Calvin Leach named Republican nominee for special election

Calvin Leach is from Louisville, Kentucky. He has a bachelor's degree in Spanish and a master's degree in political science from the University of Louisville.

Calvin has previously worked as a welder at Electrolux, a package handler at UPS, a driver, and a part-time supervisor at Tech Style. He also served in the US Army Reserve for five years. 

Calvin Leach - Ballotpedia

Calvin previously ran for Kentucky State Senator in District 37 in 2024 but did not win.

Supports eliminating unnecessary regulations and barriers that would hamper entrepreneurship.

Supports eliminating "unnecessary regulations and barriers" to help small businesses and entrepreneurship thrive.

Supports modernizing the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport by securing federal funding for expansion, including a US Customs facility and a new concourse, to increase passenger volume, boost revenue, attract businesses, and enhance the city's global profile, believing it will benefit Kentucky's GDP.

Supports modernizing the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport by securing federal funding for expansion, believing it will benefit Kentucky's economy.

- Supports eliminating "unnecessary regulations and barriers" to help small businesses and entrepreneurship thrive.
- Supports modernizing the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport by securing federal funding for expansion, believing it will benefit Kentucky's economy.

Economy

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Opposes gun control and supports firearm training programs.

Believes the government's primary responsibility is to protect citizens, saying, "If we aren’t doing that, then we aren’t doing our job."

Supports redistributing confiscated firearms to "low-income and law-abiding individuals who can pass a background check but can't afford a firearm."

Opposes elevating "sexual orientation" to a protected class alongside race, religion, sex, age, and disability in nondiscrimination law.

Opposes elevating sexual orientation and gender identity to a protected class alongside race, religion, sex, age, and disability in nondiscrimination law, saying, "I don't believe that gender identity or sexual orientation is an inherent quality. I believe those are simply choices an individual makes... I do not support the idea of them receiving any kind of preferential treatment."

Opposes allowing transgender individuals to access facilities that correspond with their gender identity.

- Opposes gun control and supports firearm training programs.
- Believes the government's primary responsibility is to protect citizens, saying, "If we aren’t doing that, then we aren’t doing our job."
- Supports redistributing confiscated firearms to "low-income and law-abiding individuals who can pass a background check but can't afford a firearm."
- Opposes elevating sexual orientation and gender identity to a protected class alongside race, religion, sex, age, and disability in nondiscrimination law, saying, "I don't believe that gender identity or sexual orientation is an inherent quality. I believe those are simply choices an individual makes... I do not support the idea of them receiving any kind of preferential treatment."
- Opposes allowing transgender individuals to access facilities that correspond with their gender identity.

Public Safety

Supports funding a "one-stop shop" facility to address the addiction crisis, including a health clinic, rehabilitation, and occupational training.

Opposes abortion and voted for House Bill 5, which prohibits abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected, with limited exceptions such as to save the mother’s life or in cases of rape or incest.

Opposes abortion after "a fetal heartbeat" is detected, which is typically around 6 weeks of pregnancy, with limited exceptions such as to save the mother’s life or in cases of rape or incest.

Supports "Medical Rights of Conscience," which would protect healthcare workers from being fired for refusing to participate in procedures that go against their personal beliefs.

- Supports funding a "one-stop shop" facility to address the addiction crisis, including a health clinic, rehabilitation, and occupational training.
- Opposes abortion after "a fetal heartbeat" is detected, which is typically around 6 weeks of pregnancy, with limited exceptions such as to save the mother’s life or in cases of rape or incest.
- Supports "Medical Rights of Conscience," which would protect healthcare workers from being fired for refusing to participate in procedures that go against their personal beliefs.

Healthcare

Supports partnerships between local businesses, trade schools, and high schools to help students find success without pursuing higher education.

Supports staffing every school with resource officers and a security team well-prepared to respond to imminent threat.

Supports staffing every school with "resource officers and a security team well-prepared to respond to imminent threat."

