Cathy Bailey backs Paul in U.S. Senate race; U.S. Chamber of Commerce goes with Grayson

FRANKFORT – Cathy Bailey, a prominent Republican fund-raiser from Louisville who served as U.S. ambassador to Latvia from 2005 to 2008 and was considering a run for the U.S. Senate this year, is backing Rand Paul in the May 18 GOP primary election.

Meanwhile, Paul’s chief rival, Secretary of State Trey Grayson, picked up the endorsment of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

“We’re endorsing Grayson because he has a record of standing up for the people of Kentucky,” Bill Miller, the U.S. Chamber’s senior vice president and political director, said in a statement.

“He is an invaluable leader on important business issues. We’re confident Grayson will continue to look out for the interests of business while in the U.S. Senate.”

David Adams, Paul’s campaign manager, said Tuesday that Bailey and her husband, Irv Bailey, each have contributed $1,000 to the campaign of the Bowling Green eye surgeon who is making his first bid for public office.

In a statement, Cathy Bailey said, “I have consistently said that I wanted the Republican Party of Kentucky to nominate a true conservative to replace Senator Jim Bunning in Washington D.C.

“Like many people, I was originally told things about Rand Paul’s views that turned out to be false.

“The truth is Rand Paul is a true conservative and he will not participate in the business-as-usual culture of Washington D.C. I am confident that he will stand up for fiscal discipline, just as Senator Bunning has done time and again.”

Bunning is not seeking re-election this year.

Bailey said she selected between Paul and Secretary of State Trey Grayson on the basis of which one is “strong enough and conservative enough to truly stand against President Obama’s liberal agenda, which is pushing the United States down a treacherous path on many fronts.”

She said Paul is “the right man at the right time for Kentucky and for the U.S. Senate.”

Paul manager Adams said, “Cathy Bailey is a forward-thinking leader who has worked effectively on the international stage. Her opinion carries a lot of weight and we will surely be hearing a lot more from her.”
–Jack Brammer