January 26, 2005
Gov. Dean's Ol' Kentucky Home
It was standing room only and roars of enthusiasm in "red-state" Kentucky for Howard Dean and his message of hope for the Democratic Party Sunday night.
More than 400 people braved single-digit temperatures and overflowed the auditorium in Lexington to hear Howard Dean tell us how to take back the country by strengthening the Democratic Party below the Mason-Dixon Line. "We are all purple states," said the Governor, to huge applause.
The event, hosted by Change for Kentucky (the DFA coalition group in KY) raised over $10,000 for Democracy for America and a priceless amount of publicity and good will for Gov. Dean's campaign of reform.
Several local and state lawmakers and party leaders were among 50 people who attended an earlier private reception for Governor Dean, including the new chair of the state Democratic Party Jerry Lundergan, former governor and new state Senator Julian Carroll, Lexington Mayor Teresa Isaac and our Dean Dozen candidate Virginia Woodward, the new state senator embroiled in a court battle with Republicans to claim her seat.
Governor Dean also met privately with Change for Kentucky members, who gave him a scrapbook of pictures and articles of our activities dating back to our first meeting in March 2003. Governor Dean said it meant a lot to him because he had not had much chance during the campaign to save pictures or
articles.
Many people who attended told us later in moving terms how much Governor Dean's presence and words inspired them, especially coming at the end of a depressing Inauguration Week. Gov. Dean left with words of hope that Democrats in the South continue to speak loudly about the shared American values that bring us together.
The optimism and enthusiasm was tangible. No one who was there could doubt that Kentucky will not be a "red state" for long.
--Lisa Aug, Change for Kentucky member and DFA organizer from Waddy, Kentucky