Letter: Eric Shelburne not disclosing his ‘true political beliefs’ in his campaign

To the editor,

There is no Democrat running for Nelson County 50th District State Representative. The last Democrat to run was Kory Miller in 2020. Miller openly supported abortion and far-left ideals. To Mr. Miller’s credit though, he was honest and upfront about his support for things the majority of Nelson Countians oppose.

I recently discovered that Eric Shelburne contributed to a national political action committee that has trained and endorsed radical leftist national politicians such as Ilhan Omar. Omar is a Somali refugee that is vehemently anti-American.

Omar was able to become a congresswoman with the help of the National Democrat Training PAC. Shelburne has only contributed to one political organization at the federal level and he chose to give his money to this national left-leaning training organization. I am sure the Democrats will defend this as just a simple gesture while in the same breath saying Eric’s politics has no relevance oh how he will conduct himself as judge executive.

Perhaps so, perhaps not. But what I do see is a candidate that is obfuscating and refusing to disclose his true political beliefs all while running for a political position that will require political judgments and decisions.

Shelburne is being supported and endorsed by people like Martha Nest, the head of the extreme pro-abortion Nelson County Democratic Womens group; former Judge-Executive Dean Watts, and the Old Kentucky Home Board of Realtors. Tim Hutchins is being endorsed by Sen. Rand Paul, Congressman Brett Guthrie, our new congressman Thomas Massie and our new State Rep. Candy Massaroni.

Endorsements usually don’t make that much of a difference in a race, but never in Nelson County politics have so many national leaders endorsed in a local race. They have this time because they know the stakes for America start at the local level. Do national politics matter on the local level? Shelburne says NO, Hutchins says YES. Our respected representatives have made these remarkable endorsements on a local level because they know a politician even on the local level makes political decisions that have a domino effect on all our lives.

I have had issues with both Hutchins and Shelburne. I was initially supportive of Eric and think he is a good person. But I simply can’t support a candidate that fails to be honest about the things that matter the most to me. I’m not going to “endorse” Tim Hutchins because I don’t think it really matters who I endorse or don’t endorse. But others whose voices do matter have endorsed Tim Hutchins.

In 12 days Nelson Countians will make the determination what kind of political leader they want leading Nelson County. It is up to us to decide if conservative values at every level of government matter or not. Because being judge executive entails more than just fixing roads, I can assure you.

Regardless of who wins, this Nelson Countian will continue to be a watchdog against corruption and unfairness regardless of party or political views.

Don Thrasher
Cox’s Creek

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