LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — The top five Democratic candidates running for Mitch McConnell's U.S. Senate seat took the stage Monday night in downtown Louisville during the first Democratic primary debate.

McConnell, a Republican who has represented Kentucky in the U.S. Senate since 1985, announced earlier this year that he won't seek reelection in 2026 after more than 40 years in office — creating the first open Senate seat in the state in years.

The following candidates were present at the debate:

  • Charles Booker, former Kentucky state lawmaker
  • Amy McGrath, retired Marine fighter pilot and former congressional candidate
  • Dale Romans, Louisville horse trainer
  • Pamela Stevenson, Kentucky House minority floor leader
  • Logan Forsythe, former Secret Service agent

Democratic U.S. Senate candidates sparred over costs, President Donald Trump's policies, health care, immigration and how they'd represent Kentucky in Washington.

The debate follows a Republican primary debate last month featuring Rep. Andy Barr, Daniel Cameron and Nate Morris, all also vying for the coveted McConnell seat.

Americans are dealing with rising prices at the gas pump, grocery store and pretty much everywhere else.

Mr. Romans, what is your specific plan to make the cost of living more affordable for Kentuckians?

Romans: "We have to repeal all the tariffs that have been in place. We also need immigration reform so we can have a labor force that can do the jobs Americans aren't wanting to do. As far as housing goes, we could do something like a tax credit where we've got these big construction companies that we give tax credits to, to restore old buildings. I think those are things that we can do at the Senate level that can be bipartisan."

McGrath: "The two biggest issues we have are the tariffs, and this war. It's driving up prices for everybody. And then we need to bring back the affordable care act subsidies, so people can afford healthcare again."

Stevenson: "We need to make sure (the tariffs) never happen again. Every working family wants childcare, a good paying job, they want to live in an economy where the wealth doesn't go to the top 1%. So, we have some restructuring to do to make sure this environment is good for working families."

Booker: "Kentucky, we have been sold out long enough thanks to Mitch McConnell. We need to not only take on corporate greed, but lift up working people, and put more money in your pocket. I have a vision to do that with the Working People's Bill of Rights."

Forsythe: "We've had poor leaders in D.C. who do not care about the working class. That's why the minimum wage is $7.25, which is below the federal poverty line, and it hasn't been raised since 2009. That has to be raised to a living wage standard, or else working class Kentuckians will never get ahead."

For the past three presidential elections, President Trump has won Kentucky by a sweeping majority. In 2024 he won with nearly 65% of the vote.

Mrs. McGrath, do you agree with anything Republicans are doing in Congress, and if not, how will you serve Kentuckians given the overwhelming support the President has in this state?

McGrath: "This president has betrayed Kentucky and Kentucky voters, and more and more people are starting to see that. Now more than ever, we need a Congress that is willing to stand up to this reckless, unhinged president. When are we gonna stand up?"

Stevenson: "People are concerned about what's happening. They are listening. (Trump) has not done anything he's said he's going to do. And they see that. And they want it to stop. They want stability in the American dream."

Booker: "Donald Trump has lied to us time and time again. The people of Kentucky who took a chance on someone saying they would drain the swamp are now seeing he is the swamp... This is the moment where we need to stand up to Trump, but stand up for Kentucky."  

Forsythe: "None of (Trump's) promises have come to fruition. Instead, we are looking at more kids than ever going to bed hungry due to SNAP cuts, more Kentuckians than ever not having access to healthcare due to Medicaid and Medicare cuts. And I believe all Kentuckians regardless of party understand that's not right."

Romans: "You can't blame the people of Kentucky for voting for President Trump when he ran for president last time. We were a dysfunctional party at the time. But, they've got a bait and switch. He hasn't done one thing he's told him he's gonna do, and I think he's been the best thing for the democratic party."

The United States is now at war with Iran. Two Kentuckians have died so far in the conflict and negotiations are ongoing during a shaky ceasefire.

Mrs. Stevenson, You've served our country, and you've criticized the President for not understanding the complexities of war. If the U.S. succeeds in taking away Iran's nuclear capability, do you still view our involvement as a mistake?

