A former state lawmaker has formally kicked off her campaign to become the next mayor of Bowling Green.
Patti Minter is entering the race against incumbent mayor Todd Alcott, who has led the city since 2021. Minter is a Democrat who was elected to the Kentucky House in 2018, before she was defeated by Republican Kevin Jackson in 2022. Minter said she is running for the Bowling Greens mayoral seat because she feels like some segments of the community are not being represented equally.
“As the next mayor of Bowling Green, I will listen and learn from the people who live here and work with the city commissioners to make decisions that are in the best interest of our community,” Minter said. "That can absolutely be done. You can build consensus and move forward in ways that lift everyone up and leave no one left out.”
Minter held a formal campaign kickoff event Thursday night in downtown Bowling Green attended by supporters who cheered and chanted throughout her speech. Former Bowling Green Mayor Elaine Walker also spoke at the event in support of Minter.
Minter said she was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support.
"I feel that tonight the community showed up and showed out tonight, and I’m humbled." Minter said.
Minter said she felt the relationships she built in Frankfort as a member of the Kentucky House would serve to strengthen Bowling Green's growth and cited her bipartisan work to lower the cost of insulin, and secure tornado relief funds for parts of southern Kentucky impacted by the deadly 2021 tornado outbreak as evidence she can work with legislators statewide.
Minter said as mayor she’ll make decisions based on the best interests of the community.
“What makes our community beautiful and strong, it’s a wonderful place to live, it has an excellent quality of life, but we need to make sure that everybody has an excellent quality of life," Minter said. "And we need to make decisions we know are the right ones that will benefit the entire community 25 years down the road.”
Minter is also a Professor in the Western Kentucky University History Department.
