The Republican secretary of Kentucky’s health cabinet has resigned her position to run for Congress in the heavily Democratic district that includes Louisville.
On Tuesday, Vickie Yates Brown Glisson filed to run for the seat currently held by Democratic Rep. John Yarmuth. He's held the seat since 2007.
“I want Louisville to succeed,” Glisson said in an impromptu news conference shortly before the filing deadline. “I want Louisville to become a city that is strong and robust and a city where our citizens can succeed.”
Glisson has overseen Gov. Matt Bevin’s changes to the state’s Medicaid system, which include the country’s first-ever requirement for beneficiaries to work or volunteer in order to keep benefits.
The Cabinet for Health and Family Services oversees a wide range of state government agencies including child protection, public health and foster care.
“As the secretary of the cabinet, I’ve worked closely with the Trump administration and that’s been a good experience and I think I can work well with the Trump administration to help Louisville become a vibrant city,” Glisson said.
Before serving as Kentucky’s health secretary, Glisson was an attorney with Frost Brown Todd law firm in Louisville and was the chief executive of Nucleus, a business incubator at University of Louisville.
Yarmuth was first elected to Congress in 2006 and has been an avid supporter of the Affordable Care Act.
"As the top Democrat on the House Budget Committee, Congressman Yarmuth is focused on combating attacks by Washington Republicans on the priorities of Louisville families, but he looks forward to debating whichever candidate emerges from the party of Trump primary later this year," said Yarmuth campaign coordinator Heather Dearing in statement.
Yarmuth has gotten more than 60 percent of the vote in his last two bids for re-election.
Republicans Mike Craven and Rhonda Palazzo have also filed to run in the district.
