Adair County Magistrate J.M. Shelley, co-chairman of Chandler's Adair County campaign was the emcee for the event, and introduced Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Billy Ray Smith, the only other speaker besides Chandler.

Chandler cited his record as Attorney General. Among other accomplishments, he emphasized Kentucky's new No Call List, which he advocated. Chandler said that he had to take out newspaper ads to get the people to make the Legislature act on his proposal to curtail telemarketing calls. He was particularly pointed in his criticism of Senate President David Williams who had opposed the law, but acknowledged the support of one of his primary opponents, Speaker Jody Richards, in helping to get the law passed.

When Chandler asked how many people in the hall were on the no-call list, most raised their hands.

"It's working," he said. "It was right thing to do."

Chandler said Kentucky had special needs in education and roads. "We'll tackle that," he said.

He said that he had heard on this leg of the campaign that his grandfather had built Highway 80 in his first administration. "I don't think there was a single governor better than he was to this section of Kentucky," he said of his grandfather. Chandler said that even though South Central Kentucky has been Republican, his grandfather took a special interest in the area, and that he would follow that example.

Then he turned to old Chandler stalwart Grover Gilpin and said, "Grover, Happy Days are Here Again."

Chandler said that one primary opponent, Bruce Lunsford, probably doesn't know where Adair County is. "I know he wouldn't know that Columbia is the county seat." But, speaking just two miles from the boyhood home of another opponent, Adair Countian Jody Richards, he made no disparaging remarks about the Speaker.

Chandler said that he would bring integrity back to the Governor's office. "I had to take on the Governor," he said.

The Chandler campaign in Adair County is chaired by Columbia insurance agent Dwayne Loy and freshman Magistrate J.M. Shelley. Former County Judge Richard Lee Walker is playing a major role in the campaign. Chandler was a guest for dinner at Judge and Marsha Walker's home.

The rally attendees feasted on a barbecue dinner prepared by the Catering and Special Events staff of Lindsey Wilson's Roberta B. Cranmer Dining and Conference Center.

The primary election is Tuesday, May 20, 2003.