Written by Colmon Elridge, President

In 1963 my father, Colmon Elridge, Jr., drove with my uncle and two other friends from Birmingham, AL to Washington, DC to take part in history. At the time he did not know that he would witness history. At the time he simply wanted to help march for Jobs and for Equality. He was 24 years old and saw an America that could be better, and even with the difficulties of that moment in our national narrative, he was willing to work for it.

Right now, as you read this, we are – at most – hours away from sending Barack Obama and Joe Biden to the White House. For eight years, George W. Bush has led our nation down a road that we never thought possible. From sending the nation into an ill thought-out war, to squandering a record surplus budget, to leaving every child behind, the Bush-Cheney-McCain administration has taken America to a place we seldom thought we could be: disrespected abroad and yearning at home for strong leadership we can all believe in. In just a few hours, we can give America that such leadership in Barack Obama. Let’s work these last few hours as hard as we have these last 21 months and let’s send Barack Obama to the White House.

Today we are hours away from an America that my father, at 24, could not have envisioned. Today people from all walks of life are poised to make history by simply making their voices heard. For 21 months now, we have weathered on. Today, we change not only America, but Kentucky:

• Today we send Kathy Stein to the State Senate where she will take on David Williams and force him into the reality that Kentucky is not his playground. Kathy will fight everyday for the thousands of Kentucky families who simply want their children to have a better quality of life. We cannot only cast our votes for Kathy today, but tomorrow and the next day; we must offer our support as she and the Senate Democrats promote an agenda for Kentucky that will put petty partisanship aside and lift all Kentuckians up!

• Today we send Kelly Flood to the State House. Kelly will join a great majority in the House but she will also bring something unique to the membership. Those who have worked with Kelly know that she is one of the most compassionate public servants that the Commonwealth his blessed to have. She will approach each issue not by thinking of what the political ramifications could be, but rather how the Golden Rule applies. She is going to be a great voice for Kentuckians who go to work (or school), work hard, and play by the rules, yet have been left behind by this Bush-McCain-McConnell-Williams hijacking of the American Dream.

• Today we send Bruce Lunsford to the United States Senate. For 24 years. Mitch McConnell has built a Senate career – not by putting Kentucky first, but by putting his ambitions first. Whether it was his desire to run the Republican Party of Kentucky or to become the Republican Leader in the Senate, Kentucky has always come a distant second to what Mitch wanted. Today, we can send a man in Bruce Lunsford to the United States Senate who puts Kentuckians first. We know Mitch has thrown the kitchen sink at Bruce, but character has always had a much more resilient voice than the politics of personal destruction and today we can send a person to Washington who carries the character of Kentucky with him as a reminder of where he comes from and who he represents.

For months you have walked, talked, taken trips, raised money, and done everything asked of you to make sure that the Democratic message comes through loud and clear. Now we just need you to do one more thing: VOTE!

I said before that my father could not have envisioned the America that exists today. Let me admit, I might be wrong. You see, my father believed in an America that realized its better angles – where the American dream was not the privilege of the wealthy but the right of every single American who was willing to work for it. My father wanted an America for my sister and I that allowed us to dream any dream, to achieve any goal, to make any long shot thought, a hard fought reality. My father believed in 1963 at 24 something that is fundamental to who I am at 26 and something that I have shared with you many times: Everyday, we should look at America as it is and work towards the America that should be.

I wish my father could see the America that he dreamed of in 1963. When he passed away in 1985, he did so knowing that he had given everything he could to making the nation better for my sister and I. Today, I get to return the favor and cast votes that affirm that the America he saw can be a reality we share: an America and a Kentucky that we can all be proud of. Today we see the America and Kentucky that is and cast our votes for the America and Kentucky that can and should be. Today, go cast your vote and then go down to party HQ at Broadway & Pine and help in whatever way you can. Then, join the Democratic party either in Lexington at Victorian Square or in Louisville at the Downtown Marriott. We are hours away from sending a resounding message from sea to shining sea that we are better than the last eight years and deserve better than past 24 years of McConnell rule.

I have never been more proud to be a YD! Two years ago our theme song was John Mayer’s “Waitin’ on the World to Change.” Today, we no longer have to wait! Let’s just change the world! Tomorrow, the real work begins!

On to Victory!

My Best -

Colmon