Running for McConnell’s seat? Dem House leader files to raise money for 2026 race
Kentucky’s top House Democrat could soon be vying for a seat in the U.S. Senate.
House Democratic Floor Leader Pamela Stevenson, D-Louisville, filed to raise money for a Senate campaign last Friday with the Federal Elections Commission.
The move does not guarantee that she will run, but allows her to begin raising money to take a shot at the seat currently held by Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-KY.
Though she has not begun a campaign in earnest, Stevenson referred to herself as the “hopeful nominee,” in a a statement provided to the Herald-Leader.
“My team and I are aware there is a long road ahead of us, but we are prepared to do the work. As House Floor Leader and the hopeful nominee for US Senate, I am making it my mission to elect Democrats up and down the ballot in 2026,” Stevenson wrote.
McConnell, 82, has not said if he will run again. However, speculation that he won’t run again has fueled conversation around several potential Republican nominees that could make a run at the office.
Aside from McConnell’s own fundraising committee, Stevenson’s, named “Pamela Stevenson for Kentucky,” is the only other Senate fundraising committee formed thus far.
Stevenson has not officially launched a campaign, nor has she filed to run for the office through the Kentucky Secretary of State’s Office.
She did not respond to a request for comment Sunday afternoon.
In a previous interview with the Herald-Leader, Stevenson hinted at the possibility of running for something else, particularly U.S. Senate of Louisville mayor.
“Right now I’m going to do that as the Democratic leader, and if something else shows up where it will allow me to use those talents, I’ll look at it,” she said in December. “Anything to move Kentucky forward, and I’m really, really interested in making sure that Kentucky is leading the other 49 states and (to) finish the work that the governor has started.”
Late last year, Stevenson was elected by her peers in the House to become the first Black woman to lead a legislative caucus in Kentucky history.
She is no stranger to statewide campaigns.
In 2023, she was the Democratic nominee for attorney general, running against Republican Russell Coleman. She lost to Coleman by 16 percentage points.
Stevenson closed her statement on the news with a nod to her military background — an attorney by trade, she’s a retired U.S. Air Force judge advocate general (also known as a “JAG”) — and a call for change.
“Every Kentuckian wants a system that will allow their family to thrive. It’s time we switch up how we do things and bring common sense back to our Commonwealth.
“My whole life has been dedicated to service — as a Colonel, Floor Leader, and as a Minister. I am dedicated to continuing my service to Kentucky and the United States of America.”
This story was originally published February 2, 2025 at 3:39 PM.
