Bruce Lunsford (KY)

Bruce Lunsford is a successful entrepreneur, business leader and health care executive. He is a native Kentuckian with a reputation for getting things done.

Bruce started Vencare Inc. in 1984 and the enterprise grew from a single hospital to 360 hospitals employing over 60,000 people. In 1998 he split the company in two in an effort to protect nurse’s jobs and shareholders. Bruce has led one of the companies, Ventas, to its current status as a Fortune 500 corporation and hired Debra A. Cafero as CEO, making her one of the nation’s most prominent female executives.

Bruce first became active in politics in 1979 when he was involved in John Y. Brown’s gubernatorial campaign. He served as Treasurer of the Kentucky Democratic Party and was quickly elevated to Governor Brown’s Deputy Development Secretary and Legislative Liaison. He became a rising star in his Administration, and in 1980 was named head of Kentucky’s first Commerce Cabinet. In that post Bruce helped land more than 55,000 new jobs and $4.6 billion in new manufacturing investment.  Some of the significant projects Bruce negotiated included setting up the United Parcel Service hub in Louisville, the Delta Air Lines hub in northern Kentucky and downtown redevelopment projects in Ashland, Lexington and Louisville.

After growing up on his family's Northern Kentucky farm, Bruce went on to college at the University of Kentucky, laying blacktop as a way to help pay for his education. He later served in the National Guard and Reserve for six years. Bruce now lives in Louisville and has three daughters, Amy, Cindy and Brandy, and three grandchildren, Isabella, Liam and Noah.

If the 2007 election is any indication, Republicans are in trouble in Kentucky. As the Senate Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell has continually blocked any meaningful change in the President's Iraq policy and repeatedly defended the status quo. Bruce Lunsford -- who Governor Steve Beshear calls "an exceptionally strong candidate" – handily won the Democratic primary and is mounting a strong challenge against McConnell.  

Bruce has been endorsed by dozens of notable organizations including the Kentucky AFL-CIO, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, United Food and Commercial Workers, United Steelworkers, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, and Service Employees International Union.

With a tough race ahead of him, we must do everything we can to change this seat and elect Bruce Lunsford. You can help his campaign by contributing now. If you live near Bruce and would like to help you can also sign up to volunteer and we will help connect with his campaign. The stakes are too high, the time is short – get involved today.