Latest news with #ZachDembo
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Who's in, who's out: Meet the candidates running for Kentucky's 6th Congressional District
The race for Kentucky's 6th Congressional District is getting crowded on both sides of the aisle. After U.S. Rep. Andy Barr announced a bid to replace outgoing U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, candidates quickly began throwing their names into the ring to take his seat representing Central Kentucky. The district hasn't had an open seat in more than a dozen years, with many seeing the 2026 election as a rare chance to run for federal office. Here's a look at who is — and who isn't — running for the seat. Stay up to date: Sign up for the Courier Journal's On Kentucky Politics newsletter Who's in? Ralph Alvarado (R) Ralph Alvarado is a former state senator and ex-Gov. Matt Bevin's running mate in his unsuccessful 2019 reelection campaign. He made history as the first Hispanic person elected to the Kentucky General Assembly when he won his seat in 2014. After serving in the state Senate, he was hired as Tennessee's health commissioner by Gov. Bill Lee in 2022 and stepped down from the position July 11. In his campaign announcement, Alvarado called himself "Day One MAGA" with priorities to "close the border," "crush the woke left," "bring jobs home" and "save America." Zach Dembo (D) Zach Dembo is a former federal prosecutor and U.S. Navy JAG officer. 'Central Kentucky deserves to have a representative in Washington who stands up for families, works to lower their cost of living, expands access to affordable healthcare, and protects their safety," Dembo said in a press release. "Instead, D.C. politicians have put Medicaid on the chopping block, tariffs are targeting our most prized industries and jobs, and everything costs more – all while they give billionaires and coastal elites a massive tax break." Dembo has never served in an elected office, but he has previously worked as a policy advisor for Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear. Ryan Dotson (R) State Rep. Ryan Dotson announced his campaign minutes after Barr shared he would be running for Senate in 2026. Dotson has represented District 73 in the Kentucky state House since 2021 and has spent time in the Army. Now, he serves as a Pentecostal preacher and a businessman who owns a number of restaurants. Policy-wise, Dotson is known for being at the forefront of culture wars during his time in Frankfort. Ahead of the 2022 legislative session, he filed a bill to prohibit transgender women from playing on women's sports teams at public schools and colleges in Kentucky. Dotson in 2021 also called for Beshear's impeachment over a mask mandate in schools amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Deanna Frazier Gordon (R) State Rep. Deanna Gordon, one of the most recent contenders to make a bid, has represented District 81 in the Kentucky House since 2019. In her campaign announcement, she touted her small business background experience as an audiologist, saying she 'helped build the largest audiology clinic in Kentucky." Since selling her business, Bluegrass Hearing, Gordon started a clinic called Hear At Your Service in Richmond. Gordon emphasized she would serve the 'working class, not the Wall Street elite." Issues important to her include limiting government spending and stopping illegal immigration. David Kloiber (D) David Kloiber served on the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council from 2020 to 2022. He also ran for Lexington mayor against incumbent Linda Gorton but lost with only 29% of the vote. Kloiber is hoping his business and nonprofit experience appeals to voters in the Democratic primary. He runs the Kloiber Foundation, which provides technology to students and teachers in Fayette County, and is expected to be able to put a significant amount of his own money into the race. During the 2022 Lexington mayoral race, he put $630,000 of his own money into the campaign. Cherlynn Stevenson (D) Former state Rep. Cherlynn Stevenson is hoping to make a comeback in Kentucky politics. She made her campaign announcement in May, touting her Kentucky roots and previous experience in Frankfort. Stevenson represented Kentucky House District 88 from 2019 through 2024, serving as minority caucus chair during her second term. She lost the election for a fourth term to Republican Vanessa Grossl in 2024, receiving 49.5% of the vote. Stevenson has received the endorsement of Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman, whose name was also thrown around as a contender in the Democratic primary. Since the launch of her campaign, Stevenson has focused on fighting against tariffs and cuts to the Medicaid program, if elected. Who's out? Amanda Mays Bledsoe (R) State Sen. Amanda Mays Bledsoe, who represents District 12, was seen as an early front-runner in the Republican primary. But she recently ended speculation by announcing she wouldn't be running for Barr's seat. Mays Bledsoe said in a statement that while it "was not an easy decision," she knew it was "the right one" because the timing wasn't right for her and her family. 'As I imagined what it would take to fully commit to a campaign and to service in Washington, I kept coming back to Friday night games, school events, and everyday moments I don't want to miss," Mays Bledsoe said. Damon Thayer (R) Former state Sen. Damon Thayer, who previously served as Senate Majority Floor Leader while representing District 17, also announced he would not launch a campaign. Instead, he decided to endorse Alvarado, who he called a "true conservative who will put America First, secure the border and take the right to the radical left." "He's tough, tested, and ready to win," Thayer said in a social media post. "I'm all in for Ralph." Reach reporter Hannah Pinski at hpinski@ or follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @hannahpinski. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky 6th Congressional district candidates: Who's in, who's out Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lexington attorney enters KY 6th District Dem primary emphasizing public service chops
