FRANKFORT, Ky. (LEX 18) — Republican 6th District Congressman Andy Barr made it official on Monday morning and filed for re-election.
Barr is now seeking his fifth term and was in good spirits when he filed at the Secretary of State's Office.
Barr said he is running again because he wants to continue making a positive difference for people in central and eastern Kentucky.
He has been serving the 6th District since 2012 when he beat Democrat Ben Chandler. He won a tight race in 2018 against Democrat Amy McGrath.
After filing, the Republican answered questions from reporters about a number of issues.
Echoing other House Republicans, Barr says he is against the Democrat-led impeachment process of President Donald Trump.
"Remember, they careened from one theory to another. It was first Russian collusion, then it was obstruction. Now it's this," said Barr.
Even though Republicans are the minority party in the House, Barr says he's still accomplished many of his objectives.
He says he's proud of efforts to bring tougher economic sanctions against North Korea, his work to help veterans struggling with post-traumatic stress, and his part in securing a grant for UK to combat the opioid crisis.
"I'm a member of a weekly bipartisan working group, and we don't give up just because of impeachment, or some of the politics in Washington. We will continue to strive for bipartisan solutions even in this environment," said Barr.
As for the Affordable Care Act, Barr says he is still in favor of repealing it. But adds he wants to focus on bipartisan measures to lower cost of prescription drugs, while protecting those with pre-existing conditions.
The final question Barr was asked Monday morning in Frankfort concerned some of the pardons issued by Governor Matt Bevin.
"I have to say in reading some of what you all (reporters) have written about them, that gives me a great deal of heartburn and I'm troubled. Let me just say, in general, I have tremendous confidence in the prosecutors in the commonwealth of Kentucky, the juries in the commonwealth of Kentucky, and in the appellate courts of the commonwealth of Kentucky. So I would hope that any governor would use the pardon power very sparingly, and very judiciously," said Barr.
Barr has a Republican challenger, Chuck Eddy, who has called himself a "moderate Republican."
Democrat Josh Hicks, a Lexington lawyer, Marine and former police officer, also announced he is running.
