When Kentucky voters head to the polls Tuesday, May 17, for the sstate's primary election, they’ll help choose the Democratic presidential nominee.
While Hillary Clinton is ahead in the delegate count, she doesn’t have enough to lock up the nomination yet. Both Clinton and Sanders are battling for Kentucky’s 60 delegates at stake.
On a weekday afternoon, Michelle Thomas and a few of her girlfriends get together at Thomas’ Bowling Green home, which has turned into a makeshift campaign headquarters for Hillary Clinton.
“We have yard signs and some bumper stickers and buttons," Thomas said.
The ladies were phone banking, trying to drum up support for Clinton ahead of Tuesday’s primary. It was the middle of the day and Janet Gouvas has been getting lots of answering machines.
“Hi this is Janet. I’m a volunteer with Hillary for Kentucky here in Bowling Green," Gouvas said, as she left a message. " I wanted to remind you that the Democratic primary is Tuesday, May 17. That’s next week. "We would appreciate your vote for Hillary. Thanks and have a great day.”
Michelle Thomas was an alternate delegate for Clinton at the 2008 Democratic Convention, but she’s been a supporter since Bill Clinton first ran for office. She thinks Hillary, the former Senator, First Lady, and Secretary of State, is the most qualified candidate for the presidency.
"She has circled the globe with nearly a million miles to her credit meeting with different leaders in foreign countries. They trust her, I trust her, and I think she would be a great commander-in-chief.”
During a rally this week in Louisville, Clinton positioned herself as the party’s presumptive nominee, who would be taking on Republican Donald Trump in the general election.
“There are lots of different ways to achieve our goals. We set our goals and then we have a good back and forth about how to achieve them. You don’t do that by denigrating people, demeaning people. That is not what we are and it’s time we said ‘enough,'" Clinton told the crowd. "If I am so fortunate to become the Democratic nominee, I am looking forward to debating Donald Trump come the fall.”
During the Louisville rally, Clinton made the statement that she is still standing. So is Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders. Sanders has won 19 states, but trailed Clinton by more than 700 pledged and super delegates heading into Tuesday's vote in Kentucky.
At a rally in Bowling Green last week, Sanders brought to southern Kentucky what he calls his “revolutionary campaign.”
“Our country faces serious problems. I believe, and I think most Americans believe, that it is just too late for establishment politics," Sanders said. "What we have learned is that if we mobilize people, have decent turnouts, if working people come out to vote, if young people come out to vote, if the middle class comes out to vote, then we can win elections.”
Western Kentucky University student Josh Knight, a Sanders campaign volunteer, thinks the Vermont Senator is a breath of fresh air compared to traditional politicians.
“I think it’s because young people, we haven’t been around that long, but I think they’re really tired of your typical politician and a lot of young people are registering Independent these days. I think that reflects a dislike of the political system as it is," suggests Knight. "And of course, his policy positions. Free tuition is a big deal to a lot of college students because we have a lot of student debt.”
Knight has spent hours in Sanders’ Bowling Green campaign office, calling Kentucky voters ahead of next week's election.
“Hi, my name is Josh. I’m a volunteer with the Bernie Sanders campaign here in Kentucky. Is Ronald available?", Knight asked during a recent call. " We’re just trying to call around and identify supporters of Senator Sanders. Would you be interested in volunteering for Bernie at some point over the next week?”
The WKU junior thinks his candidate still has a path to victory, though he acknowledges an uphill climb.
Regardless of Tuesday’s results in Kentucky, both Sanders and Clinton will continue their climb towards securing the Democratic nomination.
