Discovery Channel Star, Bruiser Martin, is Running for Government in Kentucky

PropertyTales

The episode features an interview with Charles 'Bruseb' Martin, a Republican candidate for Kentucky Governor and star of the Discovery Channel's

Key takeaways

• Charles 'Bruiser' Martin is running for Governor of Kentucky in the 2027 Republican primary.
• Martin's political motivation stems from the closure of coal mines due to EPA restrictions during the Obama administration.

Main topics

• Kentucky Gubernatorial Campaign
• Coal Industry Decline

Notable quotes

I's not a politician. I don't know any politics.

Conclusion

A substantive look at how industrial decline and educational shifts ar

Transcript preview

Speaker 3 (0:00) Hello, guys. Bear Freeman here with another episode of the Property Hills Podcast. I'm a real estate broker and investor in Kentucky. If you need help buying or selling a house, message me on Facebook. If you have a house for sale, we buy houses, we pay cash, we close within 10 days. Message me here on Facebook. I'm joined by Tara Padgett, singer, comedian, character actor. Speaker 2 (0:14) And mic breaker. And Speaker 3 (0:16) mic breaker. This is just how it is now. You've been wanting to do that for a while. Speaker 2 (0:20) I love a handheld mic for podcasts. We'll Speaker 3 (0:24) see Speaker 2 (0:24) how it Speaker 3 (0:24) works. We're always trying different things. Yeah. So we're joined by Bruiser Martin. He's a current governor candidate on the Republican ticket. You can vote for him, I guess, starting in the spring during the primaries. And then he makes it through the primaries, which I hope you do. The general election is in November of next year. How are you doing? Good. So I've followed you a Speaker 1 (0:47) little Speaker 3 (0:47) bit on social media. But what would you sum up your platform as? What's your message? Speaker 3 (0:54) As far as the... Gods, guns, country. Yeah, Speaker 1 (0:57) yeah. You've got a different Speaker 2 (0:59) look than somebody running for office. I know. The camo shorts, like, just a... Ace is me. Just a guy. How old are Speaker 1 (1:06) you? 39. Okay, yeah. Not a Speaker 2 (1:08) gray hair on his head yet? Get him in office. I got Speaker 1 (1:11) some around the ears, but I keep them shaved. Speaker 2 (1:14) We'll do a before and after if you get elected and see how... Speaker 3 (1:17) Yeah. Do you see Obama? He came in with black hair and he left all of it. He's Speaker 1 (1:22) a silver fox now. But, yeah, I'm not a politician. I don't know any politics. I never had one in my family. I ain't never been friends with one that I'm aware of. If I was, they didn't tell me. And I hate politics. You know, I hate everything they're about, career politics. Speaker 2 (1:40) How long have you been campaigning now? And what made you, like you said, you don't really know anything about politics, like other than just what you've seen. Speaker 1 (1:48) Well, I worked in a coal mine straight out of high school. Okay. Like the day I graduated, next day I started underground. And I worked there for 12 years, a little over 12 years. And I never cared about politics. I never cared who the president was, governor, representatives. Most Speaker 2 (2:04) blue-collar men, they don't pay attention to that stuff. Speaker 1 (2:08) That was the last Speaker 2 (2:08) thing on Speaker 1 (2:08) my mind. And then about 2012 or something, they start telling us at the coal mines, listen. We need everybody to vote. We need everybody to do this, this, this. Like, they was all worried about politics. All of Speaker 2 (2:21) a Speaker 1 (2:21) sudden, Speaker 2 (2:21) out of nowhere. Yeah. Speaker 1 (2:22) And I'm like, man, who cares? Like, we got a good job. We got 50 years of co-reserves. Like, who cares who's whatever? Yeah. It don't affect us. And lo and behold, I was wrong. You know, Obama went in, EPA, restrictions, all that, and coal mines shut down. I realized right then I hated politics. Yeah. I hated politicians. I started listening to all the lies and just one thing after the next. And then a few years later, COVID started. Yes. After I left the mine, I went to my preacher at church. He offered me a job at a gas company with him. So I went and started driving a gas truck. Speaker 2 (3:06) Okay. Speaker 1 (3:07) And that was a really weird transition. Like, I'd been underground. 