Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney will send a top policy surrogate to this year’s Fancy Farm Picnic. Florida Agriculture Commissioner and former Congressman Adam Putnam will speak on Romney's behalf. Putnam is the chairman of Romney’s Florida operations and co-chair of his agriculture policy team. The Romney campaign declined to comment further, saying the campaign does not discuss its schedule.
The political speeches are always the top draw at the picnic. But the last time a presidential campaign took notice was in 1992, when then-vice-presidential candidate Al Gore spoke.
“I’ve talked to the Kentucky Democratic Party, they have the same opportunity to have someone speak on behalf of President Obama,” says Fancy Farm political chairman Mark Wilson.
At this point, President Obama's campaign has not booked time at the picnic, which will be hosted by Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner James Comer.
"It looks like the Republicans are having to bring in two different GOP agriculture commissioners just to help Kentuckians forget what a train wreck Kentucky's last one [Richie Farmer] was," says Kentucky Democratic Party spokesman Matt Erwin.
Erwin declined to say anything more.
The picnic is August 4. The political speaking lineup is always subject to change, however, as speakers often opt not to show up.
