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Who’s running for US Congress in Kentucky? Meet all the 2024 candidates

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Who’s running for US Congress in Kentucky? Meet all the 2024 candidates


Kentucky’s half-dozen seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are up for grabs again in 2024, and several candidates are planning to challenge the incumbents.

Here’s a look at who’s entered the races to represent the Bluegrass State, according to filings with the Kentucky Secretary of State’s Office. Incumbents are listed in bold along with the district number — all six current office holders have filed to be on the ballot again in 2024.

District 1 — James Comer (R)

The First Congressional District covers West Kentucky as well as portions of south and central Kentucky.

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  • James Comer (R) — Comer has been in office since late 2016 and is currently chairman of the House Oversight Committee. He is from Tompkinsville.
  • Erin Marshall (D) — Marshall, a Frankfort native, is a first-time candidate who supported Franklin Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd in his race last year.

Column from Joe Gerth: Why Erin Marshall, Jamie Comer’s latest foe, is like no one he’s ever faced

District 2 — Brett Guthrie (R)

The Second Congressional District covers much of Western Kentucky, from Muhlenberg County to LaRue County.

  • Brett Guthrie (R) — Guthrie has been in office since 2009. He is from Bowling Green.
  • William Dakota Compton (D) — Compton is a Bowling Green native and teacher at Warren East High School. He is currently a member of the Plum Springs City Commission, according to his campaign website.
  • Hank Linderman (D) — Linderman grew up in Louisville and now lives in Grayson County, according to his campaign website. He is a musician with a goal of “confronting social and economic inequality head on.”

District 3 — Morgan McGarvey (D)

The Third Congressional District covers most of Jefferson County, where Louisville is located.

  • Morgan McGarvey (D) — McGarvey is wrapping up his first term after being elected in 2022. He is from Louisville.
  • Mike Craven (R) — Craven lives in Louisville. A Facebook page for a previous run for office describes him as a “life-long Louisville resident, husband, and United Auto Worker.”
  • Denny Ormerod (R) — Ormerod is from Louisville. He was a candidate in the 2023 gubernatorial Republican primary, where he received 696 total votes.
  • Jared Randall (D) — Randall lives in Louisville. He ran for a seat in the city’s Metro Council last year.
  • Geoff Young (D) — Young lives in Lexington and has been a candidate for several offices over the years. As a candidate against Gov. Andy Beshear in the 2023 gubernatorial Democratic primary, he landed 9,865 total votes.

District 4 — Thomas Massie (R)

The Fourth Congressional District covers Northern Kentucky, including suburbs south of Cincinnati.

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  • Thomas Massie (R) — Massie lives in Lewis County and has represented the district since 2012.
  • Eric Deters (R) — A firebrand Northern Kentucky attorney who’s faced accusations of racism, misdemeanor charges for chasing a teenage relative in a truck and a suspended law license in 2021, Deters previously ran in the 2023 primary for Kentucky governor, where he finished fourth.
  • Michael McGinnis (R) — McGinnis lives in Fort Thomas. He did not appear to have a campaign website as of Jan. 5.

District 5 — Hal Rogers (R)

The Fifth Congressional District covers southeastern Kentucky.

  • Hal Rogers (R) — Rogers, who lives in Somerset, has been in office since 1981, with 22 consecutive election wins.
  • Dana Edwards (R) — Edwards lives in Manchester. A surgeon who has worked in Eastern Kentucky for 25 years, his campaign website calls him a “common sense Republican” who aims to “defeat the Woke Leftists.”
  • David E. Kraftchak Jr. (R) — Kraftchak lives in London and goes by “Krafty,” his campaign website says. He is an airline pilot with U.S. Navy experience who believes “every American deserves the freedom to pursue their dreams and achieve their goals.”
  • Brandon Monhollen (R) — Monhollen also lives in London and ran for U.S. Congress two years ago as well. He has a Facebook page offering campaign updates.

District 6 — Andy Barr (R)

The Sixth Congressional District covers central Kentucky, including the Lexington area.

  • Andy Barr (R) — Barr lives in Lexington and has represented the district since 2013.
  • Randy Cravens (D) — Cravens is a Paducah native who now lives in Richmond, according to his campaign website, and works in information technology. He believes “every individual has the right to be happy and free to live life as they wish” without fear of violence.
  • Don B. Pratt (D) — A Lexington resident, Pratt is a social activist who wrote on his Facebook page that he entered the race to end the “Republican domination of the House.”
  • Jonathan Richardson (D) — Richardson lives in Lexington. He did not appear to have a campaign website as of Jan. 5.
  • Shauna Rudd (D) — Rudd lives in Lexington and appears to work as a mental health professional. She does not have a campaign website.
  • Todd Kelly (D) — Kelly lives in Lexington. He did not appear to have a campaign website as of Jan. 5.

