Supporters of Kentucky Democrat
Alison Lundergan Grimes, caught on video saying she only supports coal to win votes, show how the party truly feels about an industry that is a major part of the state, Sen. Rand Paul says.
"We've lost several thousand jobs in the mining industry," the Kentucky Republican said Monday on
Fox News Channel's "Hannity" show. Grimes is challenging Kentucky's other GOP senator, Mitch McConnell, in November's midterms.
Grimes says she supports the coal industry, but also says she will support Majority Leader Harry Reid if elected, Paul said.
"But if that happens we'll never get any relief," Paul said. "This kind of blows the truth away here. … Even though they say one thing in public, in private maybe they aren't so supportive of coal."
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Reid, a supporter of President Barack Obama's agenda, has said "coal makes us sick" in voicing his support for alternative energy. Obama, when first seeking the presidency in 2008, said his goal was to tax coal plants out of business.
Democrats are spending big money in Kentucky in an effort to unseat McConnell, the current minority leader, and Paul said much of that money is coming from Hollywood, where coal is a dirty word.