Campus News

Lieutenant Governor Candidates to Debate at UK

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 7, 2015) — Three weeks before election day, all three Kentucky Lieutenant Governor candidates will debate — particularly with a focus on issues impacting women in the Bluegrass  on Tuesday, Oct. 13, at the University of Kentucky.

The debate, sponsored by the UK Women's Forum, WUKY, the UK Student Government Association and WRFL, will take place at 7:30 p.m. in the William T. Young Library Auditorium.

Emmy-winning journalist and LEX18 news anchor Nancy Cox will moderate. Heather Curtis, running mate to independent candidate Drew Curtis; Jenean M. Hampton, running mate to Republican candidate Matt Bevin; and Sannie Overly, running mate to Democratic candidate Jack Conway will participate in the debate.

"We are excited to bring the candidates for Lt. Governor to campus to address issues related to the well-being of women in the bluegrass!" said Rhonda Henry, director of the Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIP) Center and past-chair of the UK Women's Forum. "It is a unique circumstance to have three female candidates for this office and we saw this as a wonderful opportunity for the Women’s Forum to partner with WUKY, the Student Government Association and WRFL to bring the candidates to our campus."

The debate will be broadcast live on http://wrfl.fm/ and audio will be live streamed on http://wuky.org/.  

“We’re so glad to be a part of bringing the debate to campus and we’re especially excited to broadcast the event live for folks who cannot attend in person," said Ben Allen, WRFL media adviser. "It’s a very important service we enjoy providing to our community of listeners.”

"As Lexington's NPR News Station WUKY remains committed to sponsoring debates and candidate forums so that voters can make an informed decision," said WUKY News Director Alan Lytle. "We are proud to partner with the UK Women's Forum, SGA, and WRFL on an event that will help shape what will be a historic election for Kentucky."

Questions are being crafted by the UK Women's Forum in collaboration with WUKY morning news anchor/reporter Karyn Czar and Kentucky Gazette Editor and Publisher Laura Cullen Glasscock. Topics and suggested questions were submitted by members of the UK Women's Forum, as well as from the broader UK community. Suggestions for questions can be submitted at https://uky.az1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_8jDO1kh2F6rSK8J. All candidates will be asked the same questions.

Each candidate will be given 90 seconds to respond to each question, and the order in which candidates answer each question will rotate. Candidates will also be given two minutes each for a closing statement.

"Through events like this, SGA aims to enrich the student body through advocacy, engagement and education surrounding women’s issues not only present in the university, but also, ones that are important in an international scope," said Boone Proffitt, SGA director of governmental relations. "In turn, this debate will be a platform celebrating civic processes while reflecting on the freedom that comes with being an American." 

MEDIA CONTACT: Whitney Harder, 859-323-2396, whitney.harder@uky.edu