UK students hope to produce statewide Senate campaign debate

Student groups partner with Lexington TV station WKYT

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 1, 2014) — Four University of Kentucky student organizations announced a statewide media partnership with Lexington television station WKYT-TV and seven of their sister stations in efforts to host a debate with Kentucky’s candidates for U.S. Senate.

The partnership will allow a debate hosted in the heart of the commonwealth to air in nearly 100 percent of the state via eight TV regional stations.

The partnership complements a joint proposal submitted by Student Activities Board and UK Student Government to host a student-produced debate in September that would be hosted by the Federalist Society, the American Constitution Society, SAB and SGA. Proposals were submitted to incumbent Sen. Mitch McConnell and Kentucky’s current Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes May 9.

“The UK College of Law American Constitution Society Student Chapter would be honored to co-sponsor a debate between Senator McConnell and Secretary Grimes,” Chris K. Stewart, ACS co-president, said. “Facilitating this important conversation only furthers our mission to promote the vitality of our nation’s Constitution and the fundamental values it expresses. As Kentucky’s flagship university, UK is the ideal setting for one of the biggest moments of this critically important Senate race.”

The event, which would be held at the University of Kentucky, would educate Kentuckians on contemporary issues and each candidate’s platform while engaging young people in the election, which has earned considerable national attention.

“A college campus is an incubator for informed discourse on countless topics,” UK President Eli Capilouto said. “We are a place where the free exchange of ideas should flourish. A shared dialogue where students, faculty and staff can discuss the questions of our day. I am proud of what these UK student leaders are doing to foster this quality learning environment, and I’m proud to support them in their endeavor to bring a senatorial debate to the UK campus.”

In addition to WKYT-TV, the following stations would air the debate: WLKY-TV in Louisville; WLWT-TV in northern Kentucky; WYMT-TV in Hazard; WSAZ-TV in Charleston-Huntington, W. Va., covering eastern and northeastern Kentucky, including the city of Ashland; WBKO-TV in Bowling Green; WPSD-TV in Paducah; and WFIE-TV in Evansville, Ill., covering midwestern Kentucky, including the city of Owensboro.