Todd County native to run for U.S. Senate

This is a post from the Bluegrass Politics Blog that is staffed by The Lexington Herald Leader:

FRANKFORT – A U.S. Navy veteran from Todd County announced his candidacy Wednesday for next year’s Republican primary election in the race for U.S. Senate.

Bill Johnson, 43, who works as a procurement manager for BP, is making his first bid for public office. He said he plans to run whether GOP incumbent Jim Bunning stays in the race or not.

Bunning says he is running for re-election next year, but that has not stopped other Republicans from expressing interest in entering the race.

Other potential Republican candidates include Secretary of State Trey Grayson; Cathy Bailey, a former U.S. ambassador to Latvia; and Rand Paul, a Bowling Green ophthalmologist who is the son of U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas.

Two major Democratic candidates already in the race are Attorney General Jack Conway and Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo, who narrowly lost to Bunning in 2004.

In a news release, Johnson said he respects Bunning “but it is time for new Republican leadership in Washington.

“The land of opportunity is becoming the land of limited prosperity as government grows, the national debt increases, and manufacturing moves offshore. I want to be a voice for concerned citizens who have ‘had enough’ of politicians violating our trust.”

Johnson graduated from the University of Kentucky in 1988 with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. He received a Master’s degree in business administration from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va., in 1995.

Johnson served 10 years in the U. S. Navy and worked in a nuclear program. He now works for BP.

Johnson and his wife, Delinda Johnson, formerly of Casey County, have two children.

He said is a private pilot and aviation enthusiast and has logged over 900 hours of flight time since 1982.

–Jack Brammer