Republican congressional candidate Mr Andy Barr said that coal mining is being ruthlessly attacked under the environmental policies of President Mr Barack Obama's administration.

Mr Barr said during a speech at the Republican National Convention that Kentucky's coal industry powers America. But he blamed overregulation for the loss of some 2,000 mining jobs in the state.

Mr Barr, the Lexington lawyer challenging Democratic US Representative Mr Ben Chandler in Kentucky's 6th District, was one of a long list of Republican congressional candidates who gave brief speeches.

Mr Chandler has said he won't be going to his party's national convention where Mr Obama will officially receive the Democratic nomination. Mr Chandler and Mr Barr are engaged in what is expected to be Kentucky's most competitive general election congressional race.

Source - Associated Press

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