U.S. Senate candidates talk coal issues

MADISONVILLE -- U.S. Sen. Rand Paul and Jim Gray, the man trying to replace him in Washington, were both here on Thursday talking about coal. And while they agree that the coal industry in Kentucky is struggling, their approaches to tackling the problem are vastly different.

Gray, the Democratic mayor of Lexington, made a campaign appearance early Thursday afternoon at the Hopkins County Regional Chamber of Commerce, where he presented his plan to reinvigorate coal community economies, a plan centered around growing existing businesses while attracting new industry, focusing on clean coal technology such as carbon capture and storage, worker training and protecting miner pensions.

"All my life I've been in a family construction business," Gray said. "I know western Kentucky. I grew up in Glasgow. We've done a lot of projects here. It's a great place to live and work. We must invest more in roads and bridges to move goods, including the I-69 bridge. That is a job-creating bridge. We must also bring a modern economy to all of Kentucky. High-speed internet access is at the top of the list with corporations doing site selection."

Gray, introduced by former Kentucky Sen. Jerry Rhoads, Rep. Brent Yonts and Sen. Dorsey Ridley, all Democrats, said repeatedly that he is the only candidate to actually submit a plan for coal communities.

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