Via press release
23 January 2026, BURLINGTON, KY - The Boone County Democratic Executive Committee is calling out the blatant hypocrisy and “pay-to-play” culture currently defining the Kentucky Republican Party. While GOP candidates eagerly cash $10 million checks from out-of-state billionaires like Elon Musk, their colleagues in Frankfort are simultaneously working to strip the rights of hard-working, tax-paying Kentuckians through legislation that creates a “second class” of citizenship.
Last week, Republican Representative Shane Baker filed House Bill 186 and House Bill 259, which seek to bar naturalized U.S. citizens and those with dual citizenship from holding local or state office. This mean-spirited legislation is a direct attack on the American Dream and an insult to our neighbors, including teachers, business owners, and healthcare workers, who chose to make Kentucky their home and took an oath to this country.
The Boone County Democratic Executive Committee believes that “It is the height of hypocrisy! The GOP is perfectly happy to let a billionaire naturalized citizen from California or Texas buy a seat in the U.S. Senate with a $10 million donation, but they want to tell a naturalized citizen in Florence or Union that they aren’t “American enough” to serve on a school board or a city council. They are rolling out the red carpet for the ultra-wealthy while slamming the door on the people who actually live, work, and build our community here.”
The $10 million infusion from Elon Musk into the “Fight for Kentucky” super PAC, supporting Nate Morris in the race to succeed Mitch McConnell, is a stark reminder of whose voices the Republican Party truly values. When a single billionaire can drown out the concerns of thousands of Kentuckians with the stroke of a pen, our democracy is under siege.
This is a smack in the face to every Kentuckian who is struggling with the cost of living, healthcare, and education. Republicans are more concerned with auditioning for billionaire donors than they are with solving the real problems facing Boone County. We believe that if you are a citizen of the United States and a resident of this Commonwealth, you should have an equal voice and an equal right to serve. Kentucky is not for sale, and our neighbors are not second-class citizens.
The Boone County Democratic Party remains committed to a Kentucky where the size of your bank account doesn't determine your influence, and where every citizen is treated with the dignity and respect they deserve.
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