UMWA President: No one should be surprised that coal miners support Andy Beshear

Berry Craig

09 Jun, 2023

From the Lexington Herald Leader

I read in recent news reports that there are some in Kentucky who are shocked – shocked! – that the United Mine Workers of America would support the re-election of Gov. Andy Beshear. Let me be clear: When it comes to supporting candidates for election, the UMWA supports those who support us. Period. It does not matter what office they hold or what party they belong to. Ask Republican Senator Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, or former Senator Rob Portman of Ohio, also a Republican. Ask Republican Representatives Hal Rogers and Jamie Comer of Kentucky.

They seek and receive our endorsement come election time because they earn it during their terms of office. When someone consistently steps up for us, then we step up for them. That’s exactly what Andy Beshear has done. By strongly supporting our fight to preserve health care and pension benefits for retired miners and spouses, Gov. Beshear has already demonstrated that he is a friend to the more than 10,000 retired miners in the state. Almost all of those retirees have children and grandchildren of voting age, and they know just how important the UMWA has been and continues to be to their parents and grandparents.