Amy McGrath supporters gathered Wednesday for a community event to socialize and learn more about the campaign.

The McGrath campaign team organized “Wine(d) Down Wednesday,” an event at Covington Woods Park for McGrath supporters to drink different beverages, eat cheese and crackers and talk about the McGrath campaign. Wine actually is not allowed at the park, so it was an evening of drinking sparkling cider instead.

Andee Rudloff is a muralist in Bowling Green who creates murals for different small businesses, schools, parks or even festivals around the city. Rudloff shared her reasoning for coming to the event.

“The idea of, like a “wined down” event is actually, like really perfect because I feel like everybody’s so wound up,” Rudloff said. “And just to be able to, you know, like break their bread and eat cheese and, and just kind of have a moment to be around other like minds would be really helpful right now.”

She also mentioned that it was nice to see people and talk about the Senate debate. The only Senate debate between Amy McGrath and Mitch McConnell was on Oct. 12.

“Amy McGrath did an amazing job in the debate the other night, and most of us haven’t even been around people to talk to except online or via social media so I thought, oh, that would be good,” Rudloff said. “You know to come and just be you feel that wave of positivity.”

Rudloff also shared her feelings about Mitch McConnell and his 36 years in the Senate.

“I think the sad thing is if most people would really dig into how much Mitch McConnell has failed us not just in the last six years but in the last 36 years it’s pretty embarrassing actually,” Rudloff said.

Since Rudloff is often commissioned to work in schools, she touched on how the teachers she’s met feel about Mitch McConnell.

“People don’t really know if they’ve really benefited from him,” Rudloff said. “It’s just devastating. I mean you can drive across the state and tell that we’re literally starving. If you want to know who is starving in Kentucky, ask an educator, and that’s why educators wholeheartedly support Amy McGrath. Mitch has failed them miserably year after year after year.”

Ronn Kistler, who is now retired, was at the event. He said he is starting to become more active with politics.

“When I retired about eight months ago, I was looking around saying okay now what do I do,” Kistler said. “I always wanted to do something really important. With all the different problems that are going on in the world, I was thinking I gotta do something just makes a difference with the rest of my life. The main thing I do think that the biggest difference was to get McConnell out of all this.”

Kistler helped with texting voters and getting yard signs out for the McGrath campaign.

“I do some text banking or calling,” Kistler said. “I mostly work with yard signs and trying to get them up. I’ve got about 800 [yard signs] that have passed through me, and other people do that as well.”

Kistler along with many of the other attendees have a strong belief in Amy McGrath, and what she could do for Kentucky.

“Amy is going to make a big difference for Kentucky,” He said. “I definitely think I’m going to continue to vote for younger leaders.”

Debra Murray can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @debramurrayy.