KY-05: Democrat who says he stands for 'underdogs' will be one in quest to unseat Hal Rogers
Prestonsburg attorney Ned Pillersdorf is hoping to unseat longtime Republican U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers next year.
Pillersdorf was scheduled to formally announce his candidacy at the Rosenberg Square in the Floyd County seat Friday afternoon, but he spoke with the Kentucky Lantern earlier this week about his plans. Pillersdorf, a Democrat, said his decision to run stems mostly from Rogers’ support for the sweeping GOP megabill that includes cuts to social safety net programs on which many people in the district depend.
Rogers, of Somerset, has represented Kentucky’s 5th Congressional District for nearly 45 years. The region includes much of Appalachian Kentucky.
The congressional district is also one of the nation’s poorest and one of the most dependent on Medicaid. Almost half of the constituents in the district — 44% — rely on the state-federal program to pay for their health care and it has been critical to sustaining hospital services in Eastern Kentucky.
https://kentuckylantern.com/2025/07/04/eastern-kentucky-attorney-known-for-representing-underdogs-hopes-to-unseat-hal-rogers/