ED MASSEY, DISTRICT 66, BOONE COUNTY, KENTUCKY, AND THE UNITED STATES
The Poster Child For Everything Wrong With American Politics In Three Candidates
My desk is covered with campaign literature from six candidates running under the banner of the Boone County, Kentucky Republican Party for the opportunity to run in November’s general election. I have written about several of these races here, here, and here.
What I wrote in those editions of the cleverly named Larry’s Letters was based on information contained in their campaign literature or during personal conversations - except for two of the six candidates who are vying for the open State House seat in District 66, TJ Roberts and Ed Massey.
On April 30, 2024 the Commonwealth Policy Center hosted a Candidate Forum. Though not advertised as a debate, it promised to have many of the elements of a debate. Regardless of how this event may have been viewed the audience, it promised to provide the attendees with a chance to meet and interact with those who sought their votes. While I was well versed on the issues and positions held by Marianne Proctor and Steve Rawlings and had explored the campaign literature provided by Duane Froelicher and Christopher Pavese I looked forward to hearing from Both Mr. Froelicher and Mr. Pavese and to perhaps speak with them to clarify some of their written statements.
I would have liked to ask Mr. Froelicher why he thought that it was appropriate to accuse Florence Mayor Aubuchon of voting to “destroy” the Florence pool and suggest that Steve Rawlings was being supported by unnamed “special interests” when neither of those charges are true.
I would have like to ask Mr. Pavese what he meant when he wrote that he wants to “expand healthcare quality” (a statement he made in a mailer paid for by a PAC that supports Certificate of Need which restricts healthcare competition and serves as a disincentive for quality improvement).
Unfortunately, at the last minute both Mr. Froelicher and Mr. Pavese realized that they had ‘schedule conflicts’ and announced that they would not be participating in the Commonwealth Policy Center Candidate Forum.
There are only two possibilities that I see that would prevent a candidate from appearing at a forum that they had previously committed to. Either there was a sudden death in their family or an illness neither of which is really a “scheduling conflict” OR a powerful supporter told them not to appear. IF a candidate can’t be bothered to speak directly to those from whom he seeks votes then why should we voters be motivated to give them our votes? If a powerful backer “suggests” that they not appear then that is an even bigger problem. Mr. Pavese’s campaign is funded almost exclusively by the politically powerful in Boone County.
At best both Mr. Froelicher and Mr. Pavese have shown disdain for the voters of Boone County. Our response should be appropriate to their disdain.
Then there is the race between TJ Roberts and Ed Massey - candidates about whom I knew little and so I was eager to hear from them both, particularly Mr. Massey whose reputation in Boone County as a former member of the Boone County School Board and state Representative was often not stellar. Nevertheless less I was willing to give Mr. Massey the benefit of the doubt and hear what he had to say.
Mr. Massey began his response to the question of why he is running for the vacant House seat in District 66 by stating that he wanted to help resolve the bitterness that exists between Republican and Democrat in Frankfort. That statement was immediately followed by what would be a never ending series of increasingly mean spirited personal attacks against Mr. Roberts.
When Mr. Massey did address policy issues and positions he held during his prior terms in the State House he demonstrated a disinterest for changing a status quo that gives us Certificates of Need, mask mandates in schools, vaccine mandates in our workplaces, violations of our First Amendment right to worship and assemble, and support for regressive tax plans. Mr. Massey constantly shifted responsibility for all of those things to local authorities who had no ability to ignore mandates issued by a rogue governor OR employers such as St. Elizabeth healthcare that ignored federal law in the Occupational Safety and Health Act and our constitutional guarantees of to freely exercise our religion. He also ignored the fact that it was the STATE Board of Education that our caused our schools to be closed and not the local boards of education. At one point Mr. Massey even dismissed as no big deal that working men and women with families to support find different employment if they didn’t want their employer to violate their federal rights.
While Mr. Massey’s policy rhetoric made him appear to be more Democrat than Republican, his continued personal attacks on Mr. Roberts made him appear mean spirited. Further, the nature of those attacks were petty, pointless, and deeply personal. Mr. Massey’s performance showed us everything that is wrong with politics in America today.
The best thing that Mr. Massey could do for the people of his District, Boone County, and the Commonwealth is to withdraw from this race and never run for another office again.
Union, Kentucky
3 May 2024