The Kentucky House Democratic Caucus has elected a new leadership team, choosing state Rep. Pamela Stevenson of Louisville as Caucus Floor Leader, Rep. Al Gentry of Louisville as Caucus Chair and Rep. Lindsey Burke of Lexington as Caucus Whip.
Stevenson has represented the 43rd House District in Jefferson County since first being elected in 2020. A retired U.S. Air Force colonel who spent 27 years as a Judge Advocate General and who is now a private attorney, she is the first African American woman, and second woman overall, to lead a legislative caucus in the General Assembly.
“I want to thank my fellow caucus members for their support and look forward to working with them, Gov. Andy Beshear and our legislative colleagues across the aisle,” Stevenson said. “We may be a new leadership team, but we are as committed as ever to pursuing our timeless goals of building on the commonwealth’s many successes while better ensuring that all citizens are able to enjoy that prosperity.”
Gentry stated, “I have been proud to be part of this caucus for the last eight years, and it means a lot to be selected for this new role. Our legislative priorities have significant public support, from raising the minimum wage to providing significantly more funding for public education. Our job is to do all we can to make these and other goals a reality.”
Burke, who just won her second term, noted, “I have dedicated most of my life to helping others, and it means so much that I now have a chance to step up and take on this important responsibility. We have a lot of challenges, but we also have a lot of great ideas about how to fix them.”
It’s an entirely new leadership team for the Democrats, as current Floor Leader Derrick Graham of Frankfort and Caucus Chair Rachel Roberts of Newport did not seek re-election, while Caucus Chair Cherlynn Stevenson of Lexington lost her re-election bid to Republican Vanessa Grossl.