Third Democrat joins Congressional race; incumbent Barr says he’s not focusing on politics

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ)- Central Kentucky has another candidate for congress in 2018. Former Marine fighter pilot, Amy McGrath says she will run for Andy Barr’s seat.

He has had it four years. The Congressman was in town Tuesday, visiting a small business. ABC 36 went to get his take on his new opponent. The Congressman says he is not focusing on politics, but on his job representing the people of the sixth district.

In a commercial announcing her run, Amy McGrath says, “I spent 20 years as a U.S. Marine, flew 89 combat missions bombing Al Qaeda and the Taliban.”

“She called you Mitch McConnell’s hand-picked Congressman who voted to take healthcare away from a quarter million Kentuckians,” ABC 36’s Veronica Jean Seltzer told Representative

“Well, we’re not focused on politics right now. We’re not focused on the democrats’ intra-party fights. What we’re focused on is doing the job we were elected to do,” Barr said.

VJ asked Barr if it is hard to do that job after a wild week in D.C. that included the departure of the White House Chief of Staff and Communications Director.

“Do you think there’s chaos?” VJ asked Barr.

“Not at all. No, look, we’re not focused on any of those distractions,” Barr responded.

Instead, the Representative reaffirmed he is focused on his job and explained that is why he was visiting Northside RV. He said with access to capital, small businesses can grow and add jobs in Kentucky.

“Small businesses like this one, they’re really the backbone of the economy. They’re the job creators,” Barr said.

He says he has heard from several small businesses having trouble growing because of the Affordable Care Act’s mandate employers provide insurance.

After repeated GOP failures in the Senate to repeal the ACA, Barr says he is still dedicated to making a change, something McGrath calls him out on for putting thousands of Kentuckians at risk for losing healthcare.

This is my new mission: to take on a Congress full of career politicians who treat the people of Kentucky like they’re disposable,” McGrath says in an advertisement.

According to Barr, he is doing his job and doing it successfully so whether he will have to go war with the former fighter pilot is not on his mind.

“I’m focused on what the people of central and eastern Kentucky sent me to do and we’re just going to focus on that and not worry about the politics,” Barr said.

There are two other Democrats currently racing to see who will go up against Barr. That’s Geoff Young, who has run for the seat twice before and State Senator Reggie Thomas.

In a statement about his new challenger, Geoff Young said, “Both she and State Senator Reggie Thomas appear to be Establishment Democrats. I’m not yet sure whether any Establishment Democrat can work for peace and a reduction in unnecessary tension with Russia, as I know I can if elected in November, 2018. All three of us need to debate these issues in depth, starting as soon as possible.”

In Thomas’ statement, the Senator takes a jab at the fact McGrath has not lived in Kentucky in the last 20 years. She just moved back less than a month ago.

Senator Thomas says, “My decision to run for the United States Congress is rooted in a lifetime of service to the people of the Bluegrass region. I grew up here, raised my children here, worshiped here and it has been my deep honor to represent my friends and neighbors in the Kentucky State Senate. I want to welcome Lt. Col. McGrath to the area. I think she will find, as I have, that people will be warm and welcoming. I think primaries are good for the process and I look forward to a full debate on the issues of importance to the people of Kentucky’s 6th Congressional District and America.”