A third Democrat has signed up to replace outgoing Rep. Andy Barr in Central Kentucky's 6th Congressional District. Zach Dembo, a former federal prosecutor and U.S. Navy judge advocate general, announced his campaign for Congress Thursday. 'My whole career has been spent in public service, and I very much view this as a continuation of that my service to Kentucky and to America,' Dembo told the Herald-Leader. Hammering home his experience in multiple levels of government, including the military, Dembo said he thinks he's the one best suited to flip the district from red to blue. Already in the race are former state representative Cherlynn Stevenson and former Lexington-Fayette Urban County Councilman David Kloiber, both of whom raised significant amounts of money in their first quarter of fundraising. Republicans running include state representatives Deanna Gordon of Richmond and Ryan Dotson of Winchester; former state senator Ralph Alvarado is also expected to run. Dembo, 39, has not held elected office, unlike the other two Democrats running. Not all first-time candidates attract significant donations, but Dembo said he intends to 'meet or exceed' the funds raised by his Democratic opponents so far. He believes his experience, including a stint in Gov. Andy Beshear's administration before joining a Lexington-based federal prosecutor's office, will help him get across the finish line. He also emphasized his story of leaving his last job. '(It) was a great job, a job that I'd hoped to retire from,' Dembo said. 'But unfortunately I resigned because I couldn't in good principle serve in this administration, with the corruption and with them playing politics with the department and the justice system.' The 6th Congressional District, anchored by Lexington and including many outlying counties as well as a small portion of Eastern Kentucky, has been held by a Republican ever since Barr beat former congressman Ben Chandler in 2012. Since then, only once has a Democrat gotten within single digits of beating Barr. President Donald Trump won the district by about 15 points in 2024. But many see an opening with Barr's departure to run for the U.S. Senate in 2026. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has signaled they will invest in trying to flip the seat, and Sabato's Crystal Ball, a popular political prediction site, recently shifted the district from 'safe Republican' to 'likely Republican.' Dembo agrees that there's a real opportunity for Democrats in Central Kentucky. He mentioned that Beshear, whose five-point win in 2023 turned heads as a Democrat succeeding in a red state, won the district by about 20 points. 'Governor Beshear won this district by 20 points, so I don't think it's all about party for the voters. I think it's about the candidate, and what I intend to focus on is my record in public service,' Dembo said. That history began after graduating from college, when Dembo signed up for the Teach for America program, teaching eighth grade in the Mississippi Delta. After law school, he became a judge advocate general before joining a federal prosecutor's office in Washington. On the issues, Dembo stressed his willingness to push back on some of the major items pursued by Trump so far this year: tariffs, a bill that would cut spending on Medicaid and perceived corruption of the justice system. 'What I'm most interested in is making sure that the citizens of Central Kentucky can make a decent living, both by having good paying jobs and having access to health care. I'm concerned about protecting their jobs from these very disruptive and harmful tariffs that I think could have terrible impact on jobs — everything from bourbon to agriculture to Toyota to numerous other industries,' Dembo said. He also mentioned the possibility for the cuts to Medicaid spending to close rural hospitals in the 6th Congressional District in places like Montgomery County. On Israel-Palestine, an issue that has divided Democrats in Washington, Dembo said he recognizes Israel's status as an American ally and its right to exist as a Jewish state. He said that didn't equate to agreeing with all of the Israeli government's recent decisions. 'I am supportive of a two-state solution, and I don't support every decision their government makes, but I think everything needs to be looked through the perspective of Israel being one of those vital allies in the Middle East,' Dembo said. In the interview with the Herald-Leader, Dembo brought up his roots as a ninth-generation Kentuckian whose family hails from Henry and Shelby counties. His mother was a practicing physician in Lexington for 30 years.