Believes school curriculums should be "strictly academic and not ideologically motivated."

Believes school curricula should be "strictly academic and not ideologically motivated."

Supports school choice and the use of tax credits, vouchers, and education savings accounts for parents to choose schools for their children, including private religious schools.

Supports letting eligible families use public funds, such as tax credits or vouchers, to send their children to schools outside their local public system, including private or religious schools.

Supports transparency in school curriculum and activities by allowing parents to access what their children are learning and opt them out of specific lessons or extra-curricular activities.

Supports allowing parents to access what their children are learning and opt them out of specific lessons or extra-curricular activities.

- Supports partnerships between local businesses, trade schools, and high schools to help students find success without pursuing higher education.
- Supports staffing every school with "resource officers and a security team well-prepared to respond to imminent threat."
- Believes school curricula should be "strictly academic and not ideologically motivated."
- Supports letting eligible families use public funds, such as tax credits or vouchers, to send their children to schools outside their local public system, including private or religious schools.
- Supports allowing parents to access what their children are learning and opt them out of specific lessons or extra-curricular activities.

Education

Supports term limits for Congress members.

- Supports term limits for Congress members.

Voting & Elections

As of November 12, 2025, Calvin Leach’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Energy & the Environment

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Calvin Leach

- Supports funding a "one-stop shop" facility to address the addiction crisis, including a health clinic, rehabilitation, and occupational training.
- Opposes abortion after "a fetal heartbeat" is detected, which is typically around 6 weeks of pregnancy, with limited exceptions such as to save the mother’s life or in cases of rape or incest.

- Opposes gun control and supports firearm training programs.
- Believes the government's primary responsibility is to protect citizens, saying, "If we aren’t doing that, then we aren’t doing our job."
- Supports redistributing confiscated firearms to "low-income and law-abiding individuals who can pass a background check but can't afford a firearm."

- Supports funding a "one-stop shop" facility to address the addiction crisis, including a health clinic, rehabilitation, and occupational training.

- Supports partnerships between local businesses, trade schools, and high schools to help students find success without pursuing higher education.
- Supports staffing every school with "resource officers and a security team well-prepared to respond to imminent threat."
- Believes school curricula should be "strictly academic and not ideologically motivated."

Calvin Leach is from Louisville, Kentucky. He has a bachelor's degree in Spanish and a master's degree in political science from the University of Louisville. He lives with his family in Louisville's South End. He is a born-again Christian.

Calvin is a part-time airport worker. He previously worked as a TIG welder and spot welder at Electrolux, and he was a package handler at UPS. He also worked as a driver and part-time supervisor at JustFab (now Tech Style) and served in the US Army Reserve for five years. 

As of November 12, 2025, Calvin Leach did not have a website or any information online.

Buket Urgen

Plans to secure funding for a "one-stop shop" facility to address the addiction crisis, which will include a health clinic, rehabilitation services, and occupational training.

Opposes "Far Left woke ideology" in education.

Democratic candidate nominated to fill vacant Kentucky State ...

Gary is a union leader who has spent nearly two decades representing workers. He also serves as an Army Reservist.

Louisville Democrats announce Gary Clemons as nominee for ...

Supports fair wages, safe working conditions, and respect for workers.

Supports "fair wages, safe working conditions, and respect for workers."

- Supports "fair wages, safe working conditions, and respect for workers."

As of November 12, 2025, Gary Clemons’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Believes "everyone deserves quality health care they can afford" and plans to protect and expand healthcare access.

Supports access to mental health resources for veterans.

Supports access to mental health resources and reintegration support for veterans.

- Believes "everyone deserves quality health care they can afford" and plans to protect and expand healthcare access.
- Supports access to mental health resources and reintegration support for veterans.

Supports investment in students and adult learners to build a thriving workforce.

Supports investment in vocational training, "career pathways," and students and adult learners.

- Supports investment in vocational training, "career pathways," and students and adult learners.

