By Ameer Abedy and Sydney McCarter

Donald J. Trump is set to be inaugurated as the 47th president of the United States today. His inauguration comes against a backdrop of political chaos, such as the TikTok saga and the near imminent government shutdown that loomed over the US just a few weeks ago. Democrats and moderate Republicans headed into this new year with a heavy sense of dread surrounding the inauguration. It is already clear that the second Trump term will be a stark contrast to the first and many are fearing that the warnings president Biden made during his farewell address are already coming to fruition. In the midst of this chaos, Anthony Looney, a nurse practitioner from central Kentucky announced his campaign to earn the Democratic candidacy for the 81st house district of the Kentucky Legislator. The Torch team interviewed Looney to gauge his thoughts about the incoming, Republican-dominated federal government.

 Mr. Looney stated his cautious optimism in the ability of Democrats to organize and regain government positions through incoming local and federal elections. He made it clear that helplessness is a natural feeling in the face of what seems to be an ever strengthening gang of billionaires that have taken the reins of our government. Looney believes that Democrats must reorganize and endure nonetheless.

We need to prioritize people over profits

Anthony Looney

Though most attention was pointed towards the federal government, he made sure to emphasize the importance of state and local governments as well. In blue states, the state governments will be the vanguard against the expansion of MAGA influence. In red states, the state governments should be a significant priority for Democrats to win over. Looney stressed the importance of bipartisanship, stating that “[he doesn’t] believe Republicans are bad people, what’s threatening is when a group holds too much power. Which is why the Republican super majority [in the KY legislator] needs to be chipped at.”

States such as Kentucky have been deeply red since the Clinton administration, which has created a sense that the Democratic party is better off investing its resources in swing states in order to win elections. Looney responded that Kentucky has been blue before, and currently has a Democratic governor. It is not at all impossible to win it over, which is echoed by many organizations like the Kentucky Young Democrats. He identified that one of the most serious problems Democrats face in states like Kentucky is that there aren’t people running for office. Many KY legislative districts are Republican simply because they are uncontested, such as the 81st district which he is hoping to represent.

We will endure and rise above

Anthony Looney

It is clear that for Democrats to re-secure their authority in politics they must undergo a major reorganization effort over the next two years. This reconstruction must be approached with hope, caution, and serious reflection on the successes and failures of the last few years. Though arduous, this effort is entirely possible and necessary.