Coal is proving to be the big political point scorer as Republican Mitch McConnell and Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes each try to convince voters they will save the coal industry by opposing the US Environmental Protection Agency’s latest regulations.
Grimes has consistently declared her love of coal through radio appearances and state-wide newspaper publications. The Grimes campaign even released photos of her touring a Floyd Co coal mine.
Meanwhile, McConnell introduced what he called The Coal Country Protection Act and has regularly featured on local TV.
Ultimately, the person who gets the most votes will be the one who promises to secure the most jobs.
However, whether either will actually come through with the goods is another issue entirely.
The coal industry employs thousands of people across the state, and many of the jobs are very well paid compared to those in neighbouring states.
The cheap, locally sourced electricity attracts big business, which has created a thriving local economy.
There are fears the EPA’s regulations to cut carbon emissions could cause this to crumble.
Geography is also a major player in the forthcoming elections. Both sides are vying for the coal counties in east and west Kentucky.
“There's a lot of Democrats there [Western Kentucky] who are conservative-minded Democrats,” Jefferson County Republican Party chairman Nathan Haney told local media.
“If they switch over and vote for Alison Grimes, it's going to be tough for us.”
In order to secure votes, Grimes will have to speak out against her own party leader, President Barack Obama.
The President’s lack of popularity in Kentucky looks to be a big hurdle for Grimes to overcome, but according to the most recent opinion poll, both candidates are still very much in the running.
