CORRECTION: The original version of this brief misidentified one of the current Kenton County commissioners. The error has been corrected, and we apologize for any confusion this may have caused.–LINK nky editorial, March 25, 2026.
Matthew Hayden, a Republican who lives in Villa Hills, filed to run for a spot on the Kenton County Fiscal Court on Wednesday. Specifically, Hayden will be running for the county’s third district, which encompasses the county’s northwestern region.
“I’m raising my family right here in Kenton County, and that gives me a deep personal stake in the decisions we make today,” Hayden said in his campaign announcement. “We need to strengthen our communities so families have a place where their children can grow up safely, receive a quality education, find good jobs and eventually raise families of their own.”
Hayden has a bachelor’s degree in business economics from the University of Louisville and a law degree from Chase College of Law. He currently serves as the Kentucky Young Republican Federation’s National Committeeman and is active in the Northern Kentucky branch of the Young Republicans.
Hayden’s campaign announcement described him as a “a strong fiscal conservative committed to keeping county government efficient and effective, while bringing a private-sector mindset focused on accountability, responsible budgeting and measurable results.”
Joe Nienaber currently occupies district’s 3 seat on the fiscal court but has chosen not to seek reelection. Rebecca Reckers and Scott Kimmich, both Republicans, have also filed to run for district 3.
County commissioners are legislative representatives of county fiscal courts. Commissioners are primarily responsible for passing countywide ordinances (laws) and setting the county budget. Commissioners, like city council members, also serve as representatives for their constituents who advocate for their interests at higher levels of government, such as the general assembly. You can learn more about the roles of county commissioners by reading LINK nky’s explainer.