Kentucky Rep. Josie Raymond to run for Metro Council; Mary Lou Marzian seeks House seat

State Rep. Josie Raymond wants to leave the legislature for Louisville Metro Council, and former lawmaker Mary Lou Marzian says she will seek a return to Frankfort.

Raymond announced Monday that she plans to run for Metro Council's District 10 seat, which represents parts of Bon Air, Buechel, Camp Taylor and other neighborhoods. Incumbent Pat Mulvihill, a fellow Democrat, announced last week that he does not plan to run for re-election.

Raymond hopes to cinch the position.

“I still want to represent my neighbors,” she said in a release. “And I want to do it in the environment where I can be the most effective for them. I believe that’s Metro Council.”

A few hours later, former state Rep. Mary Lou Marzian announced she will make a bid for Raymond's seat in the Kentucky House.

“It’s been hard watching the attacks on public education, the LGBTQ+ community, abortion access, labor, and our city," Marzian said in a release. “I have the experience, legislative knowledge, and passion to once again be a strong voice for our community.”

After redistricting in 2022, Marzian and Raymond both became part of Kentucky House District 41. Marzian, who had been in the legislature for 28 years, eventually withdrew herself from the race and threw her support behind Raymond. She said she would not play the GOP's "sadistic and misogynist game of pitting Democratic women against each other." 

On Monday, Raymond expressed frustrations with being a Democrat in the General Assembly and said Louisville acted "when Frankfort wouldn't."

“When Frankfort wouldn't pass my paid leave for state employees bill, Louisville did it for city employees. When Frankfort wouldn't pass my bill to find and mitigate the lead eating our kids' brains, Louisville did,” she said. “Help is not coming immediately from the state when it comes to crucial Louisville issues like gun violence and housing-first solutions to homelessness. My hometown must continue to lead to become the thriving, inclusive city we all know it can be.”

She looks forward to being a part of the majority on the council if elected, she said. Rather than fight against Republican policies in Frankfort, Raymond is ready to "play offense" in Louisville.

Fellow state Rep. Cassie Chambers Armstrong, who previously served as the Metro Council District 8 representative, expressed her support for Raymond on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

Councilman Ben Reno-Weber has also thrown his support behind Raymond in a social media post, calling her his "long-time co-conspirator on all things awesome" and that he "literally did a happy dance" when he found out she was running.

"I cannot think of anyone I am more excited to have join us in doing the good work we have embarked upon," Reno-Weber said in a post on X.

Raymond said if elected, she will focus on being an ally to the LGBTQ+ community, labor unions and people who believe in abortion rights. She wants to provide her perspective as a parent to two Jefferson County Public Schools students and focus on serving her constituents, she said.

Raymond has been serving as a state representative since 2018.

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: Kentucky House: Josie Raymond; Mary Lou Marzian unveil election plans