Polling Average
40%30%20%10%0%
13%
30.3%
Republican
Ryan Dotson
KY-06 Republican nominee?
$17.3K
MAY 20, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleState Representative
PartyRepublican
Political ideologyTrump-aligned Republican
Age53 years old (Nov 22, 1972)
GenderMale
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LocationKentucky
BackgroundKentucky state representative
EducationHigh School
Notable personal detailsRyan Dotson is a Republican politician, U.S. Army veteran, and Pentecostal pastor from Winchester, Kentucky. He has served in the Kentucky House of Representatives since 2021, representing the 73rd District. Dotson became a candidate for the U.S. House in Kentucky’s 6th Congressional District in the 2026 election cycle.
SourcesShowHide
legislature.ky.govfec.goven.wikipedia.orgkentuckylantern.comwkyt.comspectrumnews1.comweku.orgkentucky.comkykernel.comthecandidate.comtheedgebereaky.comivoterguide.comapnews.comdocquery.fec.govsos.ky.govfayettecountyclerk.comcom.all-url.infodotsonforky.comlinktr.eefreedomindex.usapps.legislature.ky.govryandotsonforuscongress.comyahoo.comkypublicnotice.comwinchestersun.compbs.orgwkms.orgkentuckycoal.comrepbio.orgcompassknox.comtimesleaderonline.comjournalkentucky.comthefreedomindex.orgkydemocrats.orgjustfacts.votesmart.orgfox56news.comwuky.orgcartercountytimes.combluevoterguide.orglpm.orgfacebook.comdisclosures-clerk.house.govcongress.govgovinfo.govballotready.org
Positions
LiberalConservative
Economy & Taxes
Ryan Dotson supported reducing Kentucky’s individual income tax and voted yes on HB1 (the 2025 bill to cut the state individual income-tax rate from 4% to 3.5%, effective 2026). This vote indicates a preference for state-level tax cuts.
Healthcare
The candidate supports restricting and tightening Medicaid eligibility (including backing work requirements and removing eligibility for people without permanent legal status) and emphasizes cutting government spending and ‘‘waste’’ in health programs. He has opposed COVID-19 vaccine and mask mandates and frames pandemic-era mandates as government overreach.
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Immigration & Border
Supports stronger border security and stricter enforcement measures while framing immigration as an issue of stopping illegal crossings. Positions emphasize conservative, pro-Trump approaches to securing the southern border rather than expanding pathways or asylum protections.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
Ryan Dotson is a social conservative who has consistently opposed abortion, supported making late‑term abortion illegal, and advocated keeping abortion clinics out of Kentucky. His campaign materials state he has “defended the unborn” and earned high marks from conservative family groups. He has spoken in the legislature in favor of measures that restrict abortion and criticized legislators who oppose such measures.
Climate & Energy
Supports preserving coal-fired power and emphasizes reliability of coal over intermittent renewables while expressing openness to renewables; policy actions and statements favor sustaining fossil fuel production and local energy reliability rather than aggressive emissions regulations. Has served on the Kentucky House Natural Resources and Energy Committee.
Public Safety & Guns
Supports an expansive Second Amendment and opposes measures that would weaken gun rights, explicitly opposing “red flag” laws and what he calls backdoor gun registries. Positions emphasize defending Americans’ right to keep and bear arms and resisting new restrictions on lawful gun ownership.
News
AINews Summary
Last updatedJul 15, 2026
Ryan Dotson is in the news because he is part of Kentucky’s competitive 2026 Republican primary landscape. The latest coverage says GOP primaries are likely to decide the eventual winner in the state’s open U.S. Senate race and other key contests. More broadly, Kentucky’s primaries are being watched as part of the early 2026 fight for Senate control.
legislature.ky.gov+44
Polls
KY-06 Republican nominee?
Aggregation source: FiftyPlusOne
Endorsements
KY-06 Republican nominee?
Endorsers of Ryan Dotson for KY-06 Republican nominee?
Representative Whitaker
Elected official
Representative Whitaker endorsed Ryan Dotson for Congress.
Fundraising
Latest report: Cycle 2026Total raisedCash on hand
$567.6K
$425.7K
$283.8K
$141.9K
$0
2026
LatestYear
Total raised
Cash on hand
Total spent
Burn rate
Cycle 2026
$567.6K
$3.3K
$564.3K
$31.4K
Source: FEC