Pamela Stevenson leans on experience, family focus in Democratic U.S. Senate bid
Rep. Pamela Stevenson is betting that voters will respond positively to her experience in the military, the state legislature, the pulpit and the ballot box.
Running as a Democrat in this year’s race for U.S. Senate, Stevenson has a unique resume.
Currently, Stevenson serves as the House Minority Floor Leader, making her one of the highest-ranking Democrats in Frankfort. She has represented a section of downtown and West Louisville since 2021, taking a seat once held by Charles Booker, who is also running for U.S. Senate this year.
Stevenson was a career U.S. Air Force Judge Advocate General officer, holding the rank of colonel, before retiring. She’s also an ordained minister.
She weaves those experiences into her pitch for higher office.
“I’m not talking about what I could do. I’m talking about what I am doing. I have worked across the aisle in a super majority, 80 Republicans, 20 Dems, and gotten results for Kentucky families. I have run across this state talking to everyday families about what they need, and the numbers in every race I’ve run have gone up, up, and up because people know I’m listening to them. People know that I can deliver. I have been delivering,” Stevenson said at a forum earlier this spring.
Stevenson is no stranger to statewide elections. In 2023, she lost to Republican Attorney General Russell Coleman by 16 percentage points; she performed third-best of six Democrats on the ballot that year, where only Gov. Andy Beshear won.
She has lagged behind the pack in terms of fundraising. The latest information regarding Stevenson’s campaign fundraising figures is not available on the Federal Elections Commission’s website. An administrator at the commission has written three letters to her notifying Stevenson of a failure to submit financial reports during the last three deadlines to do so.
Stevenson on the issues:
Working family focus: Stevenson’s campaign has been defined by an orientation toward family’s needs. “Working families have been forgotten by Mitch McConnell for far too long, and when I speak with them, what they want is health care, housing, food, shelter,” she said in a recent debate.
Foreign policy: Stevenson draws on her experience as a JAG officer, living in the Middle East and other foreign countries for many years, when addressing the conflict in Iran, which she opposes. “I know what it takes to wage a war. I know what it takes to advise and save American lives,” Stevenson said.
Healthcare: Stevenson says she supports “universal healthcare,” which for her would entail a public option health insurance plan for anyone who wants it without taking away private plans. “We need a strong public option alongside private plans as we build a system that ensures no family loses everything because someone gets sick. Hard‑working people should be able to care for their health at all times — not only when it becomes profitable for an insurance company,” Stevenson wrote.
Minimum wage: Stevenson has tried and fallen short in attempts to increase the minimum wage in Kentucky above the federal $7.25 standard, which has been in place since 2009. She said, if elected, she would work to raise the federal benchmark.
Who’s supporting Stevenson’s bid?
Several of Stevenson’s House Democratic colleagues have endorsed her run for U.S. Senate, including House minority Caucus Chair Lindsey Burke, D-Lexington, and fellow Lexington Democrats Adrielle Camuel and Adam Moore.
Stevenson has also been endorsed by Her Bold Move PAC, a group dedicated to electing women, as well as The Collective PAC, which supports “building Black political power.”
Why Stevenson says she’s the best Democrat to flip Kentucky blue:
It all goes back to the resume for Stevenson. In a recent debate, she said her breadth of experience sets her apart from the others running for U.S. Senate.
“What’s happening now is the destruction of our democracy, and we need a leader who knows government, who’s advised commanders before, and has the experience. I’m also currently the minority floor leader in Frankfort, Kentucky, where we work across the aisle with the Republicans to make sure that Kentuckians have what they need to live, food, health care and those things. I’m running for the US Senate because the promise of America is being shredded,” Stevenson said.
Name: Pamela Stevenson
Age: 67
City of residence: Louisville
Previous politics/government experience: State representative, Kentucky House District 43; ordained minister
Professional background: attorney, U.S. Air Force Judge Advocate General
Learn more: Stevenson for Senate. Find her campaign on Facebook.
