Three Republicans are grappling for a state house seat, which represents roughly 43,000 people in the northern parts of Boone and Kenton counties.
Among them is incumbent Kim Banta, a Republican who has been in office since 2019. The former educator hasn’t faced a primary challenger until this year.
The two people running against her – Cole Cuzick and Seth Winslow Young – said they have fresh ideas for the district that they said will better represent Kentuckians in House District 63.
Here’s more about each candidate:
Kim Banta: Former educator not out to tell people how to live
Religion and lawmaking
Banta is a Catholic, and her conservative voting record is endorsed by Kentucky Right to Life and the NRA.
The two people primarying her told The Enquirer they plan to lead with their Christian values if they’re elected. While Banta always carries her Catholic faith with her, she said her take on lawmaking is different.
“I like the values and the morals that come with religions, and we have to do things like protect life,” she said. “(But) I see our job as setting policy for things that will improve our lives regardless of your religion, regardless of your race, regardless of whatever.”
Banta said she knows her take on leadership is what prompted her primary, but she added that it’s a perspective that has worked well for Kentuckians.
“You have to come together with people,” she said.
Laws passed and laws planned
Banta spent her career in education before she retired and pursued elected office six years ago. Since then, she’s passed legislation she’s particularly proud of accomplishing.
For instance, she passed a law that requires public colleges to give students due process before kicking a student out of school. Now, students have “due process” instead of one person being “judge, jury, and executioner” for students, Banta said.
Banta is also working on legislation to eliminate Kentucky’s “conviction cap,” which permits parole eligibility after 20 years, even for people sentenced to life in prison.
“I’ve been available and worked hard for six years. I think I’m a good choice,” she said about her reelection.
Cole Cuzick: ‘Constitutional conservative’ in a conservative district
Cuzick considers himself a “constitutional conservative.” His grandparents founded the Zion Christian Academy in Florence, where Cole currently works as an administrator and is helping plan a high school expansion.
“This is a very conservative district,” Cuzick said. “It’s home to some of the best Christian private schools in the area and I think Kim Banta has used her position to advocate for the most liberal ideologies in the state.”
He pointed to Banta’s vote against a law that banned gender-affirming care for minors and her support for banning religious counselors from doing “conversion therapy.” (See her remarks about the latter here.)
“I’m running for office to give the voters a different option,” he said.
‘Wrecking ball’ to the state budget
If elected, Cuzick said he will focus on a wide array of fiscal issues.
For instance, he wants to eliminate the state income tax, take a “wrecking ball” to the state budget, and scrutinize services like SNAP and Medicaid.
“All those things are super important,” he said about public service programs. ” (But) if it’s not going to the right people, it’s going to be a detriment for everybody.”
Seth Winslow Young: Out to keep Kentucky, Kentucky
Young planned for a career in the U.S. Navy. He was shipped off to the Naval Station Great Lakes last year near Chicago. But just two months later, he was medically discharged, he said.
“It was definitely a dark time last year, but it was good,” he said. “It was needed because it motivated me to do everything I could to step forward and to serve the people of this district.”
He said politicians who have been in office a long time, like U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, have become “stale” and out of touch with voters.
Young is a lifelong Kentuckian who wants to see politics change and represent a wider swath of the state.
On criminal justice, education, and money
For Young, that means focusing on issues that include criminal justice, education and the state budget. That includes a crackdown and drugs and human trafficking along I-75.
“It’s a backbone for our economy and the Commonwealth, but it’s also a pipeline for a lot of nefarious activities and contraband and other illegal products being shipped through it,” he said.
He also wants to eliminate the state income tax and find ways to help families save money on things like vehicle and primary home residence taxes.
About schools, Young said, “We’re 43rd in the country out of 50. Now, at least we made the top 50, right? I mean, but all jokes aside, 43rd is not something that we should be bragging about.”
He said schools should have more resources at their disposal.
Have a news tip? Comment? You can reach Northern Kentucky reporter Jolene Almendarez at jolenea@usatodayco.com or follow her on social media. Keep up with Northern Kentucky news at NKY.com or by downloading our NKY news app.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Role of religion at issue in GOP statehouse primary in NKY
Reporting by Jolene Almendarez, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
