Alvarado, Dotson & Gordon jockey for college GOP support in Congressional forum
The three declared GOP candidates for Central Kentucky’s 6th Congressional District tried to differentiate themselves from the pack in their first public forum appearance Wednesday.
GOP state Reps. Deanna Gordon and Ryan Dotson, as well as former state Sen. Ralph Alvarado, made their pitches to a candidate forum hosted by University of Kentucky and Transylvania University college Republicans.
Alvarado played the informed favorite; Dotson pitched himself as the toughest, most conservative of the bunch; and Gordon reminded attendees she was a Christian business owner unafraid to throw a punch.
The 6th Congressional District seat has been held by Rep. Andy Barr since he flipped it red in 2012. It is the lone district in the state not considered a lock for one party, with Democrats hoping the open seat affords them a chance to flip it back. Several Democrats have thrown their hats in the ring.
All three GOP candidates at the forum praised President Donald Trump, who won Kentucky by 30 percentage points and the district by double-digits in the 2024 election.
But there were many areas where they differed. How they talked about engaging in politics was one.
Dotson framed political fights with Democrats as “us versus them.”
“Politics has changed,” he said. “It’s not normal anymore. It’s us versus them, and we need to square our shoulders, stand tall and really put up the fight because if we don’t we’re going to lose our country.”
He used the example of his bills to push transgender girls out of girls’ sports and to block Lexington from requiring landlords to take Section 8 housing vouchers as fights he’s won.
Alvarado took much of his time to highlight his breadth of knowledge, both in the political realm and through life experience as a medical doctor and son of immigrants.
The former state senator from Winchester, who recently departed a role leading the state of Tennessee’s health department, said he was best suited to carry on Barr’s work.
“Politics isn’t about power, it’s not about status, it’s not about trophies. It’s about taking care of people and responding to people. Those (interacting) with the federal government need somebody to help them navigate a very complicated system, and I’ve done that as a state senator, as a physician in healthcare, and I’m looking forward to that opportunity to do the same thing in Congress,” Alvarado said.
Transparency
something’s going on or something’s not right, that the more transparent you can be, it helps to build that trust. So that’s that’s that’s kind of where I find myself. It depends on the issue where I will land, but, but again, I’m very conservative, and I’m a Christian, and I want us to be strong, and I want us to be
Gordon emphasized her electability in the general and primary races as well as her support for Trump. But she said she’d be able to bring in some voters who may not have supported Trump.
“I would definitely be able to approach things with a different tone and different tenor, especially as being a woman, but I stand with President Trump and what he’s doing. To turn this country around is the right thing to do. Sometimes people are uncomfortable with hearing it bluntly, but some of these things there’s no sugar-coating it, and it just needs to be said,” Gordon said.
How they’d work in Washington
When asked how she would operate in Washington if elected, Gordon mentioned the powerful House Committee on Energy and Commerce, which is chaired by 2nd Congressional District Rep. Brett Guthrie. As an audiologist and owner of an audiology clinic in Richmond, Gordon said she’d be particularly keyed in to the issues from that committee affecting the medical community and small businesses.
She also said she’d like to get involved in agriculture to help farmers of all kinds, given the district’s signature horse and bourbon industries. As for her modus operandi, Gordon said transparency and Christian values would be key.
“When something’s going on or something’s not right, the more transparent you can be it helps to build that trust... It depends on the issue where I will land, but again I’m very conservative, and I’m a Christian. I want us to be strong, and I want us to be prosperous,” Gordon said.
Alvarado stressed his own relationship with Barr, suggesting that he’d try to recreate much of what he’s done over the last decade-plus.
The separating factor for him, he said, is his experience as a doctor. He said he’s met with most of the other 17 doctors currently serving in Congress.
“They tell me that most physicians, because they’re so specialized in their knowledge base, are put typically on three committees: energy & commerce — funding for health care, for Medicare — appropriations & revenue, or you get put on ways and means, which is another one that’s actually becoming more front and centers with the continuing resolutions,” Alvarado said.
Dotson, a Pike County native who lives in Clark County, said he’d work to be like Rep. Hal Rogers, the 5th District Republican, but for Central Kentucky. Rogers, a stalwart of the congressional appropriations process, is the longest-serving member of the U.S. House and is known for directing funds to his Eastern Kentucky district.
The analogy isn’t a perfect one, though, Dotson said after the event.
“I fully respect Hal Rogers and what he’s accomplished, but I’m cut from a little different cloth in the sense that I’ve got a lot of fire in my belly and I have a little youth on my side,” Dotson said. “He’s been there for many years and he’s done a great job for Kentucky, but now things have changed and shifted so much. We need a voice, not an echo.”
Still, pointing to his budget work in the legislature, Dotson framed himself as a veteran of the back room.
“I get in there and I fight in the rooms that matter. What you see on KET is not really what takes place. It’s what goes on behind the scenes. It’s what goes on behind closed doors. You have to develop relationships,” Dotson said.
Israel, AIPAC discussion
There was some tension on stage over Israel and, in particular, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, also known as AIPAC.
The group has come under more scrutiny as Israel’s campaign in Gaza, in retaliation for Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, has resulted in the deaths of many thousands of Palestinians. Politicians on the left and right have criticized the U.S.’s support for the country. In the months since the Oct. 7 attacks, American support for Israel in the conflict has faded, recent polling has found.
Dotson had committed to not taking any money from AIPAC because he does not want to accept money tied to “a foreign entity or foreign country.”
“I love Israel. I support Israel,” Dotson said. “I want to make it (clear), that if we’re truly going to be America first, then we need to make sure that those influences don’t influence our American elections.”
Alvarado did not like Dotson’s framing of the group as tied to “foreign entities,” and said he supports AIPAC.
“It’s American Jews and Americans who want to see better relationships between the United States and Israel, and so I do support that. It’s the only Western democracy in the Middle East, (and) has been an ally for a very, very long time. I’m supportive of Israel,” Alvarado said.
Gordon also expressed strong support for Israel and AIPAC.
“They’re an organization for education for Israel and our alliance with them. We need a friend in the Middle East. Israel is surrounded by enemies, and it’s good to have friends,” Gordon said.
Pete Lynch, an attendee who’s seriously considering a run for the district as a member of the third-party group The Kentucky Party, said he was disappointed the candidates weren’t more critical of Israel.
“It’s a very big problem that two of these three people were just absolutely on board with Israel. That’s a huge problem. It’s a moral failing in our partisan country that we are financially supporting genocide. They’re perfectly willing to go along with that,” Lynch said.
Lynch, however, said he thought the candidates’ takes on free speech — all were bullish on debate and ensuring free speech on campus — were “better than I expected.” He added that he expects Alvarado to be the GOP candidate.
Also in attendance at the event was Geoff Young, a perennial candidate and former Democratic nominee for the 6th Congressional District. Young, holding an “Andy Barr supports genocide in Gaza” sign, told the Herald-Leader he was running for the state House district held by Rep. Lindsey Burke, D-Lexington.
How to win?
When asked a question about how to keep the district Republican, Alvarado said that elections are usually decided on two factors: name ID and cash.
“We’re going to see our financial reports very shortly for all the candidates that are up here, and one of them will have a very large amount of donors and people across the state, across the district… I think I’m frontrunner in that regard,” Alvarado said.
He also said he’s the frontrunner in terms of name recognition. He represented a large swath of Central Kentucky during his time in the Senate, he was the only Latino who gave a speech supporting Trump at the 2016 Republican National Convention, and he ran statewide as the lieutenant governor candidate with former Gov. Matt Bevin.
Gordon brought up Bevin and Alvarado’s narrow loss to Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear in 2019.
“As far as electability, your failed campaign is the reason we have Andy Beshear. I feel like I’m the one that can carry the district and relate most to the people in this district,” Gordon said.
Dotson said a Republican will win the general election, given recent election results.
“Here’s the thing: I’m a fighter, I’m a warrior, I’ll pull out the sword, and I’ll put up a good fight. The thing is that Donald Trump won this district by 15 points and Barr won it by 25. Republicans are going to keep it… One of us three is going to win that seat,” Dotson said.
