Video: Keck leads from the start during COVID pandemic
GOP candidate for Kentucky governor discusses his successful advocacy efforts as Somerset mayor to push Gov. Beshear to reopen the economy during COVID pandemic
SOMERSET, KENTUCKY (January 11, 2023) — Kentucky Republican gubernatorial candidate Alan Keck’s campaign has released a video that highlights the Somerset mayor’s early and successful efforts to push Gov. Andy Beshear to safely and strategically reopen Kentucky’s economy during the COVID pandemic.
Shortly after the first COVID case was detected in Kentucky, Keck — a business owner, Main Street advocate and champion for local control in government — assembled a bipartisan coalition of more than 40 mayors to find solutions that would keep Kentuckians safe while also reopening important sectors of the economy.
In his first public address to the Somerset community about the pandemic, Keck talked about the need for parallel paths, firm in his belief that lives and livelihoods are not mutually exclusive.
“You know, when I had working moms, and their kids weren’t in school, and their business was shut down, and they can’t get ahold of the unemployment office, and they’re crying on the phone, there was a charge to do something,” Keck says in the video. “And they said, ‘I need your help.’”
The coalition ultimately submitted two plans to Gov. Beshear offering a detailed, phased approach. The first plan focused on opening chiropractic and optometry care, personal and professional services, retail establishments and restaurants, while the second included child care and pushed again for restaurants, all at limited capacity.
While Keck and the coalition never received a response from Gov. Beshear’s administration, many of these economic sectors were reopened shortly after each plan was submitted.
“When people look to their government and say, ‘I need you to do something,’ it hits different, and it feels different,” Keck said. “And so I was such an aggressive advocate for reopening, but I never wanted to do it recklessly. I never wanted it to be a free-for-all. But we did push hard, and we pushed early before anyone else would.”
Throughout the pandemic, Keck boldly and diplomatically used his voice to fight for a seat at the table for himself and fellow community leaders in discussions about safely and strategically reopening the economy. His advocacy was covered by the media statewide, and because of his efforts, Keck was invited to offer his perspective on reopening Heartland economies in the New York Times, as well as Neil Cavuto’s Coast to Coast on FOX Business. He also served as a regular op-ed contributor on the issue in the Lexington Herald-Leader and Courier-Journal in Louisville.
Keck’s Game Plan for Kentucky is available at keckforkentucky.com, where Kentuckians can also learn more about Keck, his family and his accomplishments and ask questions that he will answer regularly on Facebook Live (he has answered 211 so far since his announcement Nov. 21).
National and statewide media coverage of Keck’s advocacy efforts:
GOP, others call on Gov. Andy Beshear to develop COVID-19 exit strategy, recovery plan, Louisville Courier-Journal, April 14, 2020
Op-Ed: It’s time to talk about saving KY livelihoods as well as KY lives, Lexington Herald-Leader, April 17, 2020
Keck wants to see Kentucky be a leader in workplace re-entry, Commonwealth Journal, April 20, 2020
Two Kentucky mayors submit plans to Beshear for re-opening their local economies, Lexington Herald-Leader, April 21, 2020
Kentucky mayors share plans with Beshear on how businesses could gradually reopen, Louisville Courier-Journal, April 22, 2020
Somerset to bring restaurants, childcare facilities into Phase 1 reopening, The Lane Report, May 1, 2020
Op-Ed: Kentucky mayor: Beshear’s reopening plan wrongly leaves out restaurants and child care, Louisville Courier-Journal, May 6, 2020
Kentucky’s Reopening Brings Health Fears, Hope For Economy, 89.3 WFPL Louisville, May 20, 2020
Op-Ed: I’m Mayor of a Small City in Kentucky. We Can Safely Reopen, The New York Times, June 9, 2020
Video: Somerset, Kentucky mayor: Local officials should make reopening decisions, Neil Cavuto’s Coast to Coast, FOX Business