Another Kentucky House Democratic leader says they won’t seek re-election in 2024

A second member of Kentucky’s House Democratic leadership has decided to not run again in 2024.

House Minority Whip Rachel Roberts, D-Newport, announced Wednesday morning she will not seek re-election to the Northern Kentucky House District 67 seat she’s held since the 2020 election.

In a statement, Roberts said the decision was right for her and her family.

“Serving those who live and work in this district has been an unparalleled honor, and I will forever be grateful for the faith others have placed in me. With their support, I have done all I can to create positive and lasting change for Northern Kentucky and the entire commonwealth,” Roberts said.

Roberts became the second member of the House Democratic leadership to hang it up in the last two weeks. The decision by House Minority Floor Leader Derrick Graham, D-Frankfort, to not seeking re-election came last week.

Roberts’ announcement leaves House Minority Caucus Chair Cherlynn Stevenson, D-Lexington, as the only member of House Democratic leadership seeking re-election in 2024. Though she has not officially filed with the secretary of state yet, Stevenson confirmed her intention to run to the Herald-Leader.

Stevenson said she was saddened to hear of Roberts’ decision, but supported her “100%.”

“Rachel has not only been a fantastic colleague and a dynamic leader, but has become one of my very best friends. I’m very sad to see her go, but support her 100% in all she does. I know just because she won’t be serving her community in this particular way after this year, she will still be making the world a better place,” Stevenson said.

As of mid-Wednesday, no other person Republican or Democrat filed to run for the House District 67 seat. After winning an early 2020 special election in landslide fashion, Roberts won her 2020 race by about 6 percentage points and her 2022 election by about 12 percentage points.

Ten House incumbents, including four of the 20 House Democrats, have stated that they’re not seeking re-election in 2024. House members have to run every two years.

In the Senate where members only run every four years, four of 38 Senators, including Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown, aren’t running again.

Roberts said she was proud of legislative work to secure funding for local infrastructure and education projects like the Fourth Street Bridge, local schools and Northern Kentucky University. She also mentioned passing bills to increase protections for election poll workers and to ban people convicted of sexual assault crimes from becoming police officers.