LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. — Launching her first political campaign for the 21st District Senate seat, Democratic candidate Amie Hacker promised to serve all five counties in the district equally.

Hacker, a 34-year-old businesswoman, was the sole Democratic candidate nominated in a special meeting held Tuesday night by Democrat members of the 21st District’s executive committee.

The meeting was brief, lasting only 10 minutes, with Hacker addressing the crowd with thanking the crowd for their support. Hacker said she had not planned throwing her hat into the political ring, but the nomination of former Senator Albert Robinson by the Republican party inspired her to seek the Senate seat vacated by current Senator Tom Jensen.

“I am a small business owner,” Hacker said. “As your state senator my focus will not be politics, it will be jobs. I want to make a difference for the people of Kentucky. My goal will not be to go to Frankfort to pad my pension or to make a slick business deal.”

Hacker said she supported common sense solutions and that feedback from both Democrats and Republicans indicated that she was the only candidate who possesses such qualities.

“I mean no disrespect to my opponent in this race. However, I believe that Albert Robinson’s time has come and gone,” Hacker said. “We all have a good understanding of who he wants to go to Frankfort to help and it is not the people of the district. We simply cannot allow this fox back in our hen house.”

Amid applause following that statement, Hacker added that she would promote “public policies that will foster startup of small businesses.”

“I am a realist,” she continued. “I will ask voters to look past our party lines. My pledge is to work together for a better Kentucky....I am not a career politician and do not plan to become one. I’m a wife and a mother who believes that our children deserve a better Kentucky. Every child in Kentucky deserves the chance to reach their God-given potential. We’ll do this by having the best schools, best teachers, and the best state government, not the best legislative pension plan.”

Robinson, who served as state senator for more than 10 years, has been highly criticized for a last-minute pension plan increase for legislators during his last term in the state senate. That plan was overturned by a Kentucky Supreme Court. Robinson was unseated in 2004 by London attorney Tom Jensen, who withdrew from his unopposed November re-election bid as Senator to pursue a vacant judgeship in Laurel Circuit Court. That withdrawal set the stage for the Republican Party to nominate a successor, with Robinson winning over political newcomer, Mike Calebs, during the Republican nomination meeting last week.

Democratic party officials feel that although the 21st District is comprised of a high majority of Republican voters, Hacker may receive support from Republicans not pleased with Robinson’s selection for the Senate seat.

The 21st Senatorial district includes Laurel, Estill, Powell, Jackson, and Menifee counties, with the majority of voters falling into Laurel County.

Hacker and Robinson will oppose each other on this November’s ballot, which will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 6.

CNHI News Service Writer Ronnie Ellis contributed to this story.



njohnson@sentinel-echo.com