Staff report
The Republican Party of Kentucky celebrated the opening of its new headquarters expansion on Friday. For generations, RPK has called the Mitch McConnell Building, just steps from our State Capitol, home.
McConnell helped raise the funds needed to support this expansion, which “will benefit Kentucky Republicans for generations to come,” the Republican Party said in a press release.
“This project is more than construction; it is a symbol of our party’s strength, growth, and momentum across the Commonwealth. The expansion features a state-of-the-art multimedia room and boardroom, along with a modern event space for larger meetings and party or candidate events. The new space will serve as a central hub for Republicans across Kentucky and reflects our ongoing commitment to serving the people of the Commonwealth and building a stronger future for every family,” the press release said.
“You don’t just strive for a majority for the sake of having a majority. You win a majority so that you can get things done on behalf of the people you represent. And there is no doubt that with Republican control in Kentucky, we have delivered for the people of the Commonwealth,” said U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell. “The completion of this momentous project marks yet another milestone in state party history and gives us a new and improved place to call home. It represents the culmination of decades of hard work that dedicated staff and volunteers have poured into our cause with unwavering faith and determination.”
“Our party is moving forward with tremendous energy and purpose. This new headquarters will allow us to continue that work with greater strength and greater reach. Leader McConnell has been a driving force behind this project and his dedication to our party has helped shape the success we are celebrating today. His impact will be felt for generations, and we are grateful for everything he has done for the Republican Party of Kentucky,” said RPK Chairman Robert J. Benvenuti III.
Reporter Tom Loftus reported in October in the Kentucky Lantern that the total raised from 21 donors, nearly all of them corporations or other entities with significant lobbying presences in Washington and/or Frankfort, is currently $4.2 million.
The Lantern listed the following donors:
Donors to Republican Party of Kentucky’s Building Fund
Pfizer Inc., New York, New York, $1,000,000
NWO Resources, Greenwood Village, Colorado, $500,000
Metropolitan Life Insurance Co., New York, New York, $300,000
AT&T, St. Louis, Missouri, $300,000
Verizon, Washington, D.C., $300,000
Brown-Forman Corp., Louisville, $300,000
The Boeing Company PAC, Arlington, Virginia, $250,000
Beam Suntory, New York, New York, $200,000
Altria Client Services (Philip Morris USA), Richmond, Virginia, $150,000
Sazerac Inc., Louisville, $150,000
Microsoft Corp., Reno, Nevada, $125,000
Comcast Corp., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, $100,000
Churchill Downs, Louisville, $100,000
Keeneland, Lexington, $100,000
Barbara R. Banke Revocable Trust, Geyserville, California, $100,000
Airbnb, Inc., San Francisco, California, $50,000
Delta Air Lines, Atlanta, Georgia, $50,000
National Thoroughbred Racing Assn., Lexington, $50,000
The Jockey Club, New York, New York, $50,000
Rescare Inc., Louisville, $12,500
Toyota Motor North America Inc., Plano, Texas, $10,000
Nine small donations, $9,175
Source: Reports filed by Republican Party of Kentucky Building Fund with the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance