Charles Booker, a Democrat and former state representative from Louisville, is running for U.S. Senate in Kentucky. The general election is Nov. 3.

Booker faces Republican Andy Barr and Kentucky Party candidate Christopher Campbell, according to BallotReady election data. He is certified for the ballot.

Booker is the first African American to be a major party nominee for U.S. Senate in Kentucky, having won the Democratic primary in 2022 and again in 2026.

On his campaign website, Booker said he grew up in West Louisville in a family that struggled financially. He has type 1 diabetes and said he had to ration his insulin when he was younger due to the cost. He is the father of three daughters.

Candidate information

  • Born: Oct. 20, 1984, in Louisville, Kentucky
  • Education: Bachelor's degree in political science, University of Louisville (2007); law degree, University of Louisville (2010)
  • High school: Louisville Male High School

Experience and public service

Booker represented District 43 in the Kentucky House of Representatives from 2019 to 2021, according to BallotReady. As a state legislator, he served on the economic development and workforce, judiciary, and natural resources and energy committees.

He served as director of the Governor's Office of Faith-Based Initiatives and Community Involvement. Other roles include director of personnel and administrative services at the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife, project manager on Mayor Greg Fischer's Innovation Delivery Team in Louisville, and director of strategic partnerships at West Louisville FoodPort Development.

Booker said he founded Hood to the Holler, a grassroots organization.

On the issues

Booker outlined these positions on his campaign website and in BallotReady questionnaire responses. They reflect his stated views.

Jobs and wages: Booker proposed what he calls a "40 for 40 for 45" plan. Workers who put in 40 hours a week would be entitled to a minimum of 40 hours of paid sick leave and a minimum income of $45,000. He said he supports universal basic income, a federal jobs guarantee with paid retraining for workers displaced by automation, and strengthening the right to unionize.

Health care: Booker said he supports Medicare for All. He said he would fight to restore abortion rights, repeal the Hyde Amendment, and ensure abortion and contraceptive coverage are fully covered as a form of health coverage.

Housing and economy: Booker said he would build more affordable housing, implement federal rent stabilization, strengthen tenant protections and make investments to end homelessness. He also proposed a public equity stake in artificial intelligence development so profits are "shared broadly through a dividend for working people."

Education: Booker said he supports canceling student debt, making public colleges and universities tuition-free, and full investment in Kentucky's education system. He said he supports universal childcare.

Environment and government reform: Booker supports a Green New Deal. He said he would ban members of Congress from trading individual stocks and prohibit companies from using AI alone to make hiring or firing decisions. His campaign said it does not accept corporate PAC money.

Endorsements

The following endorsements are listed on Booker's campaign endorsements page and on BallotReady:

  • AFL-CIO
  • Northern Kentucky Labor Council
  • United Steelworkers Local 14581
  • LIUNA, the Laborers' International Union of North America
  • IUE-CWA Local 83761
  • Communications Workers of America, Kentucky
  • National Education Association
  • Working Families Party
  • Progressive Voters Network
  • March On PAC
  • New Power PAC
  • John Yarmuth
  • Nina Turner
  • Deval Patrick
  • Ro Khanna
  • Jamaal Bowman

Candidate responses and policy positions were drawn from the candidate's campaign website and BallotReady questionnaire responses. NKY Current did not interview the candidate for this profile.