9. Amy McGrath (D)
State: Kentucky
Race: 6th District
Platform highlights: On her campaign website, McGrath first mentions healthcare, a subject on the minds of many Americans and Kentuckians in particular. She acknowledges that the American Care Act (ACA) is imperfect, but that it also provided many important opportunities for constituents in the district. She puts forth the goal that all Americans should have universal healthcare coverage, free of as many insurance rules as possible. McGrath is careful to state that the currently proposed single-payer healthcare would be overly chaotic, however.
McGrath advocates for a strong military accompanied by an equally strong use of diplomacy and cooperation. She also points to climate change as a major factor in domestic and international relations, and the necessity for acknowledging and addressing it now. McGrath also supports legalization of medical marijuana use, better funding for programs addressing the opioid crisis, and more open immigration laws. She writes of her visit to a detention center in El Paso, which included complex views of how the facility was run, how people were processed through the system, and a damning view of the “inhumane” family separation policy.
Why you should watch out for her: McGrath herself is an interesting candidate, given that she is a retired lieutenant colonel in the Marine Corps. Moreover, she flew over 80 combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Her military experience could potentially give her an edge with voters who give more credit to members of the armed services and their perceived politics.
Then again, McGrath is not the typical conservative former military member that some voters might expect. She’s running on a Democratic platform in a red state, for one. McGrath, a political newcomer, also decided to run for office in part because she was disappointed by Trump’s win in the 2016 elections.
McGrath’s opponent is incumbent Representative Andy Barr, who has represented Kentucky’s 6th District since 2013.
Campaign website: www.amymcgrathforcongress.com