Hello Reddit! I am Mike Broihier, Democratic candidate for US Senate in Kentucky to defeat Mitch McConnell, endorsed today by Andrew Yang -we're back for our second AMA. Ask me anything!

Hello! Thanks for taking the time for this AMA today!

My question is this: Mitch McConnell is an unpopular figure in KY but he continues to be elected in part because Kentuckians believe he gives them a voice of power in Washington. How will you convince KY voters that you'll be able to effect positive change on their behalf as a newly elected Senator?

Great question. If I lived in KY I would rather have no voice or power in DC than that mumbling moron. I’m embarrassed as a US citizen every time I hear him speak. He represents all of us in a negative light with his smug grin and close minded ignorance. I can’t vote in KY but I hope Mitch loses big.

I know you don't live in KY, but you can still help take down Mitch! We have a very aggressive voter outreach plan to contact tens of thousands of voters a day from now till the campaign. Donate now to help make it happen at www.MikeForKY.com/yang

What are the substantive differences between you and Charles Booker, the other progressive in the race?

I am a progressive trying to decide between the two of you in the upcoming primary. Why vote for you and not him?

I'm glad your looking at progressive candidates, so , thanks. While Booker's platform might resemble mine, I have plans to back mine. You can say, "I'm for UBI!" or you can enlist UBI-expert Scott Santens to help you craft a plan to pay for and enact it; that's what I've done. You can say, "I'm support the Green New Deal!" or you can already be working with candidates in adjoining states to build a Just Transition to a Green Economy, like I am.

Finally, I have an incredible breadth of experience that goes beyond Kentucky. I've seen drought, famine and civil war in Africa and worked shoulder to shoulder with our UN/NATO and ROK allies for two years facing North Korea. I've taught at Berkeley and substitute teach in public schools. Finallly, I'm a farmer. Right before I started this AMA I was out picking asparagus for tomorrows farmers market.

Thanks for the questions y'all! Please make a donation or sign up to help us beat McConnell:

www.mikeforky.com/donate

www.mikeforky.com/signup

Hey Mike, I’ve been following your campaign for a while and I’m rooting for you. I have a two-part question. First, if a poll was conducted today consisting of you, McGrath, and Booker, how do you think you’d place? And, what makes you think your campaign has what it takes to defeat Amy McGrath, who has all the name recognition in the world? Thanks for taking questions today.

Depends on how you shape the poll, if it's highly engaged voters, I win hands down. All the name recognition in the world doesn't matter, only Kentucky, and it only matters if the person will take the extra steps to vote in the primary.

Outside of polling, the grassroots organizations are behind me, the Kentucky Indivisible endorsement was a bounce for sure.

Mike, can you talk a bit more about the debates?

We could use your help making the most out of that debate! Please consider donating now to make sure we spread that debate out as far as possible by giving at MikeForKY.com/yang

Hey Tony, this is Greg, I'm happy to take this one. There have been no polls, but there is a lot more dissatisfaction with McGrath in-state than many realize from following national press. It's as much about DC Democrats making the choice for Kentucky as it is about policy.

There was an exit-survey done after a forum with the top three candidates, and Mike blew everyone else away with 88%. I think a poll would probably show her ahead purely on name recognition, but we have a whole month, and a debate on June 1st, and are closing that gap every single day.

Can I ask your people to please stop texting me?

Hey there, Connor Murphy (Organizing Director) here.

If you reply with STOP, our texting volunteers will opt you out of the program.

If you do, you'll stop receiving messages from us.

Remember to request your ballot and mail it in no later than June 23. This link can take you there: mikeforky.com/ballot

Edit: format

Why not Amy McGrath?

Greg here, I'll take this one.

Mike is a farmer, a teacher, and a retired Marine corps officer. It's the perfect resume to unseat Mitch McConnell. His platform wasn't written by DC consultants - it was composed by experts on every subject, and is commensurate with what Kentucky is facing.

Amy is a good person, and we rooted hard for her when she lost the 6th district US House race in 2018. But she can't win in Kentucky - she's made too many mistakes. Kentuckians are not impressed by people who change their views to please them, and Amy's slip-ups (like flip-flopping on Brett Kavanaugh twice in a day, saying she wants to push Trump's agenda, etc) are well known in the state. These kinds of Republican-lite candidates have not fared well against McConnell in the past few decades.

Mike has a MUCH better shot to unseat Mitch, and a much stronger, more progressive platform. That's why I work with and support Mike.

Greg

Hi Mike,

What's your views on the comment made by Joe Biden that "if you vote for trump, then you ain't black"?

Mike answered this somewhere else in this thread but just to make sure you see it, he disagrees with VP Biden's comments.

There is not and should not be a gatekeeping authority on blackness or black identity, and even if there were one it certainly shouldn't be a white guy.

Two Questions: 1. What is your favorite cut of meat? 2. I know many people want Amy McGrath because of her funding and name recognition. What do you say to Amy supporter who think you are “splitting the vote”.

Kentucky's primary election is on June 23, so there's no "vote splitting" against Mitch.

Rest assured, there is room for McGrath supporters in our movement. We have pledged to make this campaign about better representation for all of Kentucky.

What about the meat?

Ha, I'm not Mike so I didn't want to answer. He has grassfed cows on his farm so I imagine he likes a good steak. I wouldn't have a clue what type.

Hey buddy, I know I once gave my number to Yang, but could you stop texting me?

Hey /u/khaos_kyle, Mike's Organizing Director here.