Reach Lucas Aulbach at laulbach@courier-journal.com.



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Cyclospora parasite cases in Kentucky, health officials warn

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Cyclospora parasite cases in Kentucky, health officials warn


LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – Health officials are warning residents about a rise in Cyclospora cases, a parasite that causes an intestinal illness known as cyclosporiasis and can leave people sick for weeks.

The Kentucky Department for Public Health reported 67 cases between June 14 and July 2 — nearly double the approximately 35 cases the state typically sees in an entire year. While cases normally rise in the spring and summer months, Kentucky is among several states seeing a larger-than-typical increase.

Cases likely undercounted, health official says

Cassie Prather of the Woodford County Health Department said the reported numbers are likely an undercount.

“At this point, we have an underreported number of cases because a lot of people will deal with this and their immune system can kick it in a few days,” Prather said. “For those with a suppressed immune system it can lead to quick dehydration or even a hospital visits if they’re dealing with symptoms that don’t go away for 3-5 days.”

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How the parasite spreads

People can become infected after eating or drinking contaminated food or water. Fresh produce has been linked to outbreaks in the United States, but the CDC says it is still working to pinpoint the cause of the current increase.

Symptoms and timeline

Symptoms often begin about a week after exposure but can appear as soon as two days or more than two weeks later. The most common symptom is watery diarrhea. People may also experience stomach cramps, nausea, fatigue, bloating, and weight loss. Symptoms can last weeks and sometimes return after improving.

“You’re going to endure stomach cramps, nausea, sometimes you can have a low-grade fever with that,” Prather said.

Prevention guidance

Public health experts urge people to follow food-safety guidelines to reduce the risk of cyclosporiasis and other intestinal illnesses. That includes washing hands with soap and water before and after handling raw fruits and vegetables, and refrigerating cut, peeled, or cooked fruits and vegetables within two hours.

Health officials say people whose symptoms last more than a few days, keep returning, or cause signs of dehydration should contact a healthcare provider for evaluation and possible testing.

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Copyright 2026 WKYT. All rights reserved.



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Kentuckians deserve honesty about McConnell’s health | Letters

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Kentuckians deserve honesty about McConnell’s health | Letters


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Like many Kentuckians, I have been following the recent questions surrounding Senator Mitch McConnell’s health and ability to carry out the responsibilities of his office. Every elected official deserves privacy regarding personal medical matters. But when legitimate questions arise about an officeholder’s ability to serve, the public deserves transparency.

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Unlike the presidency, the Constitution provides no mechanism for addressing the incapacity of a sitting member of Congress. That makes accountability even more important. At a time when every vote and committee decision can have significant consequences, Kentucky cannot afford uncertainty about whether one of its two senators is fully able to represent the Commonwealth.

Governor Beshear, Senator Rand Paul and Kentucky’s six members of the U.S. House should insist on transparency on behalf of their constituents. Kentuckians deserve an honest assessment of whether Senator McConnell is able to fulfill the duties of the office to which he was elected.

If he is well enough to continue serving, that should be communicated clearly. Weeks of unanswered questions are not fair to Senator McConnell, nor are they fair to the people he was elected to serve. I hope my fellow Kentuckians will join me in urging our elected officials to be transparent and put the interests of Kentucky first.

— Kate Caverno, 40245

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US 51 Cairo bridge to remain closed for period of time

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US 51 Cairo bridge to remain closed for period of time



By West Kentucky Star staff

Jul. 07, 2026 | 10:07 PM
| PADUCAH

The US 51/Cairo Bridge will remain closed for a period of time.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet announced Tuesday the connector between Wickliffe and Cairo was closed Monday as crews conducted a special inspection and identified a problem with a bearing pad on the Kentucky approach.


A bearing pad shifted out of place, causing the bridge deck to become misaligned by approximately two to three inches at an expansion joint. A repair is needed. 

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Bearing pads function like cartilage between joints, supporting steel beams while accommodating the bridge’s natural expansion and contraction. 

There are no concerns about the bridge’s overall structural integrity.

The repair will require crews to lift a heavy section of the bridge deck to replace the bearing pad. State engineers are working with the contractor and design team to finalize a repair plan as quickly as possible.

There is currently no estimated timeline for reopening the bridge. Motorists should continue to use alternate routes and expect the bridge to remain closed until the necessary repairs have been completed. 

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