STU JOHNSON – 

CREDIT UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY

A University of Kentucky political scientist doesn’t expect high profile political events in central Kentucky this past weekend to greatly affect voting decisions for those who attended the rallies.

Former Vice President Joe Biden participated in congressional challenger Amy McGrath’s fish fry Friday and President Trump spoke before a pack coliseum at EKU trying to garner votes for Congressional incumbent Andy Barr.  UK’s Political Science Professor Stephen Voss says these events can prompt supporters to do more. “A campaign that brings in a celebrity will see a spike in volunteers or with money, contributions.  They’ll see requests for signs from people who hadn’t previously request lawn signs for the candidate,” said Voss.

Voss says rally attendees tend to be firmly in the corner of the candidate, so the event is not likely to be effective in creating new support.

Voss says rally attendees’ experiences can be passed on to other people who were not in Owingsville or Richmond and that can be an effective lobbying tool.