Voters in Kentucky's sixth Congressional District will pick a new representative next year, as incumbent Andy Barr runs for the U.S. Senate.

Cheryl Lynn Stephenson, a former state representative for Kentucky's 88th district, announced today that she is running for that House seat.

Chief among the priorities she listed today, fixing the U.S. economy and protecting access to health care.

My name is Jeremiah Stephenson, and I am proud to announce that I am running to become Central Kentucky's next U.S. representative.

Former Kentucky Democratic leader Sherilyn Stephenson is throwing her hat in the ring for Kentucky's sixth Congressional District seat.

She says that the issues that inspired her to run for Congress are the issues that currently affect many Kentuckians, like the price of groceries and the proposed cuts to Medicaid.

I am proud of my country, and I want to take us off the roller coaster ride that has driven a carton of eggs back, and that states down tariffs are destroying our economy.

Cuts to Medicaid, your health care dismantling of public education is destroying our kids future.

It's about time we actually had someone in this office who works for your family, for us, not for Elon Musk, his billionaire buddies and the corporate elite.

My first task in Congress will be to work with whomever I can to stop digging a hole that we now find ourselves in.

If you think I'm exaggerating, consider a recent Wall Street Journal story that said last month was on track to be the Dow Jones worst April since 1932.

We need economic policies that put working people first and take on billionaires, creating a system, not tariffs, that receive us into another great Depression.

Stevenson says another priority of hers will be to protect reproductive rights.

She says too many doctors are leaving the state to avoid persecution under Kentucky's abortion ban.

Another top priority in my Congress will be to fight for federal protections for reproductive rights.

They have been under relentless attack in states like ours for more than half of our 120 counties do not have a single ODI.

In response to Stevenson's candidacy, the Republican Party of Kentucky released this statement saying, quote, the sixth district is Trump country rock solid Republican ground where liberal pipe dreams go to die.

Stevenson responded to the statement at her announcement today.

I would call this your country so we can we can go back and forth on that all day, you know, and this year has had great success in this district.

And again, by being authentic and talking to people about their issues and not focusing on political division.

And I mean, you know, that's been a formula for success, for formula for success, for me and the eight and that's what we're going to do.

When Stevenson ran for state representative in 2018, she was able to flip the 88th district seat from red to blue, although it is now once again represented by Republican State Representative Vanessa Russell.

But Stevenson says if she could flip the 88 seat, she can flip the sixth district as well.

All I want is for the place.

I love to have what it needs to thrive.

If the day comes that Congress finally does find itself back on the right track.

He said he's happy sixth district led the way as a state representative.

Stevenson was Democratic caucus chair.

She lost the 2024 race against Representative Grassley by only 125 votes for Kentucky edition.

I'm Mackenzie Spink.

Thank you so much, Mackenzie.

So far, the only other person to announce they're running for the sixth district seat is Republican State Representative Ryan Dotson of Winchester.

He made the announcement last month on social media.

Dotson is planning a campaign kickoff event next month.

I know.