Former State Representative runs for U.S. Senate

FRANKFORT, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) – Former Kentucky state representative Charles Booker is officially entering the race for U.S. Senate, becoming the latest Democrat to challenge Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell in 2026.

Booker, a Louisville native, announced Monday that he’s joining the growing field. He most recently served as executive director of the Governor’s Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. Booker said he’s prepared to organize for a general strike as part of a broader call for improved working conditions across Kentucky.

He was first elected to the Kentucky House in 2018, becoming the youngest Black lawmaker to serve in nearly nine decades.

Booker is now the sixth Democrat to enter the race. The field for the Democratic Primary in May also includes racehorse trainer Dale Romans, retired Marine aviator Amy McGrath, former Secret Service agent Logan Forsythe, state lawmaker Pamela Stevenson, and former CIA officer Joel Willett.

On the Republican side, candidates who have filed for the GOP Primary are businessman Nate Morris, Rep. Andy Barr and former state Attorney General Daniel Cameron.