(LEX 18) — Alan Keck has his eyes on the governor's office.
"I'm running for governor to transform Kentucky," said Keck. "There's so much potential - untapped potential - in our Commonwealth and I want to unleash that."
Keck is one of the 11 candidates in the Republican primary for governor this May. Unlike some of his competitors who hold statewide elected positions, Keck currently holds a more local role. He serves as Somerset's mayor and it's a position that he believes has helped prepare him for the job of governor.
"The challenges that I face in Somerset in public safety, infrastructure, economic development, working with the legislative body - that need to build consensus - has equipped me to be ready to lead from day one," said Keck. "I actually think I'm uniquely qualified, even though we may have not taken the traditional political ladder if you will."
The Mason-Dixon Kentucky Poll, which was conducted between January 18th and 23rd of this year, asked Republican voters who they would pick if the election were held today. 2% of voters chose Alan Keck. However, the poll also found that a significant number (28%) of GOP voters remain undecided when it comes to picking a Republican candidate for governor.
Keck gained some momentum after his performance at the Spectrum News/Jefferson County Republican Party debate in March. Some voters on social media pointed out that Keck had some answers that appeared more moderate than those of the other three candidates on stage.
But does Keck see himself as a moderate?
"You know, I don't like labels necessarily. What I would say is I'm a 'common-sense, do-something' leader. And I'm not scared to take a position that might not match up with the traditional party," said Keck. "But what I'm not going to be is one of these 'jack-in-a-box, pull the cord Republican candidates.' I'm a problem solver - a change agent. And if some think that makes me a little more moderate, so be it."
An example of how Keck differs from some of the other Republican candidates is his stance on Kentucky's current anti-abortion laws. The state's current law does not allow for exceptions in cases of rape or incest.
Keck believes those exceptions should be added in.
"I still think some consideration has to be given for the woman's life, especially in the instance of violent crime, rape, or incest. That pregnancy was created in, what I'm going to call, violent sin. And I think in that instance, there needs to be time and consideration for the mom," said Keck. "I would never encourage an abortion, but I certainly think there needs to be latitude and grace given to her life - not just the life of the child in that instance."
Sticking on the topic on healthcare, Kentucky's General Assembly passed a law that critics call one of the worst anti-trans laws in the country. That law bans gender-affirming care for trans kids. Supporters of the law say it's to protect children from possible regret in the future. But opponents believe the government is interfering in decisions that are meant for parents to make.
Where does Keck stand on this issue? He believes the state government should protect children in this case.
"I support parents' involvement, naturally, in their child's life but we're talking about life-altering decisions before the brain's fully formed. You know, before you can buy tobacco and alcohol. I think - it's again where I come back to this common-sense approach - that we don't need kids, or even kids with their parents, making that type of decision at that age," said Keck. "When they turn 18, they'll have more of a right to make that decision."
When it comes to the economy, Keck also supports the action the General Assembly has taken. He believes the plan to gradually get rid of personal income tax is a good one for Kentucky. However, he stresses the importance of fixing the state's low workforce issue.
"I think getting to zero [personal income tax] is smart. You know, allowing Kentuckians to keep more of their money. They'll be taxed on how they choose to spend it. But our policy is really focused on the workforce crisis," said Keck. "We are landing new jobs and opportunities, but who's going to work there? We've been as low as 49th in America in workforce. So, we've proposed what we call sliding scale benefits, where we take care of the working poor instead of those unwilling to work. And I fully believe that will transform Kentucky's economy."
A big part of Keck's platform, which he's calling his game plan for Kentucky, is education. He says he supports public education but also believes changes, such as school choice, would be good for the state.
"I support public school teachers and that doesn't mean I can't support school choice and a parent's right to have involvement. We shouldn't apologize for parents wanting to know what their kids are being taught. But I want the voters to hear me loud and clear - public education is foundational. It's a cornerstone of what makes our country special - that every child has the opportunity to be taught and create hope and opportunity. So, there are reforms needed. I think we want to make sure that we're teaching Kentucky values in our schools," said Keck. "But this notion that we need to blow it up and start over - to me - is nonsense."
Keck argues that the goal should be to give all kids a high-quality education. And he stresses that it starts with getting kids into school at a young age. That's why he believes universal pre-K is a must for Kentucky.
"The stats are conclusive. Money spent on kids ages three to five produces better life outcomes," said Keck.
"I've been talking about it every day on the trail, and I recognize that's not a traditional Republican talking point and that's ok with me," he added.
So, what is Keck's pitch to voters?
"I want the voters to know that I'm a team builder and a consensus builder. You know, I'm not someone that cares about a lot of credit. Candidly, being the governor doesn't matter to me. It's about doing the job as governor. Being that vehicle for progress to make lives better, work better and this a better place to live and work," said Keck.
"I have no doubt in my mind that if I'm governor, we'll take a back seat to no state in the country."
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This profile on Alan Keck is part of an LEX 18 series on the contending Republican candidates for governor. Based on debate invitations, public polling, and campaign finance reports, LEX 18 reached out to five of the eleven candidates to answer questions about their policy stances. In addition to Keck, Mike Harmon, Ryan Quarles, and Daniel Cameron have accepted our invitation. Kelly Craft's campaign declined, citing a scheduling conflict.
