By Joan C. McKinney, director of university communications
CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. – Campbellsville University is hosting a series of gubernatorial candidate forums beginning Friday, Feb. 16 in The Gheens Recital Hall with Gov. Ernie Fletcher as the first speaker.
The sessions are sponsored by CU’s Kentucky Heartland Institute for Public Policy (KHIPP) and Team Taylor County.
John Chowning, vice president for church and external relations at CU and executive assistant to the president who is the founder of KHIPP, said all of the major candidates have been asked to participate in the forums.
Fletcher was the first to respond, so, therefore, he will be first to speak in the series. His address is at 4 p.m. The event, as well as all that will follow, are open to the public.
Chowning said each of the candidates will also be featured on his TV-4 television show, “Dialogue on Public Issues” which is shown on Monday and Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m., Mondays at 6:30 p.m. and Wednesdays at 7 p.m.
The Fletcher interview will be aired on Comcast Cable 10 on Monday, Feb. 19 and Wednesday, Feb. 21. Fletcher, a Republican, is seeking his second term as Kentucky’s governor.
“We at Campbellsville University and at Team Taylor County are honored to be able to host these gubernatorial forums,” said Chowning. “Our goal is to allow the public to listen to the major candidates, hear their goals and platforms, and then make educated judgments on who to vote for in May. We also deeply appreciate the financial support of our local banks who are helping underwrite the costs of the series of candidate forums.”
Chowning said that three other candidates have already committed to dates over the next several weeks, and the other four major candidates are in process of considering dates. Announcements will be made on each candidate forum during the series.
“We invite everyone to come hear these candidates and to watch the show on our TV-4,” said Chowning.
For more information on the events, contact Chowning at (270) 789-5520 or at jechowning@campbellsville.edu.
Fletcher’s biography can be found on his web site, http://governor.ky.gov, as follows:“Governor Ernie Fletcher has led a remarkable life – as an Air Force fighter pilot, engineer, family doctor, lay minister, state legislator, and United States Congressman. He was born in Mt. Sterling and is a longtime resident of Lexington. He received his B.S. degree from the University of Kentucky College of Engineering in 1974 and later graduated from the University of Kentucky College of Medicine.
“Governor Fletcher’s service to our nation began in the United States Air Force, where he served as an F-4E Aircraft Commander and NORAD Alert Force Commander. As a fighter pilot, he led flights that intercepted Soviet military aircraft during the Cold War.
“Governor Fletcher served his community as a family practice physician in Lexington for 12 years, including two years as CEO of the Saint Joseph Medical Foundation.
“Governor Fletcher’s legislative career began in 1995 as a State Representative for Kentucky’s 78th District, during which time he served on the Kentucky Commission on Poverty and the Task Force on Higher Education.
“Governor Fletcher’s public service continued when he was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1998 from Kentucky’s 6th Congressional District. In Congress, he served as a member of the House Committees on Energy and Commerce and was selected to chair the Policy Subcommittee on Health.
“Governor Fletcher is married to his high school sweetheart, Glenna Foster. Their daughter Rachael and her husband, Daniel, have four children: Callie, Hannah, Joshua and Mason. Their son Ben and his wife Kara live in Munich, Germany.”
Campbellsville University, now celebrating her Centennial year, is a private, comprehensive institution located in South Central Kentucky. Founded in 1906, Campbellsville University is affiliated with the Kentucky Baptist Convention and has an enrollment of 2,310 students who represent 100 Kentucky counties, 32 states and 28 foreign nations. Listed in U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges” 14 consecutive years as one of the leading Southern master’s colleges and universities, Campbellsville University is located 82 miles southwest of Lexington, Ky., and 80 miles southeast of Louisville, Ky. Dr. Michael V. Carter is in his eighth year as president.