Zach Dembo Wins Primary for Kentucky’s 6th Congressional District

Former U.S. attorney and Kentucky policy advisor Zach Dembo secured victory in Tuesday night’s primary election for Kentucky’s 6th Congressional District seat.

While Democrats are in the process of selecting their candidate, they face a challenging campaign ahead in the November general election to fill the position left by retiring Rep. Andy Barr (R-Ky.).

Challenges Ahead for Democrats

Dembo started his professional journey as an eighth-grade English teacher before transitioning to law school. His career also included service in the U.S. Naval Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps. After working as a federal prosecutor, he was appointed as a policy advisor and legislative director by Governor Beshear in 2017.

Dembo has expressed concerns regarding what he perceives as the politicization of the Justice Department. He reflects, “When Donald Trump started using the Justice Department to go after his political opponents, I resigned.” He feels that “our system is broken.”

As of the end of April, Dembo had raised approximately $956,000 in campaign funds, according to FEC records.

Democratic Party’s Tough Battle

Interestingly, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear has not chosen to endorse any candidate in this Democratic primary, which may hint at the tough road ahead for the party. Historically, Kentucky’s 6th Congressional District has leaned Republican. In 2024, Rep. Andy Barr won reelection with a significant margin of 63% to 37% against his Democratic challenger Randy Cravens.

Currently, Barr is eyeing a Senate position to succeed outgoing Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who is retiring.

This adds another layer of complexity for Democrats as they navigate their strategy for an uphill battle in November.