Another well known Republican, joins the race for Congress in Kentucky's sixth congressional district and central Kentucky.

Ralph Alvarado, a former state lawmaker from central Kentucky's 28th district, says he will run for Congress in 2026.

Alvarado served as a state senator from 2015 to 2023, and was the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor in 2019 on the ticket with Governor Matt Bevin.

Then, Alvarado left Kentucky to serve as commissioner of the Tennessee Health Department in 2023.

Tennessee's governor says Alvarado left that job last week.

In a statement, Alvarado said, quote, Kentuckians are fed up with open borders, sky high prices and unelected bureaucrats who trample our freedoms.

I'm running for Congress to fight for working families, stop the invasion at the southern border once and for all, and fight the woke agenda.

End quote.

Alvarado joins a growing list of candidates.

The seat will be open next year, as incumbent Republican Andy Barr runs for the U.S. Senate.

State Representatives Ryan Dotson and Dianna Gordon are already in the race on the Republican side.

Former state Representative Sherilyn Stevenson and former Lexington Council member David Glauber are running on the Democratic side in that primary.

And another Democrat is joining the race.

Zach Demba says he's getting in.

Demba is a former federal prosecutor and policy adviser to Governor Andy Beshear.

Dumbo says his focus will be creating high paying jobs, fighting Medicaid cuts and opposing tariffs he says are hurting Kentucky businesses.