A Kentucky Senate Democratic leader is preparing to run for local office in Jefferson County.
A campaign website and social media account for Sen. David Yates, the Democratic Whip from Louisville, were updated Friday to reflect his plans to run for Jefferson County clerk next year. His website now has a campaign kick-off scheduled for Monday, June 9, with appearances by Louisville area Democrats, including U.S. Rep. Morgan McGarvey and former U.S. Rep. John Yarmuth.
Yates’ updated website comes on the heels of another Democratic senator leaving the caucus. Sen. Robin Webb, of Grayson, changed her party affiliation Friday to join the Republican Party.
Bobbie Holsclaw, the Jefferson County clerk since 1998, is an elected Republican in Louisville, a Kentucky city where voters tend to favor Democrats. She faced some criticism after the November election following an issue with e-poll books that delayed lines early in the day. Democrats sued to keep the polls open longer in the day, but a Jefferson Circuit judge denied their emergency request.
In a phone interview, Yates told the Kentucky Lantern that he prepared to only serve two terms in the state Senate as he strongly believes in term limits. He filed a bill to impose term limits on state lawmakers earlier this year, but the bill did not get a committee hearing.
“I’m part of the superminority in the state Senate, and I love to be able to have be a voice for Jefferson County and argue about what’s best for the Commonwealth of Kentucky, but I think this is an opportunity for me as the Jefferson County Clerk to have a real and immediate impact on on the citizens that we serve,” Yates said.
An attorney, Yates was elected to the Senate in 2020. He won reelection in November for the 37th Senate District, taking more than 60% of the vote in the general election.
Yates cited his grandparents’ history in public service as one of the reasons why he wants to return to local office. He previously served on the Louisville Metro Council between 2010 and 2020, including one year as president of the council.
“I love the opportunity to make my community better, and I see this as an opportunity for me to use my talents and abilities in a way that I think can really transform the Jefferson County Clerk’s Office and to be a model for the whole country,” Yates said.
Yates isn’t the first Democrat to announce a candidacy against Holsclaw. Rosalind “Roz” Welch, a long time election worker, entered the race Thursday.
Democrats hold six seats in the Kentucky Senate. Republicans have 32.
As for the future of the caucus, Yates said Democratic senators will continue to advocate for their priorities in the upcoming session, such as funding early education and public schools, as well as public safety and public health resources. The General Assembly will review the two-year state budget in 2026.
This story was updated with additional comments Friday evening.
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Written by McKenna Horsley. Cross-posted from the Kentucky Lantern.
