Press Release: Gary Clemons Wins Special Election for Senate District 37
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Kentucky AFL-CIO
Belle Townsend, Communications Director
(502) 401-8288, press@kyaflcio.org
Steelworker Gary Clemons Wins Kentucky State Senate Seat in 37th District Special Election, Powered by Labor and Community Organizing
Louisville, KY — In a closely watched special election, Gary Clemons, a steelworker, union member, and Democrat, has won the vacant Kentucky State Senate seat for the 37th District, demonstrating the power of grassroots organizing in elections that are often overlooked.
The special election took place under challenging conditions. Many voters were unaware the election was happening, unsure of their polling locations, or navigating early voting during cold and snowy winter weather—all common barriers in off-cycle elections. In response, union members and community allies mobilized across the district, knocking on doors, educating voters, and helping working families make concrete plans to cast their ballots.
“This win didn’t come from TV ads or last-minute hype,” said Dustin Reinstedler, President of the Kentucky AFL-CIO. “It came from people talking to people—union members knocking on union members’ doors, neighbors helping neighbors, and a community refusing to let weather or confusion stand in the way of standing up and fighting back.”
Labor-led canvasses, known as Labor Walks, were central to the effort with nearly 7,000 doors knocked and 5,000 calls made. Union volunteers focused on voter education, early voting options, polling locations, and turnout planning—especially important in a special election where traditional awareness is low. Community partners joined the effort, underscoring the broad coalition behind Clemons’ campaign.
A career steelworker and President of United Steelworkers Local 1693, Clemons brings firsthand experience from the job site into the State Senate chamber. “This election shows what happens when leadership is forged in real workplaces,” Reinstedler said. “When working people organize together, they don’t just win elections—they change what’s possible.”
Support for the campaign poured in from union members across Kentucky and across the country, reflecting growing national attention on worker-led political victories and the role of labor in strengthening democratic participation.
Advocates say the 37th District race offers a model for how labor and community organizations can successfully engage voters in special elections—particularly those most likely to be ignored—by prioritizing education, relationship-building, and turnout infrastructure.
“Special elections test whether democracy actually reaches working people,” Reinstedler added. “This one proved that when labor shows up, democracy works.”