Text 'STOP' in reply and we'll opt you out.

It's one of the few ways we can safely reach folks nowadays - thanks for understanding.

I’m from KY. Why am I just now hearing about you?

Mike's campaign picked up a number of Andrew Yang 2020 alumni in February - before then, his campaign was really just he and his wife. Since then it's taken off, both because of dissatisfaction with Amy McGrath, but also because of Mike's resume and platform - he can beat Mitch on the issues and peel off voters who share his life experiences, want to vote Democrat but have misgivings about the national party.

The campaign has picked up considerable momentum since then, glad we caught you on time!

I wish you the best of luck, sir. But if it happens you are not the nominee, will you support your opponent and do more work to defeat McConnell?

I apologize if you have already answered this.

No worries! And yes, Mike has stated that he will support the Democratic nominee if it isn't him. Getting rid of Mitch is too important.

Pineapple on pizza, why or why not?

If Mike gets this wrong I'm quitting.

You might not be able to give Mike a ham and pineapple pizza, but you can still give him a small contribution at www.MikeForKY.com/yang

Given the long term incumbency of the turtle and political leanings of KY, do you really think you've got a good chance in this election, or are you looking at the long game and trying to get discussion started to lay the way for future candidates?

Mike can win this race.

Mitch wins by dividing Kentuckians and tearing apart his opponents. That's because his opponents tend to try to run only a little to McConnell's left - such as Amy McGrath's suggestion - which lasted two hours - that she would vote to affirm Brett Kavanaugh. Kentuckians, as Mike often says, can smell bullshit from a mile away.

Mike is a farmer, teacher, and retired Marine Lt.Col. Every Kentuckian has one of those in their family. There are three baskets of voters in Kentucky: Pro-Trump pro-Mitch, anti-Trump, anti-Mitch, and Pro-Trump anti-Mitch. Mike will win the third basket.

Mitch has never been less popular. This can happen this year. I wouldn't serve on the campaign if I thought otherwise.

-Greg

Wish you all the best of luck, as far as I'm concerned Mitch is one of the worst people in Washington... And that's a hotly contested title.

Thanks for the good wishes. If you'd like to help our campaign amplify our message please consider donating at www.MikeForKY.com/yang

Hi Mike! Big fan from PA. So I know you were endorsed by Yang and humanity forward but I was wondering if there was anything that made you stand out from Yang in terms of policy? I know your experiences/upbringing give you a completely different perspective, and I’m curious if that impacted any of your policy decisions and/or primary focus beyond UBI? (Ex: different view on human centered capitalism, democracy dollars, etc). Thanks for running against Mitch!

Hi barrettkyle! If you'd like to make the most out of Mike's endorsement please consider donating at www.MikeForKY.com/yang

Comment, then a question, please:

Comment:

Get McConnell out of there and the world (almost quite literally) will owe you.

Question:

(Apologies if you answered any of these already. Quarantined kids running around, and these tend to move fast.)

• Please write your name phonetically for me, if you do not mind.
• What are the main issues in your stump speech? (And/or please expand on your “Universal Basic Income” concept.
• Would Trump be able to appoint McConnell to anything with power if he was ousted from the Senate?
• Who do you think (or who is in line to) would take his place as Majority Leader if he was out?

Hey /u/InsomniaAbounds !

Lots of comments starting to come in so I'll take this if that's alright:

"Broy-er"

You can find our full UBI plan, which we worked with senior policy advisor/ World Economic Forum contributor Scott Santens on, here!

Constitutionally speaking, yes he would. Though if we work hard enough, we may not have to find out.

Seniority usually prevails, though Senators vote on it at the start of each new Congress. So that means it will likely be either Sen. Schumer (D) or Sen. John Thune (R).

Edit: formatting

In order to progress at all with our long overdue progressive policies and to grow the political weight of the Yang Administration in its near future we need to oust Mitch McConnell from the senate by voting for you as Kentucky Senator and achieve Democratic majority in the senate. By having a Republican majority and therefore senate leader as Mitch McConnell, it will always hinder any progress for any progressive movement. Only then will we have our "unstoppable" effect in our legislation that we saw in Trump from 2016 onward.

How far have you and the Yang Gang (Democratic party/progressive sect) come in the fight to establish this change in our current political climate?

Hi GetGetFresh. I'm sure you heard already that Andrew Yang endorsed Mike's campaign today. To make the most of out of the endorsement please consider donating at www.MikeForKY.com/yang

An overwhelming amount of people heavily dislike Mitch. How does he keep getting reelected?

Greg here.

Mitch divides Kentuckians. He uses slurs, fears of neighbors, immigrants, "freeloaders," "invaders," he tells people Democrats want their guns and to kill babies. He raises a lot of money, by always favoring corporate power over people.

Democrats haven't helped. Each year, we run timid, Republican-lite candidates, hoping to be the least offensive candidate possible. The last candidate wouldn't even admit she voted for President Obama.

Kentuckians value honesty, integrity, and someone who sticks to their values. Say what you will about Mitch, but the grim reaper doesn't hide what he is.

Mike is a farmer, a teacher, a retired Marine corps officer, and a former local newspaper reporter - particularly skilled at sharing progressive ideas with a rural audience. He's blunt, and hides nothing. Kentuckians don't agree with him on everything, but they respect him. And that's why his supporters are so loyal.

He's the strongest shot we've ever had to retire Mitch. Donate today if you can: www.mikeforky.com/donate