Education candidates for General Assembly
Kentucky School Advocate
February 2020
After educators helped propel Andy Beshear and Jaqueline Coleman to victory in the governor’s race this past November, several educators and education advocates have decided to run for office themselves. By the Jan. 10 filing deadline, more than 30 candidates with education experience had filed for office.
Note: Know of another educator running for the Kentucky legislature? Email us at [email protected].
School board members:
At least three current or former Kentucky school board members who have not run before will be seeking a seat in the legislature this year.
* Former Rowan County School Board member Bill Redwine is seeking a seat in the House of Representatives in a special election. The Feb. 25 election for House District 99 will decide who replaces Rocky Adkins who resigned to join the Beshear administration.
Redwine, a Democrat, served on the Rowan County school board for 25 years including four years as chairman and 10 years as vice chairman before resigning in 2015. He previously served on KSBA’s Board of Directors. Redwine is a former president of the National Association of College Auxiliary Services and is a retired Morehead State University administrator.
* In the general election, Murray Independent board member Jason Howell is running for state Senate. Howell, a Republican, is running unopposed for the seat now held by Republican Stan Humphries who decided not to run for reelection after two terms.
Howell, an attorney, was appointed to the Murray Independent board in 2017 and won election in 2018. He is currently vice chairman of the board.
* In central Kentucky, Will Barnett, former Shelby County school board member, is running for state representative in the 58th District. Barnett, a Democrat, served on the Shelby County school board from May 2017 until December 2018.
* Former KSBA president and former Boone County school board member Ed Massey, a Republican, is running to retain his seat representing the 66th District. Former Jefferson County school board member Rep. Lisa Wilner, a Democrat, is running unopposed to retain her seat representing the 35th District.
Teachers and administrators:
3rd District: Corbin Snardon, Democrat, assistant principal, Paducah Middle School. Snardon is also reportedly the first African-American to run for a state legislative seat in the Jackson Purchase Area.
6th: Linda Story Edwards, Democrat, retired teacher, Marshall County Schools. If she wins the Democratic primary, Edwards would run against her former student Rep. Chris Freeland, a Republican, who is seeking his second term.
8th: Pam Dossett, Democrat, teacher, Christian County Schools.
15th: Crystal Chappell, Democrat, special education teacher, Muhlenburg County Schools.
39th: Carolyn Dupont, Democrat, professor, Eastern Kentucky University.
45th: Killian Timoney, Republican, director of plant operations and former teacher and coach, Fayette County Schools.
45th: Sean Mike Pickard, Democrat, behavior coach at Clays Mill Elementary, Fayette County Schools. He faces two opponents in the Democratic primary. If Pickard wins, he will face fellow Fayette County employee Timoney in the general election.
56th: Bob Gibson, Democrat, chief information officer, Woodford County Schools.
59th: Tiffany Dunn, Republican, teacher, Jefferson County Schools. Dunn is running in the Republican primary against House Speaker David Osborne.
68th: Nancy Bardgett, Democrat, retired special education teacher, Fort Thomas Independent Schools, and current supervisor, University of the Cumberlands.
69th: Ryan Neaves, Democrat, teacher, Erlanger-Elsmere Ind. Schools
72nd: Todd Neace, Democrat, principal, Bath County Middle School.
82nd: Matt Anderson, Republican, teacher, Whitley County Schools. Anderson is running in the Republican primary against another educator, Rep. Regina Huff, a former special education teacher in Whitley County.
91st: Paula Clemons-Combs, Democrat, teacher, Breathitt County High School. Clemons-Combs is running to replace Rep. Cluster Howard, a Hazard Community and Technical College teacher, who is not seeking re-election.
Current state reps with education experience seeking re-election:
14th District: Scott Lewis, Republican, former superintendent, Ohio County Schools, running unopposed.
20th: Patti Minter, Democrat, history professor, Western Kentucky University.
23rd: Steve Riley, Republican, retired teacher and administrator, Barren County Schools.
31st: Josie Raymond, Democrat, former middle school teacher in Indiana, and current academic coach, University of Louisville.
32nd: Tina Bojanowski, Democrat, special education teacher, Jefferson County Schools.
51st: John “Bam” Carney, Republican, teacher and administrator, Taylor County Schools.
57th: Derrick Graham, Democrat, retired teacher, Frankfort Independent Schools.
63rd: Kim Banta, Republican, retired assistant superintendent, Kenton County Schools. Banta was elected in November 2019 to fill the remainder of the term vacated by Diane St. Onge.
71st: Travis Brenda, Republican, math teacher, Rockcastle County schools
82nd: Regina Huff, Republican, former special education teacher, Whitley County Schools.
97th: Bobby McCool, Republican, retired teacher, Big Sandy Community and Technical College