Mike Nemes nominated as GOP candidate for State Sen. District 38 special election

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Republicans in Jefferson and Bullitt counties have nominated Mike Nemes as the GOP candidate in the special election to replace District 38 State Sen. Dan Seum.

The nomination for the Jan. 14, 2020 special election was announced Saturday in a news release by the Republican Party of Kentucky. Nemes has served as the deputy cabinet secretary for both the Kentucky Labor Cabinet and Education and Workforce Development Cabinet under Gov. Matt Bevin. From 2011 to 2013, he represented the 38th District in the Kentucky House of Representatives.

"Mike Nemes has a proven record of leadership in public service, and he will be a great addition to our team of Republican legislators in Frankfort," said Sarah Van Wallaghen, executive director of the Republican Party of Kentucky. "We’re looking forward to working hard to elect another Republican to maintain our veto-proof GOP supermajority in the Kentucky State Senate."

A Democratic candidate for the seat has yet to be announced.

Seum, a Republican, announced his retirement on Nov. 1 after more than 30 years of public service. The longtime legislator, who made headlines for his public endorsement of Democrat Gov.-elect Andy Beshear during Kentucky's gubernatorial election, told WDRB News that he just is not enjoying his job like he should anymore.