Ben Chandler Says Presidential Race Cost Him

Ben Chandler won a majority of the vote in Fayette County, but lost an even larger margin in the rural counties of Kentucky’s 6th Congressional District. 

The state decisively went for Republican Mitt Romney.  Chandler says the strong support for Romney and unpopularity of President Obama in the rural areas of the district was too much for him to overcome.

"Just running on the same ticket in a district like this with the President was what was difficult.  That national problem was difficult for me.  I think the President is going to win elsewhere.  (What role did coal play in the election?  That ties in with the President, you know, they tied me in with the President at the same time they tied me to coal.  This suggestion that I was anti-coal, which is not the case, but that’s what they ran the campaign on," said Chandler. 

Chandler thanked all of his supporters.  He says he is proud to have served Kentucky, and says he may run for office again in the near future.