In particular, speaking about international trade, Rogers noted Trump has started the process of negotiating with China and is 'right to do so, because they've ripped us off, flooded our young people with fentanyl and threatened all sorts of activities worldwide' —and then urged people to 'have patience with this president' and his economic policies. 'Making America great again is alive and well,' said Rogers. 'This president has put forward some ... far-reaching policies and ideas, and it's going to take some time. This is not going to happen overnight. But it's beginning to happen, as we speak.' Speaking to the crowd of Republicans assembled at The Center, Rogers — who briefly spoke in front of his own portrait hanging in the facility's lobby — said, 'It's a new day, and it's your party. We're going to keep ahead of the curve, and we do that by doing what you're doing just now: supporting the party and helping in the election.' The dinner was the first to see Alex Wilson speak as the new chairman of the Pulaski County Republican Party, following Bill Turpen, who served in that role from 2017 until this past March. Wilson recognized a number of notable individuals present — as well as the late JC Tucker — and was sworn in as the new chair by Circuit Court Judge Teresa Whitaker, along with vice chair Cloyd Bumgardner, treasurer Debra Ruckel, secretary Maydell Greer, and youth chair Callie Thompson.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Wilson to follow Turpen as Pulaski GOP chair
'It's always been (true that) candidates want to come to Pulaski County because they know that Pulaski County is Republican and they know that they're going to show out. We want to keep that and we want to further build on that as well.' Alex Wilson New Pulaski GOP Chair 'It's always been (true that) candidates want to come to Pulaski County because they know that Pulaski County is Republican and they know that they're going to show out. We want to keep that and we want to further build on that as well.' Alex Wilson New Pulaski GOP Chair For the second time this year, political party leadership in Pulaski County is changing hands. Bill Turpen, who has served as chairman of the Pulaski County Republican Party for almost a decade, is ceding the job to new blood — Alex Wilson, co-owner of Ridgenet Network Group. Wilson was chosen as the new party chair on Saturday, along with several other positions within the local GOP organization. 'I'm really excited about it,' said Wilson, who had previously served as vice-chair. 'It's something I've kind of had my eye on for a while. Working alongside Bill for the past several years, it's something I knew that, when the time came, I wanted to put my name in for it. So now that that time has come and I got the election, it's all surreal but nice. I'm ready to hit the ground running and get started.' Wilson, 29, is a native of the Science Hill area and an alum of Pulaski County High School and Western Kentucky University. In addition to his work with IT business Ridgenet, he's been a volunteer firefighter with the Science Hill and Dabney Fire Departments, and also serves on the Pulaski County Schools Business/Marketing Advisory Council. Wilson has a number of things he'd like to accomplish within the local GOP — 'Some of it can be done in a quicker manner, some will take some time,' he said. Wilson would like to hold more regular monthly membership meetings, something that had been done in the recent past, to 'help boost membership and communication channels for our members.' While Pulaski is 'a predominant Republican county' in terms of party allegiance, noted Wilson, actually getting people involved with the organizational aspects of the party is something 'people are more lax' about locally. 'We're not providing an avenue for people to be active members, so that's something I want us to focus on,' said Wilson. 'I want us to have monthly meetings and an increase in events, not just stuff around election times. By doing that, I think we'll be able to increase our participation and really ensure that we don't lose our grasp on the party dominance here in the county. 'That's going to help us attract candidates that are running statewide elections,' he added. 'It's always been (true that) candidates want to come to Pulaski County because they know that Pulaski County is Republican and they know that they're going to show out. We want to keep that and we want to further build on that as well.' In addition to Wilson, the rest of the Pulaski County Republican committee was filled out Saturday, with Callie Garner Thompson as youth chair, Maydell Greer as secretary, Debra Ruckel as treasurer, and former chair Cloyd Bumgardner returning as the new vice chair to Wilson. Turpen, known locally as a building contractor as well as an educator in Pulaski County Schools, replaced Bumgardner as GOP chair in 2017. When asked why he would step away from chairmanship now, Turpen simply replied with a laugh, 'Why not?' Following up on that, Turpen said, 'I've had it long enough; I've had it eight years. ... I've had a great team to work with.' One of the things he did was expand the party's executive board from three seats to 12. 'That's just helped to involve more people,' said Turpen. '... We've all worked together.' Turpen was also proud to have helped spearhead a number of local events with 'exciting' speakers, particularly during the last race for state constitutional offices, including the governor's office — the only one of those offices not held by a Republican in Kentucky. During his time as chair, Pulaski has remained a stronghold for the Republican Party at the ballot box. Last November, Donald Trump, the GOP candidate for U.S. President, got 82.09 percent of the vote in Pulaski — almost exactly the same figure as he did in 2016, just before Turpen took over, meaning big-picture local Republican voting has held steady in Turpen's time. The party has also maintained control of the Kentucky State Legislature, having won control of both houses in 2016 as well, and Pulaski has continued to vote for Republicans to go to Frankfort — all five state representatives representing parts of this county and the area's state senator are Republicans. 'I think this legislature has done an outstanding job in representing the feelings of Kentucky,' said Turpen. 'A lot of times, they don't get the credit they deserve, but I want to make a real good plug for them. They have done a great job with the legislation, and things that relate to our values, that relate to taxes, and Kentucky family life in general.' The Turpen-to-Wilson transition takes place on the heels of the local Democratic Party also experiencing a change in leadership. In February, Dr. Rodney Casada stepped away from his longtime party chairmanship, to be replaced by Lee Ann Drake. Turpen expressed a respect for Casada and the job he's done, and feels like Casada is mutual in that. 'We're on opposite sides, but ... we've had a very good relationship.' Additionally, Turpen thanked Congressman Hal Rogers of Somerset and his wife Cynthia for being 'so supportive of the Republican Party in Pulaski County — if we've asked them to host events ... or to be a part of (them), they've always been so willing to help.' Likewise, 'all of the elected Republicans (in Washington) have been.' As for Wilson, 'I think he's going to take us in a little different direction. He's going to be able to draw a lot more young people in. He's got more useful ideas, and I'm very excited for him.' Wilson called it 'bittersweet' to see 'mentor' Turpen step away from the chairmanship, and intends to continue to draw on Turpen for his perspectives and experience. 'I told him, 'Bill, if I do this, I hope you know you're not going to fully be out. I will be calling you,'' said Wilson. 'I'm blessed to have that avenue, and he does want to be an active part in the organization, so that's going to be great and very helpful for me and our team moving forward. We've got a really good team.'
