Many of Kentucky’s most prominent elected officials are opting to skip this year’s Fancy Farm political picnic.Governor Steve Beshear and Lt. Gov. Jerry Abramson announced yesterday, that they would skip the picnic. House Speaker Greg Stumbo will speak in Beshear’s place. Now, Fancy Farm organizers say U.S. Senator Rand Paul will skip the picnic as well. Kentucky’s other U.S. Senator, Mitch McConnell, has not yet confirmed to speak.The state’s other constitutional officers: Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes, Auditor Adam Edelen and Attorney General Jack Conway have not told organizers whether they plan to speak.But as Kentucky Public Radio previously reported, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney will have a surrogate to speak at the picnic. Fancy Farm organizers say the decision is between U.S. Senator Mike Johanns of Nebraska or Texas Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples. The Obama campaign has not settled on whether a surrogate will speak for them. The annual political picnic is Saturday, August 4th.
