State Rep. Steve Rawlings has officially filed to run in 2024 for the 11th District Senate seat currently held by Sen. John Schickel.
The announcement comes less than a day after LINK nky reported that Northern Kentucky attorney and Hebron Republican Ed Massey has filed to run for his former 66th District House seat, now held by Rawlings. Massey lost the seat to Rawlings in 2022.
Rawlings (R-Burlington) told LINK nky in a text early Tuesday of his Monday filing with the Kentucky Secretary of State’s Office. LINK nky reached out to him for comment on his Senate candidacy but has yet to receive a response.
Schickel (R-Union), a longtime state legislator and current Senate Licensing and Occupations Committee chairperson, announced Nov. 14 that he would not run for reelection in 2024.
Rawlings is the only lawmaker from NKY to officially file for the 2024 Kentucky Senate primary to date, according to Secretary of State filings. However, more NKY incumbents and challengers are expected to file in the coming weeks.
Lawmakers running in the May 21 party primary have until Jan. 5 to file for office with the Secretary of State officially.
T.J. Roberts files to run against Massey, other challenges loom
Running for Rawling’s House seat against Massey in the May 21, 2024 primary will be T.J. Roberts, a Burlington Republican.
Roberts was part of a Liberty Republican group that drew ire in its campaign against Massey and a handful of other incumbent NKY state House members in 2022.
He described himself in a Monday press release as an “America First conservative attorney and lifelong Boone County resident” who has “worked on the campaigns of many champions of liberty, including Rand Paul, Thomas Massie, and Savannah Maddox-and I’ve worked in Frankfort to fight for pro-liberty, anti-corruption legislation.”
Regarding his candidacy, Roberts said “Our fight is far from over. Kentucky has been under the corrupt leadership of Andy Beshear and tax-and-spend politicians from both parties for far too long, and it is time to elect proven conservatives who will stand up to the corrupt establishment and take Kentucky back. That is why I am running for State Representative of Kentucky House District 66.”
Filing for reelection Monday alongside Rawlings and Roberts were Reps. Savannah Maddox (R-Dry Ridge) of the 61st House District and Felicia Rabourn, a Henry County Republican representing the 47th District who filed for reelection in November.
So far, no one has filed to oppose Maddox.