NEWPORT, KY − Democrat Matt Lehman won his state House race by 30 votes in 2024.
Those 30 votes saved the last elected Democrat representing Northern Kentucky in the state's general assembly.
This year Lehman
is running against the same Republican candidate, Terry Hatton, who nearly beat him last time.
Lehman's district, which includes major riverside cities in Campbell County like Newport, Bellevue, and Dayton, has been a Democrat stronghold for almost 100 years. Butredistricting in 2022 brought more rural, conservative areas into the district, The Enquirer previously reported. In the last decade Republicans have tightened their control over state government and now hold a 112-26 supermajority in the state House and Senate.
That's one reason this local race is one of the highest-stakes on the ballot for Northern Kentuckians this year. But a lot of people may not have heard about it yet.
That's in part because both candidates have committed to a civility not often seen in politics anymore. They don't have hot takes to post on social media about breaking political news. They aren't trash-talking their opponent in public. Their followers aren't posting misleading AI ads.
As they both told The Enquirer in interviews, they're more concerned with what's best for District 67 and its voters than bashing each other.
Here's what to know about the candidates:
NKY's 'defacto Democrat'
- Name: Matt Lehman
- Age: 49
- Current residence: Newport
- Education: University of Louisville (political science and history), Master's degree in urban planning from Columbia University
- Work: Research and development in the pharmaceutical biotech industry
- Family: Married, three children
State Rep. Matt Lehman, D-Newport, is a Kentucky native and incumbent running for reelection in Kentucky's 67th District. He was first elected in 2024.
Despite being one of the few Democrats left in the General Assembly, he told The Enquirer, "I always point out, about 80% of what we do is either nonpartisan or bipartisan."
That includes things like infrastructure (like the Fourth Street Bridge project.) and education (like fighting for more funding for Northern Kentucky University.)
"This was a district that Trump won and on the same ballot I won. So there's obviously some level of trust that otherwise Republican voters extended to me on that same ballot," he said.
Some of the biggest issues facing Northern Kentucky
Affordability: "We can't control inflation or gas prices, specifically, at the state level. But I was very supportive of Gov. (Andy) Beshear's tax holiday. I opposed … a 4% state regulatory fee on alcohol sales," he said. " We're trying to get housing costs down. I don't think we need this unregulated, short-term housing and turning Kentucky's housing stock into weekend party houses on every block."
Kentucky Pre-K for all benefits and research: "Children are much better prepared when they get into elementary school. We see less involvement from the justice system later on … we save money and enhance tax revenue on the back end of this," he said.
Civility in politics: "My opponent is a person first. They're not an ideology," he said. "The problem I have with all this (radical) online kind of discourse is it dehumanizes the people you're talking to … I don't think that's healthy for Kentucky. I don't think it's healthy for society."
Veteran, Republican candidate
- Name: Terry Hatton
- Age: 65
- Current residence: Bellevue
- Work: Owner and President of VSP Management Company
- Family: Married, 3 grown daughters, seven grandchildren
Terry Hatton was born and raised in Kentucky. He was 17 when he joined the army, about a month after graduating from Dayton High School in 1978. During his nearly five-year enlistment, he worked in the infantry, administration and transportation.
"I've learned a lot from my military experience," he said, adding that preparation and working with different kinds of people helped shape his leadership style.
After leaving the army, he spent most of his adult life in security.
He was vice president of operations of United Protective Loss Control Co. and was owner and president of Andy Frainsecurity service of Kentucky before he sold it about a decade ago.
Some of the biggest issues facing Northern Kentucky
Workforce: "We've got a major nursing shortage. We've got a major educational resource shortage," he said. "There has to be ways that we can create systems and rewards to improve (workforce)."
Mental health: "One of the biggest things across the board and everything is mental health. Mental health is a challenge for not just the veterans but also for kids, for families."
Civility in politics: "I just saw Matt yesterday − very civil, shook hands, had a nice little conversation. It wasn't 'You're a bad guy,' or any of that," Hatton said. "It's just I love this community and ... I just feel like I can do more for the community."
Have a news tip? Comment? You can reach Northern Kentucky reporter Jolene Almendarez at jolenea@usatodayco.com or follow her on social media. Keep up with Northern Kentucky news at NKY.com or by downloading our NKY news app.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Can the last statehouse Democrat from Northern Kentucky survive?
