Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Grimes puts Aug. 26 Owensboro picnic on schedule, setting up second meeting with McConnell in a week

The candidates for the U.S. Senate are scheduled to meet twice in one week, starting a week from today, but not in debates.

Alison Lundergan Grimes has agreed to appear at the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce's Red, White & Blue Picnic on Aug. 26, Keith Lawrence of Owensboro's Messenger-Inquirer reports. "U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell had confirmed his appearance earlier."

On Aug. 20, Grimes and McConnell will participate in a Kentucky Farm Bureau "Measure the Candidates" forum at the organization's Louisville headquarters, which will be videostreamed live. The next morning, they will be at the group's annual Country Ham Breakfast at the state fair, but Grimes won't be among the speakers.

The Owensboro picnic is scheduled for 5 p.m. CDT on the north lawn of the Daviess County Courthouse, on Second Street. "McConnell and Grimes will take the stage at 5:15 p.m.," Lawrence reports.

"They will each have five minutes to speak," Chamber President Amy Jackson told Lawrence. "The incumbent goes last in each race."

"The picnic, sponsored by AT&T, is free and open to the public," Lawrence reports. "A free meal, cooked by the Daviess County Cattleman's Association, will be served to the first 300 people in line. People should bring lawn chairs, Jackson said."

Efforts to arrange a debate between the candidates have been unsuccessful. McConnell proposed three "Lincoln-Douglas style" debates this summer, and has not agreed to a statewide televised forum that KET has scheduled for Oct. 13. Grimes has said McConnell's requirements are too rigid and negotiations have failed.

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