Another Kentucky House member announces Louisville Metro Council bid
Another state legislator is setting his sights on the Louisville Metro Council. State Rep. Kevin Bratcher announced plans to run for the District 22 seat, which current Councilman Robin Engel said Thursday he will vacate.
"The older I get the more interested I am on local issues such as planning and zoning," Bratcher told The Courier Journal, adding there were several reasons he wanted to run for the seat including, "LMPD and crime-fighting issues and just a general interest in making Fern Creek (and Louisville) a better place to live."
District 22 includes parts of southeast Jefferson County, including Fern Creek and pieces of Jeffersontown.
The announcement comes three days after State Rep. Josie Raymond announced she would run for the District 10 council seat Pat Mulvihill is exiting.
CM Engel announced today he will not seek re-election. Therefore, I plan to file papers next week to fill that LouMetro seat D22.
Subsequently, I will not seek re-election for my current State Representative seat in the Kentucky Legislature.— Kevin D. Bratcher (@KEVINBRATCHER11) November 30, 2023
Bratcher has served as a representative since 1997 and is the legislator for Kentucky House District 29, which includes part of Jefferson County. He was one of twelve Republicans who signed a letter to request a special session following the Jefferson County Public Schools' transportation disaster at the beginning of the 2023 school year. He also sponsored a bill to fund the Jefferson County Youth Detention Center in downtown Louisville.
Engel was part of the inaugural 2003 Metro Council. In a message to constituents, he wrote that after prayers and thoughtful consideration, leaving the council was the right decision for him.
"I am proud to have been an advocate for the Fern Creek area during my tenure and have had the pleasure of working with so many outstanding individuals throughout my career," he said. "This final year, I promise to run through the finish-line and make sure that my successor is ready to continue the important work we have taken on together."
Engel will continue to serve until December 2024.
Reach reporter Eleanor McCrary at EMcCrary@courier-journal.com or at @ellie_mccrary on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: State Rep. Kevin Bratcher announces run for Louisville Metro Council
