Charles Booker: podcast appearances and interviews

Charles Booker, born on October 20, 1984, is an American politician from Kentucky affiliated with the Democratic Party. He served in the Kentucky House of Representatives, representing the 43rd district from 2019 to 2021, becoming the state's youngest Black lawmaker. Booker gained national attention during the Democratic primary for the 2020 U.S. Senate race in Kentucky, where he narrowly lost to Amy McGrath. In 2021, he announced his candidacy for the 2022 U.S. Senate race in Kentucky, winning the Democratic primary but ultimately losing to the incumbent Republican Senator Rand Paul in the general election. Notably, Booker was the first African American to be a major party nominee for the U.S. Senate in Kentucky. Following the election, he was appointed by Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear to lead the Governor's Office of Faith-Based Initiatives and Community Involvement. He was the Democratic nominee for the 2026 U.S. Senate election in Kentucky after winning the primary held on May 19, 2026. In this election, he is set to face Republican nominee Andy Barr to succeed the retiring incumbent Senator Mitch McConnell.