Judd: Time for Dems to 'get the deal done'

By Lindsay English - bio | email
Posted By Mike Dever - email

LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - Candidates on both sides of the aisle are pulling out the stops to make sure people get out and vote on November 4th. On Saturday, the Kentucky Democratic Party staged a get out the vote rally in Louisville where candidates got a boost from one of Kentucky native Ashley Judd. WAVE 3's Lindsay English was there.

The message at Saturday's rally in Iroquois Park was simple: whether you're a Democrat or a Republican, it doesn't matter if you don't actually voice your opinion by casting a ballot. "We have put up signs, we have handed out leaflets," said Mayor Jerry Abramson. "We have called our friends. It's time to bring about the change we need for the future of America,"

Mayor Abramson was one of many speakers at the Kentucky Democrat Party's "Turn the Bluegrass Blue Get Out the Vote" rally. Attorney General Jack Conway also made an appearance, encouraging people to vote Tuesday. "we're going to give them progressive leadership. We're going to give them change and we're going to give this country and this state the government it deserves."

Congressman John Yarmuth, running for re-election in the 3rd Congressional District, Governor Steve Beshear and Senate candidate Bruce Lunsford also got the crowd cheering.

Lunsford says he's never seen Kentucky more engaged in an election, and that he intends to unseat long-time Republican Senator Mitch McConnell. "At this point, I've seen probably 85 counties in this state. I've walked a lot of ground and I've shaken a lot of hands. And I can tell from everything I've seen that people are looking for their government to do more than they have over the last eight years."

One of the speakers not running for office also captivated the crowd with her passion for this election: Kentucky native and Obama supporter Ashley Judd. She told the audience she knew she was preaching to the choir, but couldn't pass up the chance to get out the vote in her home state.

"We're here to talk about turning the country true - blue for Joe Biden and Barack Obama, because this is an election of a lifetime," Judd said.

Judd summed up what all the candidates hope these supporters took away from the rally. "Gather up your neighbors, gather your friends. As the Mayor said, don't make this a woulda-coulda-shoulda. We need to get the deal done."

Lunsford's campaign got a boost from Senator Hillary Clinton on Sunday. Clinton spoke at the UAW Hall on Fern Valley Road.

First Lady Laura Bush is scheduled to speak at the Paroquet Springs Conference Center in Shepherdsville at a get out the vote rally on Monday.