ELIZABETHTOWN — The candidates for Kentucky’s only open seat in Congress this year don’t seem to have many differences when it comes to agriculture issues.

Instead, state Sens. David Boswell, an Owensboro Democrat, and Brett Guthrie, a Bowling Green Republican, stressed their individual credentials - not any stark policy differences - in a Monday night forum on agriculture.

“I’m not sure we disagreed on any agricultural issues tonight,” Boswell said after the event hosted by the Hardin County chapter of the Kentucky Farm Bureau. “The only issue that I really tried to prevail upon was my experience and a track record of doing things.”

Kentucky’s 2nd District congressional seat unexpectedly became open this year when incumbent Republican Ron Lewis abruptly announced his pending retirement. The district, which spans parts of central and western Kentucky, has been occupied by Lewis since his 1994 victory that foreshadowed the GOP takeover of the House.

Boswell emerged this spring from a contested primary against Reid Haire, a fellow Daviess County Democrat. Guthrie did not have an opponent after one of Lewis’ top aides dropped out of the race.

Guthrie has so far outpaced Boswell in campaign fundraising, raising more than $363,000 during the reporting period that ended on June 30. Boswell had more than $185,000

Boswell, a former state agriculture commissioner who serves on the state Senate’s agriculture committee, said he had high name recognition and a solid grasp of the issues thanks to his experience.

With a number of fundraisers scheduled in the coming weeks, Boswell also said his potential to serve the district as a member of the majority party in Congress should help his chances in the Nov. 4 general election.

“I would like to think that the experience that I’ve gathered through the years would have some degree of bearing,” Boswell said.

Guthrie, who is chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, said he has personal experiences handling on a daily basis the same issues facing Kentucky farmers.

“I think the big difference we’re looking at is the experiences that we have,” Guthrie said. “When I talk about experience, I didn’t learn these issues that I’m dealing with from committees or a task force. I mean, I deal with these issues every day.”

On the issues, both men agreed that they support trade agreements with foreign countries that are fair to farmers. Among other things, they also both oppose capital gains taxes on farmers and support association health plans. They also said they oppose strict environmental regulations on farmers from the federal government.

Kevin Mobley, a farmer from Elizabethtown, said he thought both candidates seemed sincere and “very perceptive” to farmers’ issues.