Stevenson: "The war in Iran is wrong. It is illegal. Anything that's going to cause senseless loss of life, particularly Kentucky life, is a problem. The most important thing was to secure America and protect American military lives. This president has not done that. We must continue to use all diplomatic means to restore the Strait."

Booker: "This has been a mistake on top of a mistake. We are seeing so many lives lost, so much damage, while we're suffering at home. We need leadership that will end the military-industrial complex."

Forsythe: "(The war) will not be worth it regardless of what the administration says they've accomplished because we can't trust the administration when they say they've accomplished anything. The cost of this war is money that should have been spent on other things: our safety net program, education for our children, and everything else that Kentuckians and Americans so desperately need at this time."

Romans: "There should have been a plan in place for the last 40 years to protect the straits. The Trump administration went into it haphazardly and has done everything wrong, and has no way out."

McGrath: "We need a U.S. Senate who knows what they're doing on our national security. This has been the biggest strategic defeat for the United States of America in my lifetime."

The Department of Homeland Security is still not funded, making this the longest partial government shutdown in history because of the debate over ICE reform. 

Mr. Booker, You believe ICE should be abolished. How would you go about tackling illegal immigration without ICE?

Booker: "The criminals are not those who are seeking asylum — they're in the White House. What we need is an immigration system rooted in humanity, not cruelty. We know so many people here are seeking the American dream, and their only infraction is they have not been able to make it through the system because we aren't investing in addressing our immigration shortfalls. We know we can have an immigration system that invests in making sure people can work and matriculate through the system with pathways to citizenship."

Forsythe: "ICE is too far gone. We have to rebuild the system, do it the right way, and ensure that the agents and officers are held to the same standards that I had to go through when I was trained by DHS as a Secret Service Agent."

Romans: "Sure, it'd be great to abolish ICE, but what do you do after that? You need to put them back at the border where they belong. They're not the nation's police force."

McGrath: "I agree with (Romans) in terms of we know we need a secure border, but this version of immigration enforcement has got to go."

Stevenson: "You can't have an organization that goes against the Constitution of the United States. They don't provide due process, they shoot citizens on the streets. They need to be abolished, and we need to make sure that we have something in place."

Senator Mitch McConnell holds the seat you're running for — and has since 1985. His significant power in Washington has shaped the Supreme Court and secured more than $60 billion for Kentucky.

Mr. Forsythe, how can you outperform McConnell in terms of influence and funding for our state?

Forsythe: "What does Kentucky have to show for having such a powerful senator? Again, we have the lowest minimum wage in the nation. Most people cannot find a job after college when they go here. Students from high school usually have to leave the small towns that they grew up in, which is causing small towns across Kentucky to wither away because there's not opportunities there. … I will actually represent working-class people. I will use this seat, this role, to ensure that the working class, the most vulnerable, actually have a voice in D.C. I'm not going to represent the larger special interests or corporations over the workers."

Romans: "Nobody can look at Mitch McConnell's career and say he didn't do a lot for Kentucky and bring a lot of money into Kentucky. We've been the third-largest recipient of federal money since he started in leadership, and there's no freshman that's going to step into his role and be as powerful as he was. But Kentucky's in a unique position where they can elect a Democrat from a red state, which means you don't have to be beholden to the party. You can reach across the line and work across the line, and your vote will matter for both sides."

McGrath: "You talked about Mitch McConnell bringing so much money to Kentucky. He also cut Medicaid, and this big, ugly bill passed last summer was the worst bill for Kentucky in my lifetime, putting 35 of our rural hospitals at risk. He also was just fine with this president cutting $85 million from Kentucky's public schools. That is not what I would do as a United States senator."

Stevenson: "As your senator, I'm going to focus on working families. Working families have been forgotten by Mitch McConnell for far too long, and when I speak with them, what they want is health care, housing, food, shelter — the basics. When we focus on what they need, everybody thrives, and Kentucky is lifted. They need childcare, because right now, $7.25 an hour, holding two or three jobs, means someone has to take care of their children. Focus on working families, and we will lift up Kentucky."

Booker: "Well, Mitch McConnell has long forgotten about the people of Kentucky. He has sold us out a long time ago. We need leadership that will stand up for us. To outperform Mitch McConnell, I'm just going to listen to you. I'm going to work for working people. I'm going to lift up a working people's bill of rights with true living wages. I'm going to fight for Medicare for all and universal basic income, and invest in making sure no one has to sleep on the street or ration their medicine to put food on the table."

Recent disagreements in Congress have forced federal workers to lose pay, caused long lines at airports and suspended SNAP benefits.

Mr. Forsythe, how do you think disagreements in Congress should be resolved? Is there an alternative to shutting down the government?

Forsythe: "It should never be a tool to push forward any agenda for either party, because real people suffer when Congress fails to do their job. The actual federal workers who are still required to go to their work every day during a shutdown are doing that without pay, and their families are struggling. So we have to come up with a system where this is completely off the table. I believe we should stagger our federal allocations… to make sure there's enough money for Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid for five years at a time."

Romans: "Yeah, you should never shut down the government. It shouldn't be allowed. Over a political dispute, you shouldn't hold working people's paychecks hostage — and that's basically what we're doing... We're talking about cybersecurity, TSA agents, the Coast Guard. Those people go to work every day. They should get paid. You shouldn't hold their paychecks hostage to settle your disputes."

McGrath: "When I was in the military, we didn't say, 'oh, well, I can only work with you if you have a red jersey or a blue jersey on.' No, we said, 'what is the mission, and we got to get it done.' Congress has to get the mission done."

Stevenson: "Working families deserve a better Congress than one that would shut down and allow them to be hungry. That we allow the government to shut down and not provide SNAP benefits to our families is an abomination."

Booker: "I come from a hardworking family, a lot of folks in organized labor, and one of the things I know is that when you have a job, you do that job... The government should not shut down. That is a failure, and especially to hold us hostage."

The Trump administration has questioned the integrity of our voting process and has proposed election reform that would require more documents to vote.

Mr. Booker, do you believe there is a problem with our current voting process, and if so, what changes are needed?

Booker: "The access and right to vote is essential. In my career, I've been dedicated to breaking down barriers to the ballot box. We need to do everything we can to make it easier for the American people to vote. And right now, we're seeing an attack on democracy. Donald Trump is trying to steal elections in front of our faces, lifting up the SAVE Act, which would make it harder for millions of Americans to be able to be heard. We need to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. We need to make sure that no one is being discriminated against or being blocked from the ballot box. We need leaders who will stand up for us to make sure that your voice is heard."

Forsythe: "(The 2020 election) was litigated dozens of times throughout America at the request of Trump and his buddies. They lost every one. There was no evidence of wide-scale voter fraud... So, no, the SAVE Act is an overreach by this administration to try to keep people from voting."

Romans: "You know, I have no problem with the way voting is going right now. In Kentucky, you have to have an ID to vote, and I don't have a problem with that. But to have a passport or a birth certificate to prove your citizenship is insane… I wouldn't even be able to vote for myself. But you know, That's a tool to keep us all on the defense as Democrats. I want us, the Democratic Party, to get off the defense and get on the offense about some things."

McGrath: "I mean, this SAVE Act is not the way to go. It would hurt married women, you'd need a birth certificate, a marriage certificate, a passport. A lot of people don't have that. You know who else it hurts? It hurts military families… they would get rid of mail-in balloting. That is just wrong. And I will not be for that."

Stevenson: "If this democracy is going to exist 250 years from now, if it's going to be for the people, by the people, to serve the people, then the people need to vote. Anything that hampers voting is a problem."

Healthcare is a major concern for all Kentuckians. At the end of 2025, Gov. Beshear secured more than $200 million in funding to help offset cuts made by the Trump administration's Big Beautiful Bill. 

Mrs. Stevenson, what initiatives would you push for to make healthcare more available and affordable?

Stevenson: "Health care is a human right. You cannot live in this body and not require physical and mental health care. Right now, we have not done a good job of making sure that it's accessible and affordable. Why can't the government provide a public insurance that competes with the private insurance? We need a solution now so that people can go to the doctor, so that people are not choosing between food, utilities and going to the doctor. Secondly, we need to expand Medicaid, Medicare. We need to make sure those safety net programs are effective and available, and repeal the laws that kick people off Medicaid... We need health care. It needs to be accessible and readily available."

Booker: "We need Medicare for all and we need it now. I will never forget the feeling of running out of insulin and knowing I need to get groceries for the week for my girls and having to decide between my refill or food for my children. I chose my children, and I nearly died from it, and no one should have to die because they don't have enough money in their pocket."

Forsythe: "Yeah, so we have to fight for Medicare for all from day one, but we have to be realistic in knowing that it's going to take a little while to get there. So that's why I would propose a public option. You would have the choice to go on Medicare or keep private insurance as soon as the law passes. We also need to standardize medical pricing at the federal level… that will greatly reduce the cost of private insurance premiums."

Romans: "Medicare for all doesn't work. It's a good talking point for the Democrats… everybody's going to get free insurance. We need to do a complete overhaul. We need to go back to the Affordable Care Act where we put people back on insurance plans… increase the takeout on people's paychecks for health care, but drop their age to 50 years old. That way below 50, health care is not needed as often, and it's not as expensive for the insurance companies."

McGrath: "I'm interested in achievable results. One, we get these Affordable Care Act subsidies back... Claw back everything that these Republicans took away from us… in terms of Medicaid. And then long-term, let's fix what we all know is a broken health care system."

There's a housing crisis in Kentucky. Mortgages are soaring, there's a lack of affordable housing and by the end of the decade, it's projected there won't be enough homes.

Mrs. McGrath, how do you plan to fix this if Kentucky voters send you to Washington?

McGrath: "Affordable housing is so important, and it really affects young Kentuckians. They can't afford a new home. They're already in debt. It's a real issue. The first thing is, let's make sure these companies on Wall Street can't buy homes and then turn around and jack up the rents and make life really unaffordable for people. The tariffs we've been talking about also drive up the cost of building materials, so the cost of new homes is skyrocketing. Beyond that, we should have tax breaks for first-time homeowners."

Stevenson: "One of the most important things we can do for working families is to make sure they have a stable home, and we've not done a good job of that. We worked on a bipartisan bill to help renters, to give them a tax credit so they can prepare themselves for homeownership. We also allotted funds to the Housing Trust Fund so they could help people get into homes."

Booker: "My mom and I experienced homelessness. There have been times I couldn't afford the rent. And what I know is we need leadership that will fight to make sure that no one has to sleep on the street. I'm going to stand up to big money interests, protect renters with a tenants bill of rights, invest in more housing and prevent big corporations from buying up homes."

Forsythe: "(Housing) should not be a for-profit industry. We have to get private equity and large corporations out of the housing market... Most people in my age group have not been able to own a home."

 Romans: "We have a 10 million housing house deficit in this country right now. We need to start building affordable homes... When we get enough supply online, then you'll see housing start to come down."

Public schools in Louisville and Lexington are being reorganized by state lawmakers.

Mr. Romans, you graduated from JCPS. What can you do at the federal level to support Kentucky schools?

Romans: "Education is important to me. In second grade, I was diagnosed severely dyslexic, and education was very difficult. I would love to make Kentucky a pilot area so we use different programs to make learning easier for the kids that have difficulties like I do. They could use documentaries instead of having to read a book. We need to teach kids to be able to read at the pace they can grow... We all learn differently, we all have different speeds of education, and we need to judge each child on its level and what's the best path to put knowledge into its brain."

McGrath: "I come from a family of educators ... my kids go to Kentucky public schools. As a senator, if the Trump administration cuts $85 million from Kentucky schools, I'm going to stand up and actually say no."

Stevenson: "If our children are going to be global leaders, and this world is connected, they have to have a good education system. The economy is directly tied into a good education system. We need to have good-paying jobs so parents don't have two or three jobs, and we need to have pre-K for all and child care."

Booker: "We need to fully and equitably fund our public schools and make sure every child has a safe, thriving learning environment We need to take care of our teachers… I'm going to fight for our teachers and fight for public education every single day."

Forsythe: "My wife has been a public school teacher for 15 years…Every single year, regardless of what district or what school she's been teaching in, she has been asked, as have all of her colleagues, to do more with less. We need to make sure that all of our public schools in all 50 states are fully funded and teachers are paid at a rate in which they want to be there to teach."

Kentucky's primaries will be held May 19, followed by the general election Nov. 3. You can watch the debate in full by clicking here.

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