Ed Gallrein spoke to the Kenton County Rotary Club in Villa Hills Thursday, pitching his message and policy platform to the Rotarians as he prepares for the upcoming November election.
“This election is simply about choice of the Constitution that’s rooted in religion and our fiery birth of our nation for liberty versus the Communist Manifesto that is deeply atheist and godless,” Gallrein said to the Rotarians gathered at the Villa Hills Civic Club. “It’s as simple as that.”
Gallrein is the Republican nominee for Kentucky Congressional District 4 of the House of Representatives. He defeated incumbent Republican Thomas Massie in the May primary and will face off against Democrat Melissa Strange, Libertarian Jeremy Todd and independent write-in candidate Peter Harmon Williams in the November general election.
The Rotary Club is a service organization dedicated to helping others. It participates in charity drives and other community service events and works to increase civic engagement by hosting candidate forums and speaking events. Gallrein’s Democratic opponent will speak before the club next week.
During the event, Gallrein gave a speech and also answered questions from the Rotarians. In his remarks, he discussed growing up on his family’s dairy farm, his education and his service as a Navy SEAL officer. He also discussed his goals and inspirations, namely the late President Ronald Reagan, whom he said inspired him to join the Navy.
“I still believe in the shining city on the hill as Reagan professed,” Gallrein said, referencing one of Reagan’s oft-used metaphors for the United States.
Gallrein pitched his socially conservative message, which included greater border security, lower taxes and an emphasis on law and order, deriding his opponents across the aisle as “increasingly radical” and “lawless.”
“It is not nuanced,” Gallrein said. “No more is it about a simple disagreement about health care or about taxes.”
Gallrein also emphasized the importance of service, appealing to the Rotarians’ own mission.
“Rotarians around the world have had a simple but powerful principle: service above self,” Gallrein said. “That tradition of service has touched communities, nations and millions of lives, and it is a motto that resonates deeply with me.”
The Rotarians followed the speech with questions.
Kenton County Rotary Club President Chris Walsh asked, “What’s your position on term limits?”
Gallrein said he was for them, “1000%,” adding that it was “interesting how they did it for the presidency, and they didn’t do it for, say, the House and the Senate.”
Rotarian Matt Grimes said that many viewed Gallrein’s former opponent, Massie, as closer to Reagan’s perspective and legacy than Gallrein.
“What differentiates you from him (Massie), and how do we know that you’re going to be independent?” Grimes said.
Gallrein started his response to this question by listing a variety of allies that Massie had garnered throughout his career, many of whom, such as California U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna — with whom Massie had worked to create a discharge petition for the Epstein files — he viewed as emblematic of the excesses of the left. He also criticized Massie’s voting record.
“I am not going to betray you,” Gallrein said. “It ain’t going to happen.”
Former Rotary Club President Greg Corwin asked, “What’s one bill you would take to the House floor?” before quickly adding, “and don’t say abolish the Department of Education.”
“Well, what bill do you think I should bring?” Gallrein asked.
Corwin thought a moment, and then answered “term limits would be a good one.”
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