Opening words: Conway avoids mentioning challenger, P'Pool invokes 'Aqua Buddha'

Without primary contests for either attorney general candidates, Tuesday night’s election celebrations offered Democratic Attorney General Jack Conway and Republican challenger Todd P’Pool chances to make statewide opening statements.

Conway used his speech at the Democratic Party’s rally in Frankfort to outline why he deserves a second term, saying that he could give Kentucky a key voice in leadership of attorneys general nationally.

“Ladies and gentlemen, now there’s a record. And I would submit to you it’s a record that recommends re-election. And it’s a record of promises made and promises kept,” he said.

Conway highlighted work his office has done in investigating cybercrimes and teaming up with local and federal investigators to try to combat the flow of illegal prescription pills.

He didn’t mention or even allude to his Republican opponent, Todd P’Pool.

P’Pool, the Hopkins County Attorney, channeled his prosecutor skills to lay out an aggressive case to the Republican faithful. He started with why he was running, then pivoted to take on Conway.

“You know him. You know him. He was the one responsible for making Kentucky endure the infamous Aqua Buddha campaign — the architect of the worst campaign and the worst assault in a generation,” P’Pool said. “…And when reporters asked him about the Aqua Buddha campaign, his reply was that he thought it may hurt his brand. Now this is a public servant who (refers) to himself as a commodity.”

P’Pool went on to criticize Conway for not challenging the federal health care bill Congress passed last year as 26 other attorneys general did. P’Pool has been campaigning on that and his support for the coal industry throughout the spring.

- Video by Bradley McKee and Holly Thompson