KY 6th District Dem candidate Zach Dembo on immigration, healthcare & more
The Herald-Leader posed seven written questions to the candidates, both Democrat and Republican, seeking to be Central Kentucky’s next member of congress.
For Democrats, those questions addressed issues like immigration, the economy, the U.S. military’s relationship with Israel, the state of the party and more. All the issues discussed would be relevant to how they navigate their position as the U.S. representative for Kentucky’s 6th Congressional District, should they be elected.
Candidates were limited to 150 words in their responses and agreed not to use artificial intelligence in generating their answers.
Below are Democratic contender Zach Dembo’s answers. Other candidate questionnaires can be viewed here.
If you had your way, what health care policy would the U.S. pursue and ultimately enact?
The United States is the only developed country where people routinely go bankrupt from medical bills. That has to change. It’s ridiculous that Kentuckians pay several times more for pharmaceuticals than people in Canada or Mexico. In Congress, I’ll push to require drug companies to charge Americans the same prices they charge overseas. We also need price transparency so people know what a procedure costs before they’re billed for it, caps on out-of-pocket expenses, and reforms to cut the administrative waste bleeding our insurance system dry. Moves from this administration to gut Medicaid threaten Kentuckians directly and could close hospitals and kill jobs. I’ll fight to restore Medicaid from these cuts, expand ACA tax credits, and push hard for a public option to give every American access to affordable coverage if they want it.
Affordability is a big buzz word in politics. Aside from rolling back actions of the Trump administration and GOP Congress – where all candidates agree – what would you do to make life more affordable for Kentuckians in the 6th Congressional District?
Beyond reversing the damage done by this administration, I’d work to raise the minimum wage for the first time in two decades, let Medicare negotiate drug prices, crack down on corporate landowners buying starter homes, cut childcare costs for working families with universal pre-K, paid family leave, and making the child tax credit fully refundable, support the PRO Act and unionization efforts that raise wages for workers, and invest in housing supply to build an economy that works for Kentuckians in the 6th congressional district.
Should the U.S. continue to support Israel’s military? What factors guide your answer?
I fully support Israel’s right to exist and defend itself, but support for the Israeli people doesn’t mean blank checks for Netanyahu’s regime with no accountability. Like so many I was horrified by scenes of children starving, civilian casualties, and forced migrations. What’s happened in Gaza has to affect how we approach the current Israeli government. As a former Navy JAG officer, the factors that guide me in this analysis are the ones that should guide every foreign policy question: Does this advance American security interests? Are we applying our values consistently? Are we exercising proper congressional oversight over how American taxpayer dollars are being spent? If the answer to these questions is no, then we need to evaluate our position carefully.
Democrats are in the wilderness right now. What’s your advice for fellow Democrats when it comes to winning back power in Congress, the White House and other elected offices?
When people say Democrats can’t win in red areas, I point to the only politician I’ve ever worked for, Andy Beshear, who created the blueprint on how to win districts Trump carried by double digits: show up, speak plainly, earn trust, and be authentic. Governor Beshear showed up everywhere and stayed focused on the kitchen table issues: jobs, healthcare, disaster relief, and taking care of people when they’re hurting. During COVID, he was genuine and people trusted him to lead them through crises. Democrats also need more candidates who have actually done things outside of politics, who can reach across the aisle because their loyalty is to people, not to a party. In a time where Trump’s approval ratings are at an all-time low, but national Democrats and Congress are somehow lower, that’s who’s electable in races like this.
Can you describe your ideal U.S. immigration policy? Please provide specifics.
As a former federal prosecutor, I worked with law enforcement, so trust me when I say what we’re seeing from ICE - woefully inadequate training, agents hiding behind masks, entering homes without judicial warrants, arresting folks leaving churches, and these horrific shootings - is unconstitutional, unacceptable, and un-American. Aside from reforming ICE, my ideal policy has four key pillars: secure the border, focus enforcement on actual criminals and genuine public safety threats, fix the broken legal immigration system riddled with backlogs that incentivize illegal entry, and create a realistic path to citizenship for law abiding residents who are paying taxes and raising families for decades. The goal isn’t open borders or mass deportation. It’s a system that’s orderly, humane, and actually works.
What can be done in Congress to boost Central Kentucky’s economy?
The fastest thing Congress can do would be to repeal these disastrous tariffs crushing small businesses, bourbon distillers, farmers, and all of us. Beyond that, Central Kentucky’s long-term economy runs on talent, so we need to make sure our universities are best-in-class, fully fund apprenticeship and vocational programs, and make sure graduates are equipped for the workforce waiting for them. This includes overhauling the broken student loan system run by predatory private lenders. We also need a new Farm Bill that makes sure crop insurance works for family farms growing diversified crops instead of big agribusiness, supports SNAP so working families can put food on the table, and ensures our farmers can actually make ends meet as they struggle under the weight of rising gas and fertilizer prices due to the war in Iran.
What committees would you like to join and why?
If elected, I’m focused on securing seats on committees where I can deliver real results for Central Kentucky from day one. And I’ll be fighting for them from whatever committee I’m on. With eight generations of Kentucky farmers in my family, the Agriculture Committee is personal and I’d be honored to serve there. Central Kentucky’s farmers need a real voice at the table. As a Navy JAG veteran, I’d be uniquely prepared to serve the House Armed Services and Veterans Affairs committees, and as a former federal prosecutor, the House Judiciary and Oversight committees would be ones where I could ensure that justice is administered equally, the Department of Justice’s independence is restored, and that corruption is properly investigated.
