(LEX 18) — Ralph Alvarado, who previously made history as Kentucky's first Hispanic state senator, has entered the Republican primary in Kentucky's Sixth Congressional District.
Alvarado, who served as Tennessee's Health Commissioner until recently, is known to some Kentucky voters as former Gov. Matt Bevin's running mate in the 2019 gubernatorial election.
Despite his recent role in Tennessee, Alvarado maintains he never truly left the Commonwealth.
"I have a home in Winchester that I've had. The entire time, I've been commuting back and forth. I tell people, look Kentucky's my home. I raised my family here in Kentucky. I have built my home in Kentucky. My medical practice is in Kentucky. My church family is in Kentucky," Alvarado told LEX 18 News.
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. But Alvarado emphasized his individual record and accomplishments.
"I'm my own person, right? I'm Ralph Alvarado. I tell people I have my own list of accomplishments and I encourage people to look at those things to see what I got done. I was the first Hispanic member of the General Assembly. I would hope that people would focus on me, on my background, on the things that I've done," Alvarado said.
His decision to run for Congress now, he says, is tied to President Donald Trump's return to office.
"The main reason is I want to partner with the president. I think right now, we have a moment in history where there is an opportunity to improve America. I think the President has the right vision. Things I'm going to help him with and partner with him on is going to be, first of all, to supercharge the economy. I think a lot of folks want to see the economy improve. They remember how things were several years ago. The president has a vision and a plan for that," Alvarado said.
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.
Other Democratic candidates for the Kentucky congressional seat include ex-state Rep. Cherlynn Stevenson and David Kloiber, a former Lexington city councilman.