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Alvarado, Kentucky's first Hispanic state legislator, echoes Trump in launching a congressional bid
Republican Ralph Alvarado, who made history as Kentucky's first Hispanic state legislator but then left to become Tennessee's top public health leader, reentered Bluegrass State politics on Thursday by announcing his bid for an open congressional seat targeted by Democrats in 2026. Alvarado, a medical doctor and the son of immigrants, will compete for Kentucky's 6th Congressional District seat now occupied by Republican Rep. Andy Barr, who is in a hotly contested race to succeed Sen. Mitch McConnell, the former longtime Republican Senate leader, in next next year's midterm election. Seen as a rising conservative star during his years in the Kentucky Senate, Alvarado pledged to align with President Donald Trump's 'America First' agenda as he kicked off his congressional campaign. 'Kentuckians are fed up with open borders, sky-high prices and unelected bureaucrats who trample our freedoms,' Alvarado said in a statement. 'I'm running for Congress to fight for working families, stop the invasion at our southern border once and for all, and fight the woke agenda.' Republican state Reps. Ryan Dotson and Deanna Gordon entered the House race earlier, also touting their conservative credentials and setting up the prospect of a competitive primary next spring. The Democratic field also grew Thursday, with former federal prosecutor Zach Dembo entering the campaign. Dembo, also a former policy adviser for Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, said his focus will include creating good-paying jobs, fighting back against Medicaid cuts and opposing tariffs that he said are hurting crucial Kentucky industries. 'Central Kentucky deserves to have a representative in Washington who stands up for families, works to lower their cost of living, expands access to affordable healthcare and protects their safety," Dembo said in a statement. National Democrats list Kentucky's 6th among dozens of districts nationally that they're targeting in hopes of winning back the narrowly divided House in 2026. Other Democratic candidates for the Kentucky congressional seat include ex-state Rep. Cherlynn Stevenson and David Kloiber, a former Lexington city councilman. Alvarado's campaign said he preserved his Kentucky ties while working in Tennessee, noting that he maintained his longtime home in Clark County in the district and continued to do medical work in the district. He typically returned home multiple times each month. He was the first Hispanic member of Kentucky's legislature, his campaign said, having been first elected in 2014. He has said his immigrant parents made big sacrifices to get him a good education. His father was from Costa Rica, and his mother is from Argentina. Alvarado ran for statewide office in Kentucky as then-Gov. Matt Bevin's running mate in 2019, but Bevin lost his reelection bid to Beshear. Alvarado left the Kentucky Senate to step into the role as Tennessee's health department commissioner in Republican Gov. Bill Lee's administration in 2023. Lee last week announced Alvarado's departure from the state health department, saying Alvarado 'faithfully served Tennesseans throughout his tenure.' Alvarado's role in promoting Bevin during the 2019 campaign could surface as an issue in next year's congressional race as Bevin's pugnacious style turned off many Kentucky voters. The 6th District stretches from central Kentucky's bluegrass region to the Appalachian foothills. It flipped between Democratic and Republican representation for decades, but Barr has locked down the seat for the GOP for more than a decade, fending off a tough Democratic challenger in 2018. Since then, the GOP-led legislature removed Democratic-leaning Frankfort, Kentucky's capital city, from the 6th District during the most recent round of redistricting, seemingly making it a steeper challenge for Democrats. The district includes Democratic-trending Lexington, the state's second-largest city, and covers multiple rural counties that are Republican strongholds.
Washington Post
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Alvarado, Kentucky's first Hispanic state legislator, echoes Trump in launching a congressional bid
Republican Ralph Alvarado, who made history as Kentucky's first Hispanic state legislator but then left to become Tennessee's top public health leader , reentered Bluegrass State politics on Thursday by announcing his bid for an open congressional seat targeted by Democrats in 2026. Alvarado, a medical doctor and the son of immigrants, will compete for Kentucky's 6th Congressional District seat now occupied by Republican Rep. Andy Barr , who is in a hotly contested race to succeed Sen. Mitch McConnell, the former longtime Republican Senate leader, in next next year's midterm election. Seen as a rising conservative star during his years in the Kentucky Senate, Alvarado pledged to align with President Donald Trump's 'America First' agenda as he kicked off his congressional campaign. 'Kentuckians are fed up with open borders, sky-high prices and unelected bureaucrats who trample our freedoms,' Alvarado said in a statement. 'I'm running for Congress to fight for working families, stop the invasion at our southern border once and for all, and fight the woke agenda.' Republican state Reps. Ryan Dotson and Deanna Gordon entered the House race earlier, also touting their conservative credentials and setting up the prospect of a competitive primary next spring. The Democratic field also grew Thursday, with former federal prosecutor Zach Dembo entering the campaign. Dembo, also a former policy adviser for Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, said his focus will include creating good-paying jobs, fighting back against Medicaid cuts and opposing tariffs that he said are hurting crucial Kentucky industries. 'Central Kentucky deserves to have a representative in Washington who stands up for families, works to lower their cost of living, expands access to affordable healthcare and protects their safety,' Dembo said in a statement. National Democrats list Kentucky's 6th among dozens of districts nationally that they're targeting in hopes of winning back the narrowly divided House in 2026. Other Democratic candidates for the Kentucky congressional seat include ex-state Rep. Cherlynn Stevenson and David Kloiber, a former Lexington city councilman. Alvarado's campaign said he preserved his Kentucky ties while working in Tennessee, noting that he maintained his longtime home in Clark County in the district and continued to do medical work in the district. He typically returned home multiple times each month. He was the first Hispanic member of Kentucky's legislature, his campaign said, having been first elected in 2014. He has said his immigrant parents made big sacrifices to get him a good education. His father was from Costa Rica, and his mother is from Argentina. Alvarado ran for statewide office in Kentucky as then-Gov. Matt Bevin's running mate in 2019, but Bevin lost his reelection bid to Beshear. Alvarado left the Kentucky Senate to step into the role as Tennessee's health department commissioner in Republican Gov. Bill Lee's administration in 2023. Lee last week announced Alvarado's departure from the state health department, saying Alvarado 'faithfully served Tennesseans throughout his tenure.' Alvarado's role in promoting Bevin during the 2019 campaign could surface as an issue in next year's congressional race as Bevin's pugnacious style turned off many Kentucky voters. The 6th District stretches from central Kentucky's bluegrass region to the Appalachian foothills. It flipped between Democratic and Republican representation for decades, but Barr has locked down the seat for the GOP for more than a decade, fending off a tough Democratic challenger in 2018. Since then, the GOP-led legislature removed Democratic-leaning Frankfort, Kentucky's capital city, from the 6th District during the most recent round of redistricting, seemingly making it a steeper challenge for Democrats. The district includes Democratic-trending Lexington, the state's second-largest city, and covers multiple rural counties that are Republican strongholds.
