Courier-Journal Endorses Larry Clark

District 46: Voters in this southern Jefferson County district (Fern Valley Road and points south) have a choice between a seasoned and powerful incumbent in Democrat Larry Clark, in office for 26 years and speaker pro-tem of the Kentucky House since 1993, and political newcomer Brian Simpson, a UPS air handler and Republican. Although Mr. Simpson brings enthusiasm to the table, it does not begin to compare with Mr. Clark’s encyclopedic expertise, the breadth and depth of his institutional knowledge and memory, and the skills he brings to work with him every day. And we do mean every day — he maintains a 100 percent voting record. Mr. Clark should be returned to Frankfort to build on that record.

As Mr. Clark points out, he already has had to make tough calls and decisions in the past several years, as economic downturns have impacted the state’s budget. The upcoming session will not be any easier, and he is positioned to draw on all he knows and has done to make more tough decisions. This is no time to trade a speaker pro-tem for a beginner who doesn’t even have much community involvement to draw upon.

Mr. Clark sees jobs, smaller government and transparency as the big issues ahead, and he supports expanded gambling as a means to the ends of enhancing the horse industry (and protecting all its jobs) and providing more money to schools and education. He says he is able to work across the aisle, and with the Senate. More of that is needed, and so is more of Mr. Clark in Frankfort.