Ellen Call: A Happy and Fully Recovered Politician

The one question that recovering politicians always get is “do you miss it?”

Many elected officials have politics in their blood, and they go through a sort of withdrawal when they’re not in office.

Fortunately for my peace of mind, I don’t have it that bad, and I can honestly say that I don’t miss it.

My business partner in my public affairs firm, Julie Raque Adams, ran for state representative last year and won.  I love hearing her tales of all the hijinks in Frankfort, but that’s enough for me for now.

I wouldn’t change a thing about the six years I served on Louisville’s Metro Council.  I’m very proud that I had a hand in the fabulous KFC Yum! Center, the smoking ban, and the Fairness Ordinance.  I am also grateful that I had the opportunity to advocate for an expansion of our library system.

But I am so happy in the private sector that it’s hard to imagine jumping back in.  So count me in the ranks of a very content recovered politician.

Smoking Ban

Senate President and gubernatorial candidate David Williams deserves kudos for coming out in favor of a statewide smoking ban. That’s not an easy position for a candidate to take in a Republican primary, and I really appreciate it.

When I served on the Metro Council, we finally passed a comprehensive smoking ban in Louisville. One year, I served as the Chair of the committee studying the smoking ban, so I had the opportunity to meet with many bar and restaurant owners who were concerned about the economic impact of a ban.

One local restaurateur I met with told me at a high volume that his business would be doomed if we passed a smoking ban.

He got so hot with me at one point that he said, “If you were a man, I’d punch you in the face!”

I said, “Well, it’s a good thing I’m a girl!”

By the way, his restaurant business has expanded in the years since the smoking ban passed.  Good for him.

CPAC

I am so glad that Senators Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul ignored the silly boycott of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington in February. Several conservative groups skipped the conference because a gay Republican group, GOProud, was invited to co-sponsor the event. GOProud was co-founded by my friend and former Louisvillian, Jimmy LaSalvia.