Re-elect Susan Westrom, George Brown to Kentucky House
Lexington voters will recognize two familiar names in legislative races on Nov. 6 — Democrats Susan Westrom and George A. Brown Jr. — both of whom have earned re-election.
In the almost 20 years that Westrom has represented the 79th District in the Kentucky House, she has consistently and effectively championed consumer rights, public health, child welfare and ethical government.
Even after the Republican takeover of the House, she successfully co-sponsored a bill last year bringing much-needed transparency and accountability to how area development districts make decisions about the millions of tax dollars they control. The new law was lauded by Republican state Auditor Mike Harmon.
Brown, who served on the Urban County Council from 1994 to 2006, was elected in 2014 to the House upon the retirement of Jesse Crenshaw who represented the 77th District for 22 years. While he has an uphill battle in the Republican-controlled House, Brown is championing good causes, including trying to help people regain the opportunity to be hired and the right to vote after serving time for a felony. He supports gun safety laws, including penalties for injuring or endangering children through the unsafe storage of firearms.
Brown stood up for the Poor People’s Campaign earlier this year when the Bevin administration blocked the social-justice group from entering the Capitol to demonstrate. Brown and Rep. Attica Scott, D-Louisville, obtained an attorney general’s opinion which called the way the group was excluded from the Capitol a violation of state law.
Their Republican challengers — Joshua Irvin in the 79th and Marianne Weiss in the 77th — are not well known and are waging shoestring, if any, campaigns. Irvin and Weiss did not respond to invitations to meet with the editorial board. Weiss also did not respond to the League of Women Voters’ invitation to participate in a candidate forum; Irvin canceled his appearance at the League forum.
Westrom and Brown are deeply engaged in their districts and the challenges facing Lexington and Kentucky. We recommend them to voters.