Written by Mark Payne, LINK nky politics and government reporter
A few more candidates have filed for local legislative seats as the Tuesday, January 25 candidate filing deadline looms.
A Democrat has filed for the 69th House District, currently held by Republican Rep. Adam Koenig, of Erlanger.
Chris Brown, a lifelong Elsmere resident, announced her candidacy last week.
“I have a servant’s heart,” Brown said. “I believe that my district, for many years now, has been lacking a representative that truly wants to serve the communities within it. In order to be a great leader, you have to first be able to serve, which is what I have been doing for the better part of 15 years, and I would be honored to continue as your next state representative of the 69th District in Frankfort.”
Koenig also faces a challenge in the May primary from fellow Republican and Erlanger city councilman Steven Doan.
In the 67th House District, Wilder Republican Jerry Gearding has entered the race for the seat currently held by Democrat Rachel Roberts of Newport.
Gearding said that his campaign will focus on “preserving individual liberties, reforming our public education system, lowering taxes, and a commonsense conservative approach to a more efficient, effective, and ethical state government.”
“I’m running for State Representative because I believe that the people of the 67th District deserve a representative who will fight for their values and priorities in Frankfort,” Gearding said. “Our children deserve to grow up with the same God-give liberties and freedoms that we had growing up. I’m going to Frankfort to fight to make sure they do.”
In the 20th Senate District, a once familiar name in Northern Kentucky politics reemerges as a candidate: Gex “Jay” Williams is a Republican hoping to win the seat in a district that only this year added Boone Co. to its boundaries. Williams was formerly a state legislator and candidate for Congress.
The seat will be open in this year’s election. The 20th district is now comprised of Franklin, Owen, Carroll, and Gallatin Counties along with the southern section of Boone and Southwestern Kenton Counties.
“I am seeking to serve my fellow Kentuckians again because we must restore confidence in our electoral system and getting the government back to providing roads and other essential infrastructure and services instead of being a nanny state that wastes our hard-earned money, stifles economic growth, and tramples on our personal freedoms,” said Williams. “We must also protect the lives of unborn babies. It is past time to give them the constitutional protection they deserve, and I will be joining the fight in Frankfort for a pro-life constitutional amendment.”
Photo: Chris Brown (Provided by the Chris Brown campaign)