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The Bottom Line: Who’s better for Kentucky business: Trump or Clinton?

By Jacqueline Pitts, The Bottom Line

Ahead of the 2016 presidential election, Kentucky politicians from both sides of the aisle made the case for their candidate in front of the business community at the Kentucky Chamber’s Congressional Forum Monday.

Democratic Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes and Republican state Sen. Chris McDaniel each presented their arguments on behalf of presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump at the Chamber’s inaugural event Monday before sitting down with The Bottom Line Managing Editor Jacqueline Pitts to take questions about the campaigns.

Speaking first, Secretary of State Grimes argued why Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton is the best candidate for business, citing statements made by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in opposition to Donald Trump and pointing to Clinton’s record during her many years of public service.

“What I can tell you is that after reviewing not just the rhetoric, but the reality of the policies put forward—Thomas Donahue, the U.S. Chamber’s own words—tell you that Hillary Clinton is the candidate of choice, especially for our business community,” Grimes said.

Grimes went on to point to the difference between Clinton and Trump on issues like foreign policy, immigration and the economy to illustrate the difference in character Grimes sees between the two candidates.

Up next, Republican state Sen. Chris McDaniel spoke about his role as a small business owner and how he feels the policies of Republican nominee Donald Trump would better benefit business people.

“Under President Trump, there will be tax reform unprecedented since the days of Ronald Reagan. He will simplify taxes for everyone and streamline deductions which will lower taxes and make raising a family more affordable,” McDaniel said.

McDaniel also spoke about the current state of the country and the regulations put in place in the last eight years which are strangling business and industry, showing that America cannot have more of the same.

“My friends, we can no longer ignore this nation’s ever ballooning debt. We cannot ignore that there is an ever-growing segment of our society that thinks everything should be free. And we can no longer ignore the fact that there are international threats that have made their way to our borders. Which is why on Nov. 8, we must elect Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United States,” McDaniel said.

After their individual remarks, Grimes and McDaniel joined together on stage to take questions from the audience on issues including how the presidential election will impact state legislative races this year, where their candidate stands on the coal industry, trade policies and much more.


For more state government news go to the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce’s The Bottom Line blog.