A Class of 2000 graduate of Lyon County High School and born in Princeton, Joe Cunningham’s roots drive deep in west Kentucky.
His father is former 56th Judicial Circuit and Kentucky Supreme Court Justice Bill Cunningham, and the younger Cunningham avidly remembers going on the west Kentucky campaign trail with pops.
This, and many other reflections, served as the crux of his Tuesday afternoon visit to the Cadiz Rotary Club.
Following a commanding victory in the South Carolina Democratic gubernatorial primary, Cunningham is set to face opposite long-time incumbent Henry McMaster in the November general election.
Admittedly, it’s a tall ask. McMaster was appointed during the Donald Trump presidency following Nikki Haley’s ascension to 29th United States ambassador to the United Nations, and is seeking a rare third term (and 10 years) in the office.
The GOP Palmetto State hasn’t had a Democrat governor since Jim Hodges’ final day on January 15, 2003, but the state’s history does have a trend. Democrats held the seat consecutively for nearly 100 years from 1876 to 1975.
Odds aren’t a concern to Cunningham, however, after he claimed South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District for the 2019-21 term, and served as that district’s first Democrat U.S. Representative in 40 years.
Like many rural communities in the United States, growing up in west Kentucky means getting along with all walks of life and ideology.
Cunningham says he’s adopted this notion in his political philosophy, and asserts that Americans are starving for new leaders with new ideas — who understand bipartisanship is the true path to a healthy country.
One such show of bipartisanship has been a fruitful exchange of ideas with Kentucky’s 1st District Representative James Comer, one of the Commonwealth’s commanding Republicans.
Each have visited the other’s congressional district in a search for common ground and understanding, and in Cunningham’s words — have caught hell for it.
In this spirit of bipartisanship, Cunningham knows he’s frustrated politicians on both sides of the aisle. His first vote as a Democrat in Congress was a “nay” vote against Nancy Pelosi for Speaker of the House. He then voted to impeach former President Trump, and two weeks ago went on CNN to note current President Joe Biden shouldn’t run again for re-election.
But this isn’t supposed to be a mixed message. Cunningham said he’s for common sense, age requirements and term limits — which would bring about new generations with new ideas.
Cunningham’s platform isn’t complicated. He’s looking at jobs of the future, women’s health concerns under Roe v. Wade, rural broadband and improved wi-fi access, increasing teacher pay, expanding Medicare, mild gun control tied to mental health and effective background checks, and the revitalization of rural business.
But most of his beliefs stem from two departments: education and healthcare. He learned a lot about both right here.
Cunningham’s full speech can be found here:
