Wilder not the typical Democrat

I’m voting for Sellus Wilder because he’s not your typical Kentucky Democrat.

He’s not a career politician. He’s a sixth-generation farmer with experience as a former Frankfort city commissioner and mayor pro tem.

Wilder is different because he believes in grass-roots activism and participatory democracy, not the corrupt good-ol’-boy network that holds Kentucky back.

Wilder is different because he supports Kentucky’s workers, not absentee landowners and tax-dodging corporations.

Wilder is different because he’s honest with Kentuckians about the challenges we face. He supports a just transition for coal industry workers, families and communities coping with rapid changes in our energy landscape.

And he is different because he values practicality, not partisanship. He builds broad coalitions with diverse partners.

Kentuckians deserve so much better than we’ve recently been given. We deserve a senator with a bold, progressive vision. We deserve healthier environments for our grandchildren. We deserve meaningful, good-paying jobs. We deserve an economy that respects our natural resources and keeps wealth in our communities. We deserve a senator who lives Kentucky values.

Kentuckians deserve Sellus Wilder. Let’s support the candidate who’s looking toward Kentucky’s bright future, and believes that only we can create it.

This story was originally published May 12, 2016 at 6:09 PM with the headline "Wilder not the typical Democrat."