One of few Democrats in attendance, Charles Booker takes, makes jabs at Fancy Farm

FANCY FARM, Ky. -- U.S. Senate candidate Charles Booker took hits from numerous directions at the 142nd Fancy Farm political picnic in Western Kentucky on Saturday.

As one of the few Democratic speakers in attendance, Booker heard criticism from everyone from emcee David Osborne, the Speaker of the Kentucky House of Representatives, to the state's Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles.

But on his turn to speak, Booker dished out as much as he took, though he saved most of his barbs for his opponent in the November election, Republican Sen. Rand Paul.

Booker said the only reason Paul ever stopped in Kentucky in the first place was because "he was on his way from Texas to Russia and ran out of gas."

More:Political fireworks at Fancy Farm 142, as GOP (and a few Dems) take the stage

He heaped scorn on Paul for his supposed fondness for Russian President Vladimir Putin. In May, Paul blocked the Senate from fast-tracking a $40 billion aid package for Ukraine, citing his desire to ensure there's oversight of how the money gets spent, and before that he was criticized for echoing one of Putin's talking points in regard to Russia's invasion of Ukraine − an invasion for which Paul said "there is no justification."

Booker also made an apparent reference at Fancy Farm to Paul's personal delivery in 2018 of a letter from then-President Donald Trump to Putin's administration.

"Hey Rand, be honest: That was a love letter wasn't it?" Booker said Saturday. "I know it had lipstick kisses on it and hearts drawn in crayon."

Just three of the day's speakers represented the Democratic Party, compared to 11 GOP speakers, including the emcee Osborne.

Other than Booker, Kentucky Democratic Party Chairman Colmon Elridge and congressional candidate Jimmy Ausbrooks attended.

Paul's wife, Kelley Paul, stood in for her husband, who, along with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, could not attend the picnic because the U.S. Senate was still voting on legislation on Saturday.

Kelley Paul heaped scorn on Booker for wanting to "defund the police," though Booker generally avoids using that phrase.

"There’s a reason why you don’t hear me say those words," Booker told The Courier Journal last year. "It’s because I'm not playing their game. What I want to talk about is what I actually want to do, which is fully fund community safety."

Paul also referenced the small number of Democrats at the event.

"They used to be everywhere, and now you can barely find one," she said. "Maybe it's because the Democrats went from promising a chicken in every pot to a drag queen in every school."

That was one of multiple comments Paul made that were critical of LGBTQ people during her Fancy Farm speech.

Transgender issues and criticisms of transgender athletes' participation in girl's and women's sports worked its way into a few comments by Republican speakers during the afternoon.

More:Gerth: Here's more proof that Fancy Farm is continuing its trend toward the GOP

Some conservative politicians thanked Booker for being there, while also criticizing Gov. Andy Beshear and Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman in the same breath for not attending. Beshear initially planned to visit Israel with his family during the time of the event, but canceled the trip to oversee flood recovery in Eastern Kentucky.

"The people of Western Kentucky deserve a Democrat who will show up to Fancy Farm," Osborne said.

Others were promising to make this the last time Booker spoke at the event.

"Charles Booker is here," Quarles said, "Spoiler alert: He won't be here next year."

Yet, Booker wasn't dissuaded. When he began speaking, amid jeers from the crowd, he said, "Even if you boo, I'm going to fight for you to get quality health care."

More:Fancy Farm 142 was full of 'zingers.' Here's a rundown of the political put-downs.

Throughout his speech, he focused primarily on what it meant to be a family in Kentucky, regardless of political party. However, as the speech went on, he did "light up" Paul, which he promised to do several times on Twitter prior to the event.

"Kentuckians show up," he said. "That's why it should be clear to anybody that Rand Paul didn't show up.... He's in Washington trying to screw you as we speak."

Booker said, if elected, he would work to end poverty, stand up for veterans and the troops, legalize cannabis and establish a Kentucky New Deal.

More:Fancy Farm 2022: Political picnic heavily dominated by the Republicans

In 2021, both Beshear and Coleman cited a concern for COVID-19 as their reason for not attending. Coleman did not explicitly say why she was not in attendance, although she tweeted that, "in the coming days, I will be in western Kentucky to highlight the great work Team Kentucky is doing."

Reach reporter Eleanor McCrary at emccrary@gannett.com and follow her on Twitter @ellie_mccrary.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Charles Booker a lightning rod for criticism at 142nd Fancy Farm