Shauna Rudd

Shauna Rudd (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Kentucky's 6th Congressional District. She lost in the Democratic primary on May 21, 2024.

Rudd completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Shauna Rudd was born in Lexington, Kentucky. Rudd earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Kentucky in 2017. Her career experience includes working as a therapist and social worker. As of 2024, Rudd was affiliated with Better Mental Health of Kentucky and Soul Thrive.^[1]

Elections

2024

Kentucky's 6th Congressional District election, 2024 (May 21 Democratic primary)

Kentucky's 6th Congressional District election, 2024 (May 21 Republican primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House Kentucky District 6

Incumbent Andy Barr defeated Randy Cravens in the general election for U.S. House Kentucky District 6 on November 5, 2024.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Andy Barr (R)	63.4	220,883
	Randy Cravens (D)	36.6	127,536

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 348,419
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Kentucky District 6

Randy Cravens defeated Todd Kelly, Shauna Rudd, Jonathan Richardson, and Don B. Pratt in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Kentucky District 6 on May 21, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Randy Cravens	26.0	9,305
		Todd Kelly	25.4	9,104
		Shauna Rudd	24.1	8,627
		Jonathan Richardson	12.4	4,433
	Submit photo	Don B. Pratt	12.1	4,335

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 35,804
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Republican primary election

The Republican primary election was canceled. Incumbent Andy Barr advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House Kentucky District 6.

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Rudd in this election.

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

Shauna Rudd completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Rudd's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Born and raised in Breathitt County to a tobacco farmer and a postal worker, I grew up in an environment full of love and support from extended family & community. I moved to Lexington to attend college, where I still live and work today.

As a licensed clinical social worker, I have already spent my entire working career supporting the diverse people of Kentucky. However, in my current work I can only do so much. By sending me to DC I can impact policy and effect real change that will impact all of our lives in material ways.

Because of my roots in this community, I maintain a high level of respect for our land that sustains us and our people who uplift one another. This is also why you can trust me to keep our people and communities at the center of my work. I support term limits for Congress, because not even I should have the right to overstay my welcome in the People’s House. It’s time to replace career politicians with actual civil servants ready to get to work for the people! I am Shauna for Congress, because I am Shauna for Kentucky!

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

The heart of Kentucky has always been for hard work for fair pay. I know from my home in Breathitt County and my decade in social work that this tradition is alive and well today. However, the citizens of the Commonwealth are no longer getting our fair share. We’re working harder than ever, but we’re getting further behind. Out-of-touch CEOs and career politicians have created an economy designed to enrich themselves and leave the rest of us behind. Bringing prosperity back to our community is the center of my work for the people of the 6th district.
The Shauna Rudd campaign will work for every Kentuckian. From Fayette to Powell, I have worked with some of our most vulnerable communities. This direct experience with the complex diversity of our district will help me to represent you all fairly and accurately. The prosperity that Kentucky has been too long denied is a direct result of decisions made by rich people out of state. They are taking our money and they aren’t giving anything back. There is more than enough money to service all of our needs, and I will fight for budgets that represent us. During my time in Congress I will strive every day for responsible spending that is citizen-focused and puts the emphasis on peace.
For decades, politicians at every level have prioritized defense spending ahead of every other concern. It has backfired spectacularly. Our nation is crumbling and our reputation abroad has never been worse. I will stand up to this reckless spending and bring those funds back home. American taxes should be spent on the American people. I commit fully to investing and empowering our communities.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Economic development and job creation, investment in education, investing in communities by divesting from war spending, term limits for Congress, and universal healthcare (including addressing the opioid epidemic).

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Authenticity, transparency, and competence.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I'm an active listener and a careful collaborator. I'm brave, tenacious, and fearlessly dedicated to the well-being of my clients and my community. My deep roots in Eastern Kentucky and my decade of service in clinical work have prepared me to face the problems confronting us with creativity and compassion. I've taken responsibility for large projects of critical importance and brought them in on time and under budget. Also I'm good at tiktok.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

I am a proud signer of the U.S. Term Limits Amendment Pledge, which calls for a limit of (3) three House terms and (2) two Senate terms. These positions are currently being held by people who often seem more focused on getting re-elected and protecting their financial interests than they are actual serving the people who voted for them. Term limits help us ensure dynamic representation that changes with the country instead of holding it back.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

Financial transparency and accountability are fundamental to this campaign.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign website

Rudd’s campaign website stated the following:

“

Gun Rights & Safety
Shauna advocates for understanding the root causes of gun violence beyond mental illness, emphasizing environmental factors and systemic issues, while protecting Second Amendment rights.

