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Lieutenant Governor Candidates' KET Appearance

Rob Canning
/
WKMS

  Both candidates for lieutenant governor of Kentucky support ways to enhance education, but they have different ideas.  On KET’s Kentucky Tonight, Republican candidate Jenean Hampton called herself a small government person.

“I’ve watched as government gets in the way of people. They try to be helpful, and they get bigger and bigger,” Hampton said.

In the area of education, Hampton says the need for remedial education after high school indicates early education in programs like head start need examination.  Democratic candidate Sannie Overly says there are still too many children at risk who would benefit from an early childhood education expansion. 

“You know, Jack and I believe that Kentucky should have a historic expansion of early learning opportunities for our youngest students,” Overly said.

On the issue of minimum wage, Overly says she supports increasing it to ten dollars, ten cents an hour over three years.  Hampton says raising minimum wage in Seattle has led to restaurant closures and cutting hours for entry level workers.

The two candidates have different views on ways to ensure safety in the state's schools. Overly said arming teachers may not be the best solution.

“I’ve talked to a number of teachers about this.  They’re concerned about a military type presence in our school system,” Overly said.

Hampton said her husband witnessed a fatal shooting at an air force base in the 1990’s.

“To this day my husband says had he been allowed to carry in a hospital, then he could have saved lives,” Hampton said.

Heather Curtis, the wife of independent candidate Drew Curtis did not participate because of polling requirements. 

Election Day is November 3rd.

Stu Johnson is a reporter/producer at WEKU in Lexington, Kentucky.
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