12 years. Never seen sunshine. And now you're going to put me in a bomb rolling up and down the road. Speaker 2 (3:17) You went from one type of dangerous extreme to another. Speaker 1 (3:20) Yeah. You'll put Speaker 2 (3:21) your life on the line and feed your family, though. That's one thing I respect about blue-collar men. Yeah. My dad's the same way. Speaker 1 (3:27) Mm-hmm. So I go to drive in the gas truck and all that, and it, like, don't really pay much. Not what I was used to. Speaker 1 (3:36) But I realized I had a very strong dislike for politicians. And then Trump started running and, you know. Speaker 1 (3:47) I ain't going to talk bad about nobody or nothing like that. I was going to say, did Speaker 2 (3:50) you do, I've noticed that there's been people, even though you're running under Republican, Speaker 3 (3:55) there's Speaker 2 (3:56) been people, you can still be a Republican or a Democrat or a Green Party and not like the candidate. It's okay. Or you can start out liking them and then go, you ain't telling me everything that I've expected out of you. That's okay. The Speaker 1 (4:12) first time, I voted for Trump three times. Yep. You know, and the first time, man, you couldn't ask for nothing better. I mean, the dude really tried, you know, and then he went through the Biden crap and got beat. And now he came Speaker 2 (4:26) back. Speaker 1 (4:26) COVID happened. But now this time I feel like Trump's more out for, like, revenge. Like, making it hard on those who turned up. Like an Speaker 2 (4:35) arrogant. Yeah. More than, like, getting in there and doing what you say you're going to do. Yeah, I don't feel like he's as worried about. Speaker 1 (4:43) Us. Speaker 2 (4:43) That's what I, whenever you look at the polls and you look at a lot of people that were diehard, were like the first term, then the second try didn't work out. And then you're like, all right, we'll give you a third try. And a lot of people are just very let down. I feel like. Yeah, he's putting like. Speaker 1 (5:02) Okay, so people that's raised with money, people that come from the other side of the tracks, they don't understand what it takes to make a living in Appalachia, in eastern Kentucky. They don't understand what we go through to put food on the table. Speaker 2 (5:17) For people watching at home that don't understand that as well, maybe you are from a better off family, you're third generation, middle class, or wealthier, it would be like the connection of... A great-grandma raising a child versus somebody who is closer in age, parent age, like 30-year-old raising a child. There's a lot of gap there between the knowledge on what you're dealing with because it's Speaker 1 (5:43) a Speaker 2 (5:43) new age. And whenever you look at poverty and how poverty works, there is so many different sub-genres of a poverty. Like I've looked at it with people that are maybe you're in poverty because you lost your job from a disability. Maybe you were born into Speaker 1 (5:59) it. It affects people differently. It does. It does. And, you know, say we're getting off track already. But no, it was all that, you know, and then all the lies start coming out and all the craziness. And, you know, I own my own business. So the first thing I do in the morning when I get up is check emails and messages. What Speaker 3 (6:24) business? Speaker 1 (6:24) I own Tiger Shine Copper. So I do the Moonshiner Show on Discovery Channel. Speaker 2 (6:29) Oh, okay. Yeah. Speaker 1 (6:31) That's where I got my. You're Speaker 2 (6:32) the copper man. Yeah, Speaker 1 (6:34) I'm the copper guy. So that's where I got my following at for social media was off the Moonshiner Show. I'm the only person in the world that's ever won Master Distiller twice. So I'm two-time Master Distiller. I Speaker 2 (6:47) mean, that's no easy feat. Speaker 1 (6:50) I've prayed about it, like, ever since I'd done