Economic Development & Job Creation
Shauna is committed to sustainable local economies, advocating for products to be made and bought within the community. Her focus is on supporting small, Kentucky-based family-owned businesses and believes in the power of unions and labor protections to guard Kentuckians against corporate exploitation.

Foreign Affairs
An exorbitant amount of American taxpayer dollars is being spent to fund military conflicts overseas. Shauna fights to protect our United States Armed Forces members and keep taxpayer dollars in America, helping our own schools, hospitals, and infrastructure system. Shauna believes in the liberation of all oppressed people, including those in Palestine, Sudan, DRC, and others.

Healthcare
Shauna champions healthcare as a fundamental right, highlighting the current system's failings with examples like the cost disparities of Epi-pens in America versus Europe. She supports a Universal Healthcare model for its potential to provide access for all and significant cost savings. Shauna also is a strong advocate for the rights of womens' rights to autonomy over their own bodies and medical choices.

Education Investment
Investment in education, from early childhood to higher education, is crucial for Shauna. She emphasizes the need for accessible technical and vocational programs and affordable childcare to support working families

Agriculture
Recognizing Kentucky's agricultural significance, Shauna advocates for policies supporting farmers and sustainable practices while protecting farm-workers' rights.

Infrastructure
Shauna's vision includes investing in infrastructure, enhancing public utilities, and advocating for more bike-able and pedestrian-friendly roads throughout Kentucky.

Environmental Protection
With personal ties to Eastern Kentucky, Shauna understands the lasting impact of coal mining and is committed to protecting natural resources and developing responsible energy policies.

Social Justice and Equality
Shauna believes in equality for all, addressing racial inequality and systemic racism, and upholding constitutional rights including free speech, peaceful assembly, and gun rights.

Opioid Epidemic
Drawing from her clinical social work experience, Shauna supports comprehensive strategies to address the opioid crisis, focusing on prevention, treatment, and family support.

LGBTQ+ Issues
A dedicated accomplice to the LGBTQ+ community, both personally and professionally, Shauna is committed to policies and legislation that ensure equality, safety, and respect for LGBTQ+ individuals in Kentucky. Shauna plans to focus on comprehensive anti-discrimination laws, support for LGBTQ+ youth in schools, and enhanced access to healthcare and mental health services.

Veterans Affairs
As an advocate and activist, Shauna is deeply committed to supporting veterans, drawing on her experience in delivering trauma-specific psychotherapy and aiding homeless veterans.

Term Limits
As a committed official term limits pledge signer, Shauna has vowed to introduce or support legislation aiming to impose a maximum of three terms for Representatives and two terms for Senators. Their dedication to this cause underscores a commitment to fostering a dynamic, accountable, and ever-renewing legislative body, ensuring fresh perspectives and preventing the entrenchment of power in Congress.

Foster Youth and Community-Based Services
Shauna is dedicated to overhauling the foster care and Child Protective Services (CPS) programs in Kentucky, addressing the critical underfunding and inefficiencies that compromise the welfare of children. She advocates for increased funding, enhanced training for CPS workers, and improved support systems for foster youth, aiming to create a more holistic, responsive, and nurturing environment for children in need that focuses on prevention instead of crisis response.^[2]

”

—Shauna Rudd’s campaign website (2024)^[3]

Campaign finance summary

Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

Shauna Rudd campaign contribution history
Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024*	U.S. House Kentucky District 6	Lost primary	$32,964	$33,664
Grand total			$32,964	$33,664
Sources: OpenSecrets, Federal Elections Commission *This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete

External links

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Candidate

U.S. House Kentucky District 6

Personal

Footnotes

↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on March 21, 2024
↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
↑ Shauna for Congress, “Issues,” accessed March 3, 2024

[show]

Kentucky's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Mitch McConnell (R)

Rand Paul (R)

Representatives

District 1

James Comer (R)

District 2

Brett Guthrie (R)

District 3

Morgan McGarvey (D)

District 4

Thomas Massie (R)

District 5

Hal Rogers (R)

District 6

Andy Barr (R)

Republican Party (7)

Democratic Party (1)

[1] Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on March 21, 2024

[quotedisclaimer-2] Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.

[3] Shauna for Congress, “Issues,” accessed March 3, 2024

[1]

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Shauna Rudd

Contents

Biography

Elections

2024

General election

General election for U.S. House Kentucky District 6

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Kentucky District 6

Republican primary election

Endorsements

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

Campaign website

Campaign finance summary

See also

External links

Footnotes

Information about voting

2025 Elections

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2024 Election analysis

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