U.S. Rep. Guthrie, area officials join local GOP for Lincoln Day Dinner
By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette
Sunday, Feb. 19, 2012 – Nelson County Republicans met Saturday evening at My Old Kentucky home Country Club to celebrate the heritage of our nation’s 16th president and to look ahead to Republican races in the fall and beyond.
The annual Lincoln Day Dinner is an event that takes place near the time of President Lincoln’s birthday. It serves to recall his service to our nation. Saturday’s fete was no different.
U.S. Rep. Brett Guthrie, left, and Ag Commissioner Jame Comer attended Saturday's Lincoln Day Dinner sponsored by the Nelson County Organization of Republican Women and the Republican Party of Nelson County.
Congressman Brett Guthrie was an early visitor to dinner, mingling with guests during a pre-dinner meet-and-greet period. He spoke briefly before he departed for the Lincoln Dinner event in Barren County.
When Abraham Lincoln took office, he was facing a country that was already divided and preparing for the Civil War, Guthrie said. In the wake of Lincoln’s presidency, Guthrie told the audience he wondered what advice Lincoln would have for President Barack Obama.
The first piece of advice Lincoln might give Obama is to believe in America. “It’s a special place where free enterprise works,” he said.
The other advice Guthrie said Lincoln might give the president would be to defend free enterprise; don’t look back to assign blame; be decisive when taking action; and govern for the next generation.
While President Obama’s crisis isn’t as grave as Lincoln’s, the country’s future will be impacted by Obama’s first-term. The decisions the next president makes may determine the type of country we will leave to our children and grandchildren.
CANDIDATES, OFFICIALS SPEAK. As is long-standing tradition, elected officials and candidates for office were given opportunity to speak briefly during the dinner.
Donna Pegago, a Republican candidate for 50th District representative told the audience she hoped to pave the way for the return of true citizen legislators to the General Assembly.
Donna Pegago, a Republican candidate for 50th District state representative, told the audience she moved to Nelson County has been her home since 1986. After raising her family, she said she said she felt it was time to act to help spread the conservative ideals. She founded the Bardst0wn-Nelson County Tea Party last year.
“We believe in the founding principles that made our country a great land of opportunity,” Pegago said. “We are very concerned with how far we have drifted from those principles.”
She said the Republican party needs to turn away the Democrat’s attempts to labeling the party as one that defends the wealthy. “We should become known as the party that represents the conservative founding principles that made our country great,” she said.
Pegago said she hopes to plan the way for more citizen legislators. Elected officials too often become career legislators, she said. “Citizens with leadership skills won’t even think about running for office because it seems to require being wealthy and well-connected. I don’t think it should be this way.”
State Rep. David Floyd and Jan Ballard, chair of the Nelson County Republican Party, chat during the meet-and-greet portion of the Lincoln Day event.
Pegago said becoming engaged is necessary to create change. “We can talk all day and night about the changes we would like to see, but until we step up and offer to serve we won’t see those things happen,” she said. “We need citizens who will make decisions based on the facts and what’s best for their constituents and their country, rather than what is best for their party or their own political careers.”
DAVID FLOYD. Floyd, the incumbent for 50th District state representative, did not address his race, but he did say the Kentucky Supreme Court will rule soon on the redistricting challenge. Floyd welcomed former Sen. Dee Huddleston, a Democrat who has been a frequent visitor to the county Lincoln Day dinners. Huddleston was one of Kentucky’s U.S. Senators from 1973-1985, winning his seat by a slim margin over former Gov. Louie B. Nunn. Floyd concluded his remarks by reading a greeting from Sen. Mitch McConnell.
JEFF LEAR. Getting involved in the political process was a message echoed by 4th District Magistrate Jeff Lear. “If you have an opinion, make it known,” he said. “Call your magistrate, and call the judge-executive.” Lear suggested people get involved in local elections. “I’ll keep fighting the fight, but I need some help,” he said.
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