FRANKFORT, Ky. - The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is hoping to flip the Sixth Congressional District, which includes Frankfort and Lexington, in 2020.

The district is currently held by four-term Republican Representative Andy Barr. Lexington resident Josh Hicks is hoping to nab the Democratic nomination to challenge Barr in 2020.

Hicks is from Fleming County, is a veteran, a former police officer, and currently practices law in Lexington. He says he decided to run for Congress because he wants to represent the average person.

“I don’t feel like regular voices are being heard, I don’t feel like regular people’s problems are being addressed,” he said. “I feel like we have issues that folks struggle with that get ignored at the federal level. I feel a lot of it comes down to the fact that these corporations can buy political outcomes and can buy politicians.

Hicks says Andy Barr is “bought and paid for” by corporations.

“He has taken millions of dollars in corporate PAC donations and when a corporate PAC gives you a couple million dollars or you get millions of dollars from corporations, there are no other words for it then bought and paid for,” Hicks said. “They gave him that money because to get a particular result, and frankly those corporation are getting those results and the people of the sixth district are not.”

Hicks pledges to not take any money from corporate PACs during his campaign, or his time in congress if elected. Hicks says he plans on competing with Barr’s fundraising numbers by connecting to the voters.

“I know what it means to be on a tight paycheck and have to pay rent and take your kids to the doctor and pay that doctor bill,” he said. “I believe we can activate a grassroots network of people, who say ‘you know what Josh you are right, we need people like you, real people with real-life experiences in Congress, and we need to kick those out who have never had their experiences.”

Hicks is no stranger to tough races, he narrowly lost in 2018 to State Representative Stan Lee, R-Lexington, he says that race taught him voters want representatives who care about their issues.

When it comes to abortion, he says he doesn’t believe the government should be criminalizing women’s healthcare decisions but wants to see the number of abortions remain low. He, however, feels when it comes to late-term abortions; the crux of the issue isn’t being discussed.

“We don’t really address the larger issue which is that these things that happen late in the pregnancy are often medical emergencies,” Hicks said. “These medical emergencies are caused by untreated diseases or an untreated condition, that’s what I want to go to work on. “

Tackling the opioid epidemic plaguing Kentucky is another issue he would like to focus on.

“This state is in crisis right now, we are having overdose deaths, and we are having addicts, a whole generation of folks that have been addicted,” he said. “We have to go after these folks who have caused this crisis. First, you elect politicians like me who will not accept their money, and when we carry your voice up there we tell those folks up there that have caused this problem it’s time to pay for what you’ve done.”

Hicks would be supportive of medicinal cannabis to help combat the opioid addiction, he points to studies showing a reduction in opioid prescriptions and deaths in states where it is legal.

President Donald Trump is very popular in Kentucky, and will likely be a major part of the 2020 campaign, Hicks says he is supportive of some things he has done.

“Where has done things where I agree with him then I can get behind that,” Hicks said. “If he believes things like there is too much corruption in Washington, I agree with him. If he believes that states should be able to make their own decisions on medical marijuana, I agree with that. If those are the types of things he has said that if he believes him, I agree with him.”

Getting the cost of healthcare down is another issue he would like to work on.