Gary Clemons

Gary is currently a state senator representing Kentucky's 37th District. He was elected in 2025 and is serving his first term.

As of November 12, 2025, Gary Clemons did not have a website or any information online.

Gary Clemons is a union leader and United States Army veteran, born and raised in South Louisville, running in a December special election for the Kentucky Senate. He graduated from Valley High School. He lives in Louisville, Kentucky.

Gary is the president of United Steelworkers Local 1693, where he has worked since 1996. He is also a U.S. Army veteran.

Gary's campaign for Kentucky State Senator, District 37 is his first entry into politics. 

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Opposes President Trump's February 2025 tariffs on Chinese goods, which led to a 20% retaliatory tax on U.S. soybeans, impacting Kentucky farmers.

Supports House Bill 611, which mandates reporting guardians of students with 15 or more absences.

Opposes industrial-scale wind energy projects.

Kentucky State Senate District 37 - Ballotpedia

Wendy Higdon was born in Anchorage, Alaska. She earned an associate degree from Jefferson Community College in 2020. 

Wendy is a healthcare professional. She worked as a surgical technician at a level 1 trauma pediatric hospital. 

Wendy previously ran for Kentucky State Senator, District 42, in 2012 but did not win. 

Supports eliminating property taxes on primary residences and vehicles under $20,000, and removing sales tax on food, medical visits, and prescription medicine.

Supports eliminating property taxes on primary residences and vehicles under $20,000.

Supports balanced budgets and strategic spending cuts to protect Kentucky's economic future and maintain essential community programs.

Supports balanced budgets and strategic spending cuts that maintain essential community programs.

Opposes "bailouts for failing businesses."

- Supports eliminating property taxes on primary residences and vehicles under $20,000.
- Supports balanced budgets and strategic spending cuts that maintain essential community programs.
- Opposes "bailouts for failing businesses."

Supports personal and civil liberties, including marijuana legalization, marriage equity, and school choice.

Supports privacy rights, opposes government surveillance and military-style policing, and advocates for decriminalizing "victimless crimes."

- Supports personal and civil liberties, including marijuana legalization, marriage equity, and school choice.
- Supports privacy rights, opposes government surveillance and military-style policing, and advocates for decriminalizing "victimless crimes."

Proposes splitting the district into smaller parts to ensure timely school transportation and greater parental control over school boards.

Proposes splitting school districts into smaller parts to ensure timely school transportation and greater parental control over school boards.

- Proposes splitting school districts into smaller parts to ensure timely school transportation and greater parental control over school boards.

As of November 12, 2025, Wendy Higdon’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Wendy Higdon

Wendy Higdon was born in Anchorage, Alaska. She earned an associate degree from Jefferson Community College in 2020. Her career experience includes working as a healthcare professional, surgical tech of a level 1 trauma pediatric hospital, and member of a neurology emergency call team.

Wendy's campaign for Kentucky State Senator, District 37 is her first entry into politics. 

As of November 12, 2025, Wendy Higdon did not have a website or any information online.

Wendy is a healthcare professional. She previously worked as a surgical tech at a level 1 trauma pediatric hospital and was a member of a neurology emergency call team. 

Supports removing sales tax on food, medical visits, and prescription medicine.

Believes there should be no sales tax on food, doctor visits, or prescription medicine.

- Your state senator represents the interests of your district in the Kentucky State Senate. The State Senate, along with the State House of Representatives, makes up your state lawmaking body: the Kentucky General Assembly. 
- Your state senator can author, sponsor, and vote on bills that may become state laws after going through the legislative process. 
- There are 38 Kentucky state senators, each representing a single district. Senators must be at least 30 years old and reside in the state for at least six years before their election. 
- State senators are elected to four-year terms, with half of the Senate elected every two years. They only serve part-time.
- In addition to a $203 per day salary, state representatives also receive mileage reimbursements and a daily expense stipend of $182. 

Kentucky State Senator, District 37

Candidates (3)