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Campaign Ad Pulled due to Inaccurate Information

Campaign Ad Pulled due to Inaccurate Information
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By Tim Brockwell/Bill Hughes
Oct. 24, 2014 | PADUCAH, KY
By Tim Brockwell/Bill Hughes Oct. 24, 2014 | 01:29 PM | PADUCAH, KY
A recent radio ad paid for by the Kentucky House Democratic Caucus Campaign Committee has been pulled from the airwaves of WKYQ 93.3 FM, WDDJ 96.9 FM and WLLE 102.1 FM due to what has been deemed inaccurate information about Kentucky House District 3 Candidate Randy Bridges. His opponent says he didn't even know about the ad.

The ad claims that Bridges went on record in a Courier-Journal survey saying one of his chief priorities would be putting up tolls on local roads. Bridges said during an interview on the Greg Dunker Show that the ad uses his statements out of context to paint an inaccurate picture of his policies.

"I'm deeply disappointed in my opponent and his party, because they have taken this completely out of context and it is absolutely not true." Bridges said.

The survey asks the question: "If elected, what would be your chief priorities?" Bridges responds: "The most important immediate issue is clearly jobs. Stopping the loss of jobs we have seen in recent years and creating new jobs is the highest priority. The closing of USEC is a hard hit to the region. A bill to repeal the nuclear moratorium and allow a nuclear reactor to be built would increase the re-industrialization options for that site, but the Kentucky House of Representatives leadership refuses to pass the bill (unlike the Senate). This is an issue in which the incumbent representative has been wholly ineffective, even though his party controls the chamber."

Bridges noted that nowhere in his response did he mention tolls as a priority.

The survey also asks "Where should the money come from to pay for major projects such as the Brent Spence Bridge in Louisville? Do you support tolls?" Bridges responds: "Being a lifelong western Kentuckian I can remember as a child traveling the West Kentucky and Purchase Parkways. They were both toll roads. I see no reason not to consider using this method again. The cost of tolls is in direct connection to the users. As far as where should money come from to pay for other major projects, I believe the governor made a grave mistake vetoing the ability to use private investors on some projects. Our state is already over leveraged with a growing debt and a major spending problem."

Bridges said that while he does consider tolls an option to pay for some major projects in the state, the ad makes the false claim that he lists tolls as one of his chief priorities, which he does not.

Bridges' opponent, Incumbent State Representative Gerald Watkins also listed tolls as a viable option to pay for some bridge projects in his answer to the same survey question. "Bridge projects of this magnitude and expense can only be paid for with a combination of federal highway dollars, state highway dollars and tolling to help retire the debt. While I am not a fan of tolling, I realize that these projects are not going to be built without that part of the equation. I know some locals are not in favor of tolling for the Brent Spence Bridge but if it is to be built there is no choice." Watkins said.

When asked about the ad in question, Watkins said he hadn't even heard it until he was contacted Friday. He told WKYX, "I had no idea that the ad was being made. I didn't write it, I didn't have anything to do with it. I write my own scripts for my advertising, which are all positive and accurate. I would just offer an apology to him even though I didn't have anything to do with it. They need to go back and correct those inaccuracies if they're going to run advertising."

Bristol Broadcasting General Manager Jamie Futrell issued the following statement regarding the ad: "This ad has been found to be inaccurate based on the evidence provided by the Kentucky House Democratic Caucus Campaign Committee and therefore will be pulled from airing on any of our properties.  The Committee will have to correct the ad or provide us with a new commercial."

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