it. Like, when they first asked me to come on the Moonshiner Show, I said no. You know, because I didn't want it to destroy my testimony at church. You know, and then some people talk to me. You know, sometimes God needs a light in a dark place. Amen to that. Amen to that one. The moonshiners, the fans, some of the best people you'll ever meet. Yes. You know, and I've led a lot of them to the Lord through the show. Yeah. You know, and then, like, coming to my shop and hanging out with me. So that's what I do. I build moonshine steels, ship them all over the world. Build commercial steels, home use steels. You know, just whatever. Anything to do with copper. I make a lot of stuff besides moonshine steels with copper. Well, copper's picked Speaker 2 (7:34) up in that. I'm, I guess, like, I'm starting to be the cook of the family now, like, where my grandmother's passed. Yeah. And then my mom's down in health. So I cook for a lot of people. I would, I don't know what I'd do. I'd pull my left leg off to get me some of them copper pans. Speaker 1 (7:51) Yeah. Speaker 2 (7:52) They're gorgeous and they're pricey, but they cook thoroughly. They're great. Yeah, Speaker 1 (7:56) nothing sticks to them, really. Speaker 2 (7:57) Oh, my God. And they're so pretty. I think copper is just gorgeous, as long as you don't let it tarnish. Speaker 1 (8:02) Yeah. Speaker 1 (8:06) That's what I do for a living. And I'd prayed about it for years. Like, I know the Moonshiner Show won't last forever. Building the Moonshine Steels won't last forever. And I'd gained, like, a pretty good following, you know, and I'd prayed about it. Like, you know, like, Lord, you bring me this far. What do you want me to do? Speaker 2 (8:23) Yeah, lead me to what my next step is. I'm ready. Yeah. Speaker 2 (8:27) You know what I hate more than anything, Barrett? Speaker 3 (8:29) What's that, Tara? Speaker 2 (8:30) The sun. I Speaker 3 (8:31) hate the sun. Speaker 2 (8:32) I hate the sun. Can I say that? Speaker 3 (8:34) Yeah. What are you going to do about it, though? Speaker 2 (8:36) Well, I can put on sunscreen for my body. I can try to tan if I want to. But for my eyes, I really need something that's going to work. And that's why I've got these on right now. Do you know what these are? Speaker 3 (8:47) What are those? Speaker 2 (8:48) Premium polarized sunglasses from Fatties. Speaker 3 (8:51) Fatties on your face? Speaker 2 (8:52) Fatties on your face. I'm telling you right now. Best sunglasses you'll ever invest in. Not only are they stylish, but... I've got to say, they work pretty dang good. Speaker 3 (9:03) You look great. Speaker 2 (9:03) I want to wear these all the time. Speaker 3 (9:05) Get yours at fatties.net and use discount code tails10 for 10 % off and free U.S. domestic shipping for your pair of fatty sunglasses. They Speaker 2 (9:15) also sell, I believe, hats and a few other accessories. They Speaker 3 (9:18) do. But remember to use tails10. Tails10. That'll give you 10 % off and that'll also help support the podcast. All Speaker 1 (9:25) right. Speaker 2 (9:25) Put fatties on your face today. Speaker 1 (9:28) So, yeah, I build steels and, you know, we ship them all over the place. Commercial steels, home use steels, steels on the TV show and whatever. But like I said, that's where I gain my social media following. I do a lot of goofy stuff, goofy videos. Is that Speaker 3 (9:44) show active right now? Speaker 1 (9:46) Yeah. Speaker 3 (9:46) It is. So when do you guys film? Speaker 1 (9:50) It's just random. Oh, Speaker 3 (9:52) really? They'll call and say we want to do some footage? Speaker 1 (9:54) Huh? Speaker 3 (9:54) What, they call you and say, we want to film for a week or a month? Speaker 1 (9:58) Yeah, pretty much. They'll call, like, with a schedule, and you'll have a few days on it for that month. And it's not very time-consuming, doing the shows. Speaker 2 (10:07) Reality TV will make it look like they're... Yeah, but it's... Because when you film, you think we filmed stuff before for two hours and had to edit all that down? Yeah. If they film for a week straight, that's Speaker 3 (10:17) a Speaker 2 (10:17) season right there. Yeah. Speaker 3 (10:18) Well, Tara just filmed for four hours the other day, and we put it down to 12 minutes. Yeah. Speaker 1 (10:22) Yeah. Yeah, I prayed about it. Like, you know, what do you want me to do? You know, like, what's the next step in life? Because I realized, you know, the TV show ain't going to last forever. You know, and I'm a coal miner and the coal mines are gone. And I was like, so what am I going to do? And I'd prayed about it for the past few years. And I was checking my messages, you know, for work and stuff. And I seen a video where Andy's lieutenant governor, Jacqueline. Yes. She was, you know, running for governor of Kentucky. And I was like, golly, that's really what we need, another four years of Andy. Speaker 2 (10:59) So, Speaker 1 (11:00) I mean, like, you lieutenant governor, I mean, she's, you know, you see what I'm saying? Speaker 2 (11:04) There's a connection there. She's going to continue the policies. Speaker 1 (11:07) The same road he's on, she's going to keep traveling it. And I was like, gosh, man. I sat there for about 30 minutes at work, and I'm like, I just got aggravated. And I said, man, I'm going to do a video. And like this. Speak my mind on it. So I did. And it blowed up. A lot of people must have agreed with what you had said. And Speaker 2 (11:29) I Speaker 1 (11:29) was like, wow. So then my dad calls me at evening. He said, hey, everybody down at the post office said you're going to run for governor. And I was like, well, I. Didn't technically say that. I Speaker 2 (11:41) want to say, as a Kentuckian, that is the most Kentucky way to say you found your calling. Everyone at the post office Speaker 1 (11:47) said that you was Speaker 2 (11:48) running for. Speaker 1 (11:48) It Speaker 2 (11:49) would have been even better if it Speaker 1 (11:50) had been a gas station. Speaker 2 (11:51) The gas station said you was running for governor voting for you. Where I write Speaker 1 (11:55) you in at. Yeah, like the next day, people start messaging me with political questions and stuff. And I told my wife, I said, hey, I guess I'm running for governor. And she lies. She's like, Lord, you're silly. And I said, yeah, I know. I said, because I don't even know where to start. You know, and after a few days of it, I was like, this is what I'm supposed to Speaker 2 (12:17) do. Speaker 1 (12:17) It just, the shoe fit right. Yeah. Every video I done, you know, you gain a couple thousand followers from a 30 second. That's not how it Speaker 3 (12:27) typically works. Speaker 1 (12:28) No, it's not. Because I've been building my fan base for like five years on social media for my business. Speaker 3 (12:36) Yeah, we'll gain maybe 20, 30 followers every episode that we post. I've noticed Speaker 2 (12:41) the shorter the content and the faster that you say something that people identify with, they'll hit that plus. They'll hit that subscribe. I mean, they really do. Speaker 1 (12:49) So I've got like my personal, you know, my Tiger Shine Copper. page and stuff and that's like i do a lot of goofy stuff on hit and my campaign page so i started hitting the end of may it's already you know what is that four or five six months yeah uh it's past my personal page and like a lot of the people they have no idea even do the tv show yeah Speaker 2 (13:13) i didn't know i just knew that i Speaker 1 (13:16) was Speaker 2 (13:16) running for governor running for governor Speaker 1 (13:17) yeah i went and done a speech um saturday and um Nobody there knew me from the TV show. They just know me that Hillbilly running for governor. So like, that's the way like mainstream media, that's kind of the way they're playing it off is, you know, the moonshiner versus Frankfurt. Well, you know, I was like, I'm an outsider. A lot of Speaker 2 (13:38) people don't watch TV. I'm just going to say it point blank period. It's like a disconnect. It's like right at the 40 year old mark. Speaker 1 (13:45) Yeah. Speaker 2 (13:46) And younger. Speaker 1 (13:47) They're Speaker 2 (13:48) on social media because we're working like four and five jobs, pay bills. We might put on Hulu if we can afford it for the month. Speaker 1 (13:53) I don't get no big party support, none whatsoever. That Speaker 2 (14:00) is interesting a little bit. Well, Speaker 1 (14:02) I don't want it. Really? Yeah, I don't want it. I don't want their big party money. Speaker 2 (14:07) So are you running more as an independent Republican kind of? Speaker 1 (14:10) Yeah, I'm a conservative. Yeah, I'm 100 % independent. The whole thing I've paid for. Out of my own pocket. But Speaker 3 (14:17) you're running under the Republican ticket. I am Speaker 1 (14:19) a Republican candidate, yes. Well, Speaker 2 (14:20) you're more likely to win if you're one of the two. There's not been, I can't name a time in history. There's been people cut it close. What was Speaker 1 (14:28) it, Speaker 2 (14:28) Al Gore? Whenever they were doing that race and somebody tried to get it as an independent. But if you look, they're always going to push Republican or Democrat. I get donations Speaker 1 (14:40) from businesses and stuff like that. I don't ask for them because I'm not asking working people for money. They ain't got it. So I've kind of just, you know, Lord provides. You know, we've went across the state once and getting ready to start our second trip going back across the state. But like I said, every day something new, a new door opens. So, I mean, I know I'm going in the direction, you know, God wants me to. And I guess to lead the people, you know, like we don't have to live like we live. Speaker 2 (15:14) You're just a fed up man in Kentucky that said someone's got to step up and then it just so happened it's you. Speaker 1 (15:21) Well, that's what I've been saying. Like there's some like really, really, really wealthy people in Kentucky that's really well known. Yeah. That's educated. That understand. Speaker 1 (15:32) We don't have to live like this, but their life might be so good it don't affect them. Speaker 2 (15:39) Another thing is some people cannot speak out for things because maybe they work a job where they're in a union. In a union, you can't Speaker 1 (15:46) voice Speaker 2 (15:47) if you're not good. It's Speaker 1 (15:49) like Speaker 2 (15:49) I own my own Speaker 1 (15:49) business. I don't care who I make money with. Speaker 3 (15:52) Or you've got three baby mamas you don't want people knowing about. Yeah. You run for politics. Speaker 2 (15:58) There's no grace period for people to grow forward. It's always what they do in the past. I've seen that happen. When I was young, I really wanted Herman Cain to win because I was like, I like this little man. Yeah. And then they were like, he cheated on his wife in 1983 at a pizza hut. And I was like, okay, and? Will he do it now? Speaker 3 (16:15) And all of a sudden, the campaign loses all the steam. Speaker 2 (16:18) Yeah, and then Speaker 1 (16:18) he just drops out of Speaker 2 (16:19) the Speaker 1 (16:19) race. And I'm like, dang. And I've been waiting on somebody to take lead. Yeah. You know, and nothing never did. No one stepped Speaker 2 (16:28) forward. Speaker 1 (16:28) No. And then when Jacqueline made that announcement she was going to run for governor, I was like, that just lit the fire. I was like, well, I'll do it if nobody else is going to. So Speaker 3 (16:37) what are the big problems that you're seeing right now that you think you would address? Yeah, Speaker 2 (16:41) you Speaker 1 (16:41) want to tackle Speaker 2 (16:42) issues. Speaker 1 (16:42) Well, the first thing I'm going to do, like, as soon as we go into office, because I will be the next governor, mark it down. I mean. Speaker 2 (16:54) At Joe's Collision Repair, we handle everything from minor dents to major frame damage, bumper repairs, panel replacement, paint matching, and scratch repair. We work with all insurance companies so you don't have to deal with the paperwork or the phone calls. We do the heavy lifting, and every job comes with our lifetime guarantee. Backed by 30 years of experience, plus free estimates, and... AC Jobs. They're Speaker 3 (17:20) the only local shop that I trust with my Teslas. Speaker 2 (17:25) Really? They just Speaker 3 (17:25) worked on my soccer truck and I'm very happy. Speaker 2 (17:27) I personally am going to be reaching out to them to get a quote on several vehicles that I have been neglecting myself. Speaker 3 (17:33) Located at 2600 South Wall Road in London, Kentucky. They're also on Facebook. Go Speaker 2 (17:38) see them at Joe's Collision Repair. I got chills up my whole body when he said that. Yeah, Speaker 3 (17:42) I don't Speaker 2 (17:42) know. The energy that... changed in this room. I want to also ask you real quick because you are a man of the people. Are you a sewer slide? Do you feel like something happens to you? Speaker 1 (17:53) I've already received two, two death threats. Speaker 3 (17:58) Whoa. Speaker 1 (17:58) Hey, you made Speaker 3 (17:59) it. You've arrived. Speaker 1 (18:00) Yeah. And I called my wife. I was so excited. She's a teacher. So she knows if I call her during school. You Speaker 2 (18:07) were Speaker 1 (18:07) excited about it? No. She knows if I call her during school, you know, like, hey, I better answer the phone. Oh, yeah, yeah. He's, you know, done something stupid. And I'm like, you're not going to believe what happened. She's like, what? I said, I got death threat. She's like, like a real, real one? And I was like, yeah, this is real as it gets. Not Speaker 2 (18:24) just like a go-kart. No, not just like seeing Speaker 1 (18:27) somebody at a gas station. How Speaker 3 (18:28) did you get it? Facebook message? Speaker 1 (18:30) No phone call. What'd they say? Told me that. I had a long history of comedy, you know, doing silly stuff that I needed to play the. campaign off as a joke and drop it and leave it. Speaker 2 (18:47) In Speaker 1 (18:47) your Speaker 2 (18:47) best interest type deal? Yeah, it would be in my best Speaker 1 (18:49) interest. And I was like, my best interest as in, like, financially or health-wise? And they're like, Mr. Martin, don't pretend to be stupid. Speaker 2 (19:00) Did they block their phone number? Oh, yeah. Oh, dang. Speaker 1 (19:03) Yeah, you couldn't call back. And this was official. I did my homework, and I was like, oh, Speaker 2 (19:10) my God. Speaker 1 (19:10) Voice changer at, Speaker 2 (19:10) like, Mac's headroom. Speaker 1 (19:12) And, yeah, I called my wife and tell her. I'm like, you know, I'm doing something here. Yeah. She's like, yeah, yeah, I guess so. So I took that as an accomplishment. So the next day I called Secretary of State and did the official paperwork to run for governor, and I've not let up on the campaign since then. So I know I was doing something right. Congratulations, I guess. Yeah. Speaker 2 (19:36) If you want to, I guess if you actually want someone to drop out of a race, don't send them a death threat. Well, Speaker 1 (19:41) not a hillbilly. You know, like. My Speaker 3 (19:44) grandfather was a businessman and very well respected. And he was a senator. from Harlan County for a few years. Back then, you got your death threats through the mail. Through the mail, yeah. And he saved every one of them in a box. And he'd pull them out every once in a while and read them out loud and laugh. Just smile. Speaker 1 (20:03) So I Speaker 3 (20:04) don't care who you are or what you run for. I think that's part of the – there's just crazy people out there. Speaker 1 (20:09) Yeah, yeah. And that's how you know you're doing something right, I guess. I mean, that's how I took it. That's how you Speaker 2 (20:14) took it, and that's why we're here today. Speaker 1 (20:17) So what problems are you seeing that you Speaker 3 (20:20) would like to address? Speaker 1 (20:21) Well, education. Speaker 3 (20:22) What's going on with our education system? Speaker 1 (20:24) Like I said, my wife's been a teacher. She's 23 years. She's taught. Where does she teach? London Elementary. Speaker 3 (20:29) Okay. Speaker 1 (20:29) And we came from Clay County. Okay. Oh, Speaker 2 (20:33) where Billy's from. Yeah, I'm from Clay Speaker 1 (20:34) County. I'm born and raised. Spent 36 years over there. I Speaker 2 (20:37) recognize that pitch in his tone. Yeah. Speaker 1 (20:39) We moved to London after the last flood