Nima attended Atherton High School. She has a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Louisville. She has a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Louisville. She has a juris doctor degree from the David A. Clarke School of Law at the University of the District of Columbia. She lives with her partner, Raegan Maddox, in the St. Joseph’s neighborhood.

Nima Kulkarni - Emerge Kentucky

Nima Kulkarni is originally from India. She has a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in entrepreneurship from the University of Louisville and a law degree from the David A. Clarke School of Law at the University of the District of Columbia. Nima has volunteered on the boards of the Community Foundation of Louisville, the Louisville Public Media, the Kentucky Science Center, and the Fund for Arts. She also founded the New Americans Initiative. Nima lives with her partner, Raegan, in the St. Joseph’s neighborhood in Louisville, Kentucky.

Nima is the founder of the Indus Law Firm and previously worked there as an attorney. 

Nima Kulkarni - Ballotpedia

Nima currently serves as a state representative in the Kentucky House of Representatives, District 40. She was first elected in 2018 and is serving her 4th term. 

Supports finding new sources of revenue, healthcare access, a living wage, environmentally sustainable policies, and addressing immigration issues.

Supports finding new sources of revenue for the state.

Supports decriminalizing and fairly regulating adult cannabis use, extending unemployment benefits to victims of domestic violence, and creating a more equitable relationship between landlords and tenants.

Supports extending unemployment benefits to victims of domestic violence

Supports creating more equal footing between landlords and tenants.

Supports economic initiatives that promote leadership and collaboration, as evidenced by participation in the U.S.-Japan Council’s Asian American Leadership Delegation program.

Supports economic initiatives that promote leadership and collaboration.

Supports legislation to reinstate the prevailing wage.

Supports repealing right-to-work laws, which prohibit requiring workers to join a union in order to work.

Supports strengthening collective bargaining.

Supports policies that attract international talent to Kentucky.

- Supports finding new sources of revenue for the state.
- Supports extending unemployment benefits to victims of domestic violence
- Supports creating more equal footing between landlords and tenants.
- Supports economic initiatives that promote leadership and collaboration.
- Supports labor unions.
- Supports legislation to reinstate the prevailing wage.
- Supports repealing right-to-work laws, which prohibit requiring workers to join a union in order to work.
- Supports strengthening collective bargaining.
- Supports policies that attract international talent to Kentucky.

Economy

The Hon. Nima Kulkarni - APAICS

Advocates for social justice and community unity, particularly in response to hate crimes against Asian Americans.

Supports decriminalizing and fairly regulating adult cannabis use.

Aims to achieve greater transparency, accountability, and trust between the community and law enforcement through comprehensive police reform legislation.

Supports a fair and equitable judicial process for all Kentuckians and has stopped harmful anti-immigrant legislation.

Supports a fair and equitable judicial process for all Kentuckians.

- Advocates for social justice and community unity, particularly in response to hate crimes against Asian Americans.
- Supports decriminalizing and fairly regulating adult cannabis use.
- Aims to achieve greater transparency, accountability, and trust between the community and law enforcement through comprehensive police reform legislation.
- Supports a fair and equitable judicial process for all Kentuckians.

Public Safety

Advocates for maternal and infant health initiatives as part of her economic strategy.

Supports capping the price of life-saving medications, such as insulin.

Promises to ensure those will preexisting conditions continue to receive insurance.

Supports legislation to end surprise medical billing.

Supports improving access to mental health care.

- Advocates for maternal and infant health initiatives as part of her economic strategy.
- Supports capping the price of life-saving medications, such as insulin.
- Promises to ensure those will preexisting conditions continue to receive insurance.
- Supports legislation to end surprise medical billing.
- Supports improving access to mental health care.

Healthcare

Promises to protect teacher pay and retirement.

Supports increasing funding to public schools.

- Promises to protect teacher pay and retirement.
- Supports increasing funding to public schools.

Education

Sponsored House Bill (HB) 338 that "requires the Energy and Environment Cabinet to create regulations to monitor and regulate Forever Chemicals (PFAS) in our drinking water.

Sponsored House Bill (HB) 235 that created a Healthy Soils Program to support soil conservation and provide assistance to farmers, with priority for veteran, beginning, and socially disadvantaged farmers.

- Sponsored House Bill (HB) 338 that "requires the Energy and Environment Cabinet to create regulations to monitor and regulate Forever Chemicals (PFAS) in our drinking water.
- Sponsored House Bill (HB) 235 that created a Healthy Soils Program to support soil conservation and provide assistance to farmers, with priority for veteran, beginning, and socially disadvantaged farmers.

Energy & the Environment

Supports reforming voter disenfranchisement and sentencing laws.

- Supports reforming voter disenfranchisement and sentencing laws.

Voting & Elections

Instagram

Facebook

Twitter

Nima Kulkarni

Nima Kulkarni is originally from India. She has a bachelor’s degree in english and a master’s degree in entrepreneurship from the University of Louisville and a law degree from the David A. Clarke School of Law at the University of the District of Columbia. Nima has volunteered on the boards of the Community Foundation of Louisville, the Louisville Public Media, the Kentucky Science Center, and the Fund for Arts. She also founded the New Americans Initiative. Nima lives with her partner, Raegan, in the St. Joseph’s neighborhood in Louisville, Kentucky.

- Supports finding new sources of revenue for the state.
- Supports extending unemployment benefits to victims of domestic violence
- Supports creating more equal footing between landlords and tenants.
- Supports economic initiatives that promote leadership and collaboration.
- Supports labor unions.
- Supports legislation to reinstate the prevailing wage.
- Supports repealing right-to-work laws, which prohibit requiring workers to join a union in order to work.
- Supports strengthening collective bargaining.
- Supports policies that international talent to Kentucky.

As of March 10, 2026, Nima Kulkarni’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Nima is an attorney. She manages her own immigration law practice, which she has led since 2010.

Nima Kulkarni is currently a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives representing District 40. She was first elected in 2018.

Matthew Tomas

Emileigh Crouch

Buket Urgen

Co-founded a podcast to showcase Asian American stories in Kentucky.

Supports crafting comprehensive police reform legislation for Kentucky.

Personal Facebook

Patrick Dunegan is from Louisville, Kentucky and lives there with his wife, Jennifer. He is currently in the interdisciplinary business studies cannabis business program at Sullivan University. 

LinkedIn

Patrick currently works as the director of the Kentucky Cannabis Freedom Coalition. He previously worked as the chair of the Kentucky Rare Disease Advisory Council, a Kentucky state ambassador for the National Organization for Rare Disorders, a customer service representative at Charter Communications, a chief executive officer in media at Sacred Heart Hospital and the University of Louisville School of Dentistry. 

Patrick Bryant Dunegan's campaign for Kentucky State Representative, District 40, Democratic Primary is his first entry into politics.

Voter Resources — Ky Conservation Committee

Patrick's campaign for Kentucky State Representative, District 40, Democratic Primary is his first entry into politics.

Supports providing tax breaks to local businesses that hire program graduates at a starting wage of at least $18 an hour with health insurance.

Supports working with local schools to offer fast classes for jobs like Nurse Aide (CNA), Warehouse Robot Helper, and Truck Driver (CDL prep).

Supports working with local schools to offer fast classes for jobs like nurse aide (CNA), warehouse robot helper, and truck driver (CDL prep).

Supports providing financial assistance for childcare, transportation to work, and legal help for minor crimes.

Supports creating a state fund for Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) in Louisville by adding a small fee on big business real estate sales, noting that the PSH plan has a 98% success rate in maintaining housing stability and reducing costs associated with hospital and police calls.

Supports creating a state fund for Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) in Louisville by adding a small fee on big business real estate sales. 

Supports increasing state funding for local organizations such as St. John Center and the Coalition for the Homeless to assist with health counseling, job readiness, and obtaining identification cards.

- Supports providing tax breaks to local businesses that hire program graduates at a starting wage of at least $18 an hour with health insurance.
- Supports working with local schools to offer fast classes for jobs like nurse aide (CNA), warehouse robot helper, and truck driver (CDL prep).
- Supports providing financial assistance for childcare, transportation to work, and legal help for minor crimes.
- Supports creating a state fund for Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) in Louisville by adding a small fee on big business real estate sales. 
- Supports increasing state funding for local organizations such as St. John Center and the Coalition for the Homeless to assist with health counseling, job readiness, and obtaining identification cards.

Supports cash bail reform, public defenders, and re-entry programs for former prisoners.

Supports expunging the criminal records of individuals with past minor cannabis offenses.

Supports legalizing and taxing cannabis use for adults.

- Supports cash bail reform, public defenders, and re-entry programs for former prisoners.
- Supports expunging the criminal records of individuals with past minor cannabis offenses.
- Supports legalizing and taxing cannabis use for adults.

Supports reducing the cost of essential medications, such as insulin.

Supports expanding access to affordable healthcare.

Oppose work requirements or additional fees that could reduce Medicaid enrollment.

Supports increased funding for