Candidate Conversations: The U.S. Senate

I do want to get to affordability very quickly because that is such a big issue.

We see congressional candidates running on the affordability platform all across the country.

You talked just now about gas prices, grocery prices.

What concrete steps would you take to help lower the cost of those items for Kentuckians?

Well, it's being called affordability now.

Uh, I really don't care about the branding of it.

The fact of the matter is we have been struggling for a long time here in Kentucky.

Hardworking, remarkable, diligent, faithful people, but we have been struggling from corruption in Washington, from rising prices, and from opportunities that have been far too few.

And what I know now is this tariffs, these tariffs that have been thrown around the globe, this trade war with Canada, our largest trade partner, it's hurting the people of Kentucky.

And then this conflict, this chaos with Iran, these endless wars, we're sending billions upon billions of dollars overseas for conflicts and not investing in the people, and as a result, inflation is, is skyrocketing.

We're seeing our deficit continue to balloon and get out of control more and more, and people are tired of it.

And so lifting up policies to, one, stop these reckless tariffs and give the people of Kentucky a refund, give them their money back, but also pushing for true living wages, making sure that everyone has the same high-quality healthcare that Mitch McConnell's been getting while he's been in Washington, and protecting working people in the wave of AI.

We can deliver an agenda for working people if we have leaders who care about us, who will show up for us, and that's exactly why I'm running.

And we'll get into more specifics of many of the things that you just mentioned here shortly, but first, we'll talk healthcare because you have been open about your-

Yeah

... struggle with Type 1 diabetes and perhaps even rationing your insulin at certain times in your life.

So, um, when it comes to America's healthcare system, you support Medicare for All, a single-payer national health insurance program that would guarantee coverage for all US citizens.

How do you propose that the US pays for that, and what do you tell Kentuckians who have concerns about the notion of Medicare for All and they're concerned they might have to switch providers or maybe some other issues they have with it?

Well, well, let me say this.

In the wealthiest country in the world, every single person in the Commonwealth of Kentucky deserves the same high-quality healthcare that Mitch McConnell has been getting.

To me, no one should have to ration their medicine to put food on the table.

And, and Laura, you're right, I, I am a Type 1 diabetic.

I have had to ration my insulin at times to feed my girls, my three bosses, and nearly die from diabetic ketoacidosis, and the fact of the matter is we deserve better than that.

Now for me, Medicare for All is the goal, honoring the idea of human rights and making sure that everyone has high-quality healthcare, but I'm listening to the people of Kentucky, and I know there's work to do right now.

Um, these cuts to Medicaid that Andy Barr voted for, nearly a trillion dollars, that is decimating a lot of communities- Potentially closing over 30 rural hospitals, we need to address that right now.

I do want to get to affordability very quickly because that is such a big issue.

We see congressional candidates running on the affordability platform all across the country.

You talked just now about gas prices, grocery prices.

What concrete steps would you take to help lower the cost of those items for Kentuckians?

Well, it's being called affordability now.

Uh, I really don't care about the branding of it.

The fact of the matter is we have been struggling for a long time here in Kentucky.

Hardworking, remarkable, diligent, faithful people, but we have been struggling from corruption in Washington, from rising prices, and from opportunities that have been far too few.

And what I know now is this tariffs, these tariffs that have been thrown around the globe, this trade war with Canada, our largest trade partner, it's hurting the people of Kentucky.

And then this conflict, this chaos with Iran, these endless wars, we're sending billions upon billions of dollars overseas for conflicts and not investing in the people, and as a result, inflation is, is skyrocketing.

We're seeing our deficit continue to balloon and get out of control more and more, and people are tired of it.

And so lifting up policies to, one, stop these reckless tariffs and give the people of Kentucky a refund, give them their money back, but also pushing for true living wages, making sure that everyone has the same high-quality healthcare that Mitch McConnell's been getting while he's been in Washington, and protecting working people in the wave of AI.

We can deliver an agenda for working people if we have leaders who care about us, who will show up for us, and that's exactly why I'm running.

And we'll get into more specifics of many of the things that you just mentioned here shortly, but first, we'll talk healthcare because you have been open about your-

Yeah

... struggle with Type 1 diabetes and perhaps even rationing your insulin at certain times in your life.

So, um, when it comes to America's healthcare system, you support Medicare for All, a single-payer national health insurance program that would guarantee coverage for all US citizens.

How do you propose that the US pays for that, and what do you tell Kentuckians who have concerns about the notion of Medicare for All and they're concerned they might have to switch providers or maybe some other issues they have with it?

Well, well, let me say this.

In the wealthiest country in the world, every single person in the Commonwealth of Kentucky deserves the same high-quality healthcare that Mitch McConnell has been getting.

To me, no one should have to ration their medicine to put food on the table.

And, and Laura, you're right, I, I am a Type 1 diabetic.

I have had to ration my insulin at times to feed my girls, my three bosses, and nearly die from diabetic ketoacidosis, and the fact of the matter is we deserve better than that.

Now for me, Medicare for All is the goal, honoring the idea of human rights and making sure that everyone has high-quality healthcare, but I'm listening to the people of Kentucky, and I know there's work to do right now.

Um, these cuts to Medicaid that Andy Barr voted for, nearly a trillion dollars, that is decimating a lot of communities- Potentially closing over 30 rural hospitals, we need to address that right now.