Video summary
On August 22nd, Floyd County hosted a significant regional Democratic picnic to celebrate the upcoming election cycle, drawing attendees from across Kentucky and beyond. The event featured prominent figures including a former governor and two gubernatorial candidates, alongside state representatives who traveled from Louisville and Frankfort. Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman also made an appearance, highlighting the strong turnout that included supporters from Perry County, Wolfe County, Lawrence County, and even Jefferson County, which is approximately three hours away. This gathering served not only as a celebration but as a strategic opportunity to build momentum for future races, particularly the governor's race in 2028 and the presidential election in 2029, while fostering connections among local officials and community members.
The atmosphere of the event was vibrant and inclusive, bringing together a diverse array of community groups such as women's clubs, veterans organizations, and various local teams like Friday night lights, basketball squads, bands, and robotics teams. Speakers emphasized the importance of keeping support local and connected, with Appalachian Wireless noting their backing for these community initiatives. The crowd heard inspiring stories from former coal miners, law enforcement officers, and other residents who shared their experiences, creating a sense of unity that transcended regional boundaries. This cross-county participation demonstrated a strong desire to maintain engagement even in years without major statewide elections, ensuring the party remains active and visible throughout the region.
Joshua Attica, a state representative from the 42nd District based in Jefferson County, expressed his delight at attending despite the distance, noting that the event successfully united people from Floyd, Pike, Johnson, and several other surrounding counties. He observed that the issues discussed by rural attendees mirrored those facing urban legislators in his own district, reinforcing the shared challenges and common goals between different parts of the state. Attica highlighted how seeing such a wide range of leaders and community members in one space strengthened the sense of solidarity needed for the November election. His presence underscored the event's success in bridging gaps between urban and rural perspectives, proving that unity is essential for moving forward together.
Looking ahead, organizers and attendees alike are encouraged to make this an annual tradition, with many hoping to see it continue every year barring a presidential election year where no state-level races occur in Kentucky. The consensus among the speakers was that even if a break were taken in 2029, maintaining these connections would be vital for long-term political health and community cohesion. The event successfully showcased the breadth of Democratic support across the Big Sandy region and the wider state, setting a positive tone for future campaigns. As reporting concluded with Mountain Top News' Connor Kidd, the picnic left participants feeling energized and more committed to working together in the coming months leading up to the next election cycle.
Read the full video transcript
On August 22nd, people from far and wide
came to celebrate the upcoming election
for the Democratic Party. With running
candidates to a former governor, plenty
of people were in attendance. Here we
have Nicholas Hayslett, the chairman of
Johnson County Democratic Party, to tell
us more about the event.
>> Absolutely. Um the only year that I
could think that we wouldn't do is the
year after a presidential election um
when we don't have any elections in
Kentucky. Um but it still would give us
an opportunity to come together, talk
with local officials or candidates that
would then be running in 2030. Like if
2029 we don't have any elections in
Kentucky beyond maybe one or two special
elections. So I think really just
looking into building this up for the
governor's race, the presidential in
2028, uh and then we can decide if we
want to take a break in '29 and you know
just celebrate uh
you know in our own silos uh if we want
to come together, but I would absolutely
love to be here every year if we can. We
had folks all the way from down to Perry
County. Uh we had folks from uh Wolfe
County who were very glad to see um the
opening of the Mountain Parkway this
week coming uh as well as many good
friends from Lawrence County. So we had
nearly even outside of the Big Sandy
region, uh we had folks coming from far
and near. Uh we also had um leaders in
the state House of Representatives all
the way from Louisville and Frankfort uh
come by uh and many other friends.
Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman
came from Frankfort as well. So we had
uh many folks that came not just down 23
or the Mountain Parkway or Route 80.
They came from all over the state to
hear what we had to do today.
>> And now
>> Friday night lights, Tuesday night
basketball, the band, the robotics team.
Where you spend your money? Well, it
matters. You'll find Appalachian
Wireless supporting all of them. So keep
it local and keep it connected. We are
Appalachian Wireless.
>> With so many people coming out to
attend, many can look forward to this
becoming a yearly event. All are
encouraged to come out next year and
hear from the speakers and enjoy some
time with the community. Here we have
Joshua Attica in the House of
Representatives in the 42nd District to
tell us more.
>> Little band
>> Yeah.
I absolutely loved it. I come from
Jefferson County. That's about 3 hours
away, but there folks here from Floyd,
Pike, Johnson County, several uh several
other counties around the area.
Wonderful attendance. We had the big
wigs. We had a former governor here, two
gubernatorial candidates,
uh state house candidates, uh my
colleagues, Representative Sarah Stalker
from Louisville, Representative Attica
Hancock. So, to see all of that in the
same space along with community groups,
uh
women's clubs,
veterans, Vietnam veterans.
I You got chills listening to some of
the stories. Former coal miners, people
who serve in law enforcement. And what I
take from that, being a urban
legislator, is that some of the things
that were talked about here today are
the same issues that folks are talking
about in my district and in my county.
And that lets me know how much more we
have in common, and that unity is going
to bring us stronger together in
November.
>> Reporting for Mountain Top News, I'm
Connor Kidd.