Patterson, a Harrodsburg police officer who openly carries a gun while off duty, "turned in more than 9,100 signatures to the secretary of state's office," run by Democratic candidate Alison Lundergan Grimes, reports Jack Brammer of the Lexington Herald-Leader. "At least 5,000 valid signatures of registered voters are needed to get on the Nov. 4 ballot. Grimes' office took about two hours Monday afternoon to determine that Patterson had provided an adequate number of valid signatures." The filing deadline for third-party and independent candidates is Tuesday.
In the Bluegrass Poll taken in July, Patterson drew 7 percent of the vote, apparently equally from Grimes and Sen. Mitch McConnell. He "does best among younger voters and independents along with those who might change their mind, at 18 percent," notes Phillip Bailey of Louisvile's WFPL.
On his campaign home page, Patterson, 43, says "Our government has overstepped it's [sic] bounds and has compromised our way of life. . . . My goal is to maximize individual liberty, by curbing government interference into your personal daily life. I will accomplish this by working with other elected officials in voting to eliminate wasteful government spending, to consolidate redundant government functions, and to phase out government departments and programs that have outlived their usefulness. I will fight for us to allow Kentucky to determine its own future, and not have the Federal government mandate the details of our lives. And I will protect our civil liberties as Kentuckians, Americans, and individuals."
Other pages on the site also illustrate how Patterson might draw from both major candidates. On the biographical page, Patterson calls himself "an outspoken activist for equal rights for minorities and LGBT persons, and for his strong opposition on violence against women and children." His platform page says he opposes limits on civil liablity, a position held by most Democrats, and favors replacing the income tax with a sales tax, an idea favored by many Republicans. His regional issues page mentions only ideas for the Brent Spence Bridge in Northern Kentucky.
It's one thing for Patterson to call himself an "outspoken activist for LGBT rights," but Al, it's quite another to represent him as such just because he says he is.
ReplyDeleteIn 2013, what did he do to fight HB279? What did he do in 2009 to oppose the proposed ban on gay adoptions? In 2004, how did he fight the state's DOMA law? What has he ever done to advance the cause of statewide fairness? Oh, how can he be an outspoken activist for gay rights when I haven't even heard of him?
He's not an activist for LGBT rights. His page says his priority is to "end state marriage. Consenting adults do not need permission from government." It is a mistake to interpret an agenda of "Ending state marriage" as being pro-gay rights.
Maybe he's like every other delusional Libertarian who believes gays will be treated fairly with there is no government intervention. In reality, gays will be bullied, beaten, denied access to employment, housing, and healthcare.