Republican state Rep. Kevin Bratcher of Louisville announced he will not seek reelection to his seat in the General Assembly and plans to run for Louisville Metro Council.?

The news comes after Republican Council Member Robin Engel announced he will not seek reelection to the city council. WDRB first reported Bratcher’s plans.?

“CM Engel announced today he will not seek re-election,” Bratcher said Thursday on X, formerly Twitter. “Therefore, I plan to file papers next week to fill that LouMetro seat D22. Subsequently, I will not seek re-election for my current State Representative seat in the Kentucky Legislature.”

Bratcher was first elected to the state House of Representatives in 1997. His term ends in 2025. He was the first GOP Majority Whip in the Kentucky House of Representatives.?

He is the chair of the House Committee on Elections, Constitutional Amendments & Intergovernmental Affairs. Bratcher also serves on the House committees on State Government, Licensing, Occupations, & Administrative Regulations, and Judiciary.?

During the last legislative session, Bratcher was the primary sponsor of a GOP-led bill aimed at improving Kentucky’s juvenile justice system, House Bill 3, which was signed by Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear.?

The law allocated around $20 million to renovate and operate a Jefferson County Youth Detention Center and a facility in Lyndon in Jefferson County. It required detention for more juvenile offenders starting July 1, 2024 and opens their records for three years. At that time, they can be closed if the minor hasn’t had any other offenses.?