Lunsford: 'Paying dues' led to labor support, Carpenter's endorsement

Bruce Lunsford (D-Louisville) and members of the Indiana-Kentucky Regional Council of Carpenters and Millwrights

Democratic Senate candidate Bruce Lunsford appeared at the Louisville Headquarters of the Indiana-Kentucky Regional Council of Carpenters and Millwrights this afternoon to collect the latest in a line of labor union endorsements for his campaign.

"In the U.S. Senate, we believe Bruce Lunsford will work for issues important to our membership and working families across the country," said the Union's statement of endorsement. "Kentucky deserves a U.S. Senator who gives credence to working class financial burden."

Lunsford joined several dozen union members who cheered the candidate throughout his acceptance speech.

During his remarks, Lunsford said the union would work with his campaign on a "common cause."

"The common cause is to change the course of America, because we are living under the cloud of the worse presidency of my lifetime and the worst senator for a working man that Kentucky has ever seen," said Lunsford.

The candidate also referenced the commencment of his "On the Job" tour - a series of events where Lunsford will join Kentucky workers at their jobsites. This tour found him working several hours for a frozen foods company last week. Several more stops are planned in the coming months.

Of his work on the tour, Lunsford told the union members "I probably can't do it as hard as you can for as long as you can, and I certainly cant do it as well as you can, but it will give me a great sense of what you have to go through in a society that has made you what you are today: Strong hearty humanitarians that give every day of their life to America."

The Carpenters' and Millwrights' endorsement is the latest large union to come out in favor of Lunsford. The Louisville businessman earlier received the support of the Kentucky AFL-CIO and the labor coalition Change to Win Kentucky.

The show of support from organized labor is a marked contrast from Lunsford's earlier statewide efforts to secure a Democratic nomination. During his losing 2003 and 2007 bids for the governor's office, many labor groups declined to support Lunsford's candidacy.

Lunsford and a union member talk after the endorsement

When asked what had changed and why labor supports him now, Lunsford told PolitickerKY.com he had moved forward from misteps from past campaigns. He particularly referenced his bitter 2003 primary campaign against now-Congressman Ben Chandler. In that race, Lunsford dropped out of the contentious race shortly before the primary and later endorsed the eventual winner, Republican Ernie Fletcher.

"Its not like you only have one particular campaign. I think you can look at the last campaign and realize they picked their horse, and I am okay with that," said Lunsford. "As I said before, that was an election that was a little bit about paying my dues and going to the woodshed about Ben Chandler. Ben and I have been friends before and we've made up and I've asked him to forgive me for what I did. I think we got off on the wrong foot."

"If I had to do it again I would have done things like I did with Steve Beshear," continued Lunsford, referencing his 2007 race. "I think last year I showed I am capable of running a solid honest campaign, and that's what I am doing this time."

Lunsford also indicated labor unions now support him because of several of his issue positions.

"I happen to be one of the biggest proponents in Kentucky... for universal health care, which all of them would love to have, so its not an issue to be bargained about anymore," said Lunsford.

This year, Lunsford has come under increasing fire from the campaign of fellow Louisville businessman Greg Fischer. Fischer's camp swiped at Lunsford in its most recent ad , resurrected attacks on about fines levied against one of his Lunsford's business interests, and blasted Lunsford's past support of Republicans - including Fletcher.

Lunsford's campaign has focused instead on targeting incumbent Senator Mitch McConnell, who awaits the winner of the Democratic primary.

Lunsford acknowledged the climate in the race and referenced earlier primary battles in which he was embroiled.

"I like the idea of democrats all being positive. Unfortunately, that's not working out exactly like I would have liked to, but that's alright," said Lunsford. "It's politics. And ive seen Kentucky with bruising primaries in the past."