Two Louisville attorneys are vying for Democratic Metro Councilwoman Tina Ward-Pugh’s seat next year.Ward-Pugh announced earlier this month she won't seek re-election from the 9th District seat she's held since the inaugural council formed in 2002.The race is expected to draw a crowded field of candidates, but Democrat Christopher Hartley and Republican Laura Rice, both attorneys, are the first to file.Rice is a personal injury attorney who also handles domestic violence cases. Hartley is a former assistant prosecutor with the Jefferson County attorney’s office who now practices business and commercial law."Obviously, I have very large shoes to fill in Tina Ward-Pugh’s long public service career, but I intend to carry out a lot of those effective initiatives that she started and build upon her successes," he says."I think one of the most effective ones was the Green Triangle sustainability initiative. That recently has teamed up with the Louisville Sustainability Council and Metro Government in general. That’s something for sure I’d like to continue on. And Councilwoman Ward-Pugh’s dedication to social and economic justice in all aspects for sure."Rice declined to be interviewed for this story, but did send WFPL the following statement:
