‘He’s going to win.’ Beshear, other top Dems back Dembo to flip Central KY seat
Kentucky’s most prominent Democrats are displaying a united front in enthusiastically backing Zach Dembo to flip the state’s 6th Congressional District blue in the November midterm election.
At a campaign rally in Lexington, Gov. Andy Beshear, Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman and Beshear senior adviser Rocky Adkins encouraged dozens of people at The Burl to help Dembo win the general election on Nov. 3. The Central Kentucky House seat has been represented by Andy Barr, a Republican, since 2013.
Beshear, who endorsed Dembo last week, said while politicians in Congress “refuse to do their job” and serve as a check on an “out-of-control president,” Dembo would represent the district with integrity.
“Folks, I know Zach,” Beshear said. “I have seen his service, his service to his country, his service to his state. I know that when he takes that oath of office, it means something to him.”
Beshear told reporters he came to the rally because Dembo was a “big benefit” for the governor’s administration. Dembo previously worked in the Beshear administration as a policy adviser and legislative director.
“A lot of the success I talk about, he was a big part of it,” Beshear said. “But he’s going to win. This is an opportunity to flip this seat and to give this area the type of government and governance they deserve.”
Beshear also recently endorsed Democratic candidate Charles Booker in the race to replace outgoing U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell. Booker will face Barr, the Republican nominee, in November.
Dembo, 39, narrowly won a crowded Democratic primary in May and will face Republican Ralph Alvarado on the general election ballot.
Adkins said he saw in Dembo an “unbelievable commitment to people and public service” during his stint with the Beshear administration.
“We have a person that is committed,” Adkins said. “We have a person that’s willing to work hard. We have a person that understands the issues of all people. We understand that we have a candidate that can draw all across from the political aisle to have that kind of support going into November.”
Dembo is also a former federal prosecutor and U.S. Navy judge advocate general.
He has previously said he left the U.S. Department of Justice because it was turned into a “political weapon” when President Donald Trump took office. Dembo’s resignation was repeatedly brought up during the rally, with Democrats calling his decision an example of his strong character.
“Dembo said I’m not going to compromise my principles for anything, including this job, and so he resigned and went out in the private sector and started all over again,” former Gov. Steve Beshear said. “That’s the kind of person we need to represent the district.”
Democrats confident that they can flip the district
Coleman emphasized that Kentucky has an important role to play in the general election. Democratic successes in races like Dembo’s are going to be the reason why Congress flips, she said. (In the Democratic primary, she had endorsed former state Rep. Cherlynn Stevenson over Dembo.)
“We are leading and serving and staying focused on the things that people care about, and the nation is taking notice,” Coleman said. “They’re not gonna have a choice but to take notice in November because this is going to be a big, big election for Kentucky and for the country because Zach Dembo is the right person for this seat.”
It’s not only Kentucky Democrats who have an eye on Central Kentucky; national Democrats are also targeting the district. Last year, the Democratic Campaign Caucus Committee listed the seat as one of their 35 Republican-held “Districts in Play” for the 2026 cycle.
Republicans hold a majority in the U.S. House and Senate by a small margin. Republicans have 217 out of 435 seats in the House and 53 out of the 100 Senate seats.
A Democrat hasn’t been elected to the Central Kentucky seat since 2010, when former Rep. Ben Chandler last won the district. But the Democratic Party is hoping that rising gas and grocery prices and Trump’s low approval ratings will encourage Kentuckians to vote blue.
Speaking at the rally, Chandler said the country is being run by a “criminal syndicate.”
“Because that criminal syndicate is running the country, everybody else in the country is suffering,” Chandler said. “You...go to the grocery store. You go to the gas pump. You know costs are up. This guy got in office saying he was going to bring them down. They are up like we have never seen them.”
Dembo said that like Andy Beshear, he is going to spend “80% of his time focusing on what matters to 100% of the constituents.” That includes lowering the price of gas, groceries and opposing tariffs that he said “crush” the local and national economy.
“We have this administration trying to get a billion dollar ballroom, (and) a $1.8 billion slush fund for folks who assaulted police officers,” Dembo said. “In the meantime, we’re wondering are we going to be able to fill up a full tank of gas, with gas near $4, with diesel near $5, while farmers are trying to plant and deal with their crops.”
If elected, Dembo said he is going to focus on issues that matter to Kentuckians and make it easier for families to prosper.
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Although the district has been targeted by the DCCC, Dembo told reporters that this is a Kentucky race, not a national one.
“I’m happy to talk to anyone who wants to help the campaign, but if you’re asking, ‘Am I going to be taking marching orders from anyone other than Democrats here in Kentucky who’ve won this before (or) advice from anyone?’ It’s going to be a Kentucky race, and I’m a Beshear Democrat,” Dembo said.
Priscilla Johnson, a Lexington voter, told the Herald-Leader Dembo’s campaign resonates with her because he seems to be “for the people.”
“We’re going to be out there,” Johnson said. “We’re going to encourage folks to do early voting, but we’re going to make sure we’re out there (on Election Day).”
Karen Thompson, who lives in Frankfort, called Dembo a “down-to-earth” candidate.
“He seems like he’s just outgoing, and from what I hear, he has worked really hard,” Thompson said. “He’s out there everywhere, and we need somebody that’s going to stand up for the people.”