Associated Press
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Alvarado, Kentucky's first Hispanic state legislator, echoes Trump in launching a congressional bid
Republican Ralph Alvarado, who made history as Kentucky's first Hispanic state legislator but then left to become Tennessee's top public health leader, reentered Bluegrass State politics on Thursday by announcing his bid for an open congressional seat targeted by Democrats in 2026. Alvarado, a medical doctor and the son of immigrants, will compete for Kentucky's 6th Congressional District seat now occupied by Republican Rep. Andy Barr, who is in a hotly contested race to succeed Sen. Mitch McConnell, the former longtime Republican Senate leader, in next next year's midterm election. Seen as a rising conservative star during his years in the Kentucky Senate, Alvarado pledged to align with President Donald Trump's 'America First' agenda as he kicked off his congressional campaign. 'Kentuckians are fed up with open borders, sky-high prices and unelected bureaucrats who trample our freedoms,' Alvarado said in a statement. 'I'm running for Congress to fight for working families, stop the invasion at our southern border once and for all, and fight the woke agenda.' Republican state Reps. Ryan Dotson and Deanna Gordon entered the House race earlier, also touting their conservative credentials and setting up the prospect of a competitive primary next spring. The Democratic field also grew Thursday, with former federal prosecutor Zach Dembo entering the campaign. Dembo, also a former policy adviser for Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, said his focus will include creating good-paying jobs, fighting back against Medicaid cuts and opposing tariffs that he said are hurting crucial Kentucky industries. 'Central Kentucky deserves to have a representative in Washington who stands up for families, works to lower their cost of living, expands access to affordable healthcare and protects their safety,' Dembo said in a statement. National Democrats list Kentucky's 6th among dozens of districts nationally that they're targeting in hopes of winning back the narrowly divided House in 2026. Other Democratic candidates for the Kentucky congressional seat include ex-state Rep. Cherlynn Stevenson and David Kloiber, a former Lexington city councilman. Alvarado's campaign said he preserved his Kentucky ties while working in Tennessee, noting that he maintained his longtime home in Clark County in the district and continued to do medical work in the district. He typically returned home multiple times each month. He was the first Hispanic member of Kentucky's legislature, his campaign said, having been first elected in 2014. He has said his immigrant parents made big sacrifices to get him a good education. His father was from Costa Rica, and his mother is from Argentina. Alvarado ran for statewide office in Kentucky as then-Gov. Matt Bevin's running mate in 2019, but Bevin lost his reelection bid to Beshear. Alvarado left the Kentucky Senate to step into the role as Tennessee's health department commissioner in Republican Gov. Bill Lee's administration in 2023. Lee last week announced Alvarado's departure from the state health department, saying Alvarado 'faithfully served Tennesseans throughout his tenure.' Alvarado's role in promoting Bevin during the 2019 campaign could surface as an issue in next year's congressional race as Bevin's pugnacious style turned off many Kentucky voters. The 6th District stretches from central Kentucky's bluegrass region to the Appalachian foothills. It flipped between Democratic and Republican representation for decades, but Barr has locked down the seat for the GOP for more than a decade, fending off a tough Democratic challenger in 2018. Since then, the GOP-led legislature removed Democratic-leaning Frankfort, Kentucky's capital city, from the 6th District during the most recent round of redistricting, seemingly making it a steeper challenge for Democrats. The district includes Democratic-trending Lexington, the state's second-largest city, and covers multiple rural counties that are Republican strongholds.
