Louisville Democratic Party Chairman J. Russell Lloyd has died at the age of 50.
The party says in a statement that Lloyd died Sunday morning. The Courier Journal reports that Lloyd had been battling cancer.
From the Democratic Party statement:
Virginia Woodward, Vice and Acting Chair of the Board, said’ “It is with great sadness that I announce the passing of my friend and colleague Russell Lloyd. Russell has been the chair since 2016 and brought incredible leadership to the Louisville Democratic Party. He led us through strategic planning, which I see as the beginning of the successes we had in 2018 where we flipped 2 state house seats and the historic turnout in 2019 in Jefferson County that elected Governor Beshear.”
“Russell has made a permanent mark on how the Louisville Democratic Party functions, and we will honor him by continuing his legacy of leadership, ethics, and commitment to electing Democrats across Jefferson County, up and down the ballot. We are all going to miss him, and we send our deepest condolences to his family.”
Russell Lloyd was elected to the Louisville Democratic Party Chair in the 2016 Party reorganization. For several years, he ran the voter protection hotline in Jefferson County and was a formidable advocate for voters whose right to vote was being challenged.
The Louisville Democratic Party represents over 288,800 Democrats in Jefferson County Kentucky.
Funeral arrangements are pending.
Lloyd was a native of Louisville and a graduate of Ballard High School. He earned a history degree from Washington University and his law degree from the University of Louisville.
