Craft Kitchen Table stop in Paducah focuses on education, jobs, stopping fentanyl

Kentucky GOP gubernatorial candidate Kelly Craft brought her Kitchen Table Tour to Paducah on Wednesday. 

Craft, along with running mate State Senator Max Wise of Campbellsville, spoke about her vision for the Commonwealth to a group of supporters at Walker Hall. The former ambassador to Canada and the UN said she had learned through her tour that education, workforce participation, and job creation, along with putting a stop to the fentanyl problem are issues most important to Kentuckians. 

Craft reiterated her call to "dismantle the Kentucky Department of Education," saying that would be her first official act if elected. Craft said, "That means I'm going to take it apart and I'm going to put it back together, because, I can tell you, there are good people in the Kentucky Department of Education. They've just been silenced. They've been silenced by this Governor and this "woke" commissioner who is appointed by the Governor. And on Election night, if this "woke" commissioner does the right thing, he'll resign because, on Inauguration Day, I'm going to do the right thing and fire him."  Craft called for accountability in schools from every level, from public schools to public universities. 

Craft pointed to community colleges, technical schools, and trade schools as a way to prepare the workforce. She talked about giving students choices to reach their goals and their potential. Craft spoke about her family's experience in business and creating jobs, not only in the coal industry but also in the supply chain around that industry, tying the two together, by saying she wants to remove more barriers to economic growth, bringing more jobs and more industry to Kentucky. She said a prepared workforce and a strong base of small businesses will make the Commonwealth even more attractive to industry.

Craft also talked about the fentanyl crisis facing Kentucky and the nation. She talked about going to the U.S./Mexico border and standing at a spot where the wall ends and said the border is wide open. She said, "It's easier to get across that border than it is to get into a U.K. basketball game."

She called for the death penalty for drug dealers causing the death of a Kentuckian. Craft said that based on her experiences with a child that faced addiction, she wants every family to have the resources for recovery. 

1st District Congressman James Comer joined Craft at several stops Wednesday, including Paducah. Comer called Craft a good friend. He said he has never endorsed a candidate in the primary before but feels that Craft is what Kentucky needs. 

Craft, Wise, and Comer took questions from the assembled supporters, as well as taking to time to speak to everyone that wanted the opportunity.

Craft has been invited to speak at the Paducah Chamber's Public Policy Series event next week at the Carson Center. Other GOP Gubernatorial candidates that have confirmed they are coming include Attorney General Daniel Cameron, Auditor Mike Harmon, Ag Commissioner Ryan Quarles, and Somerset Mayor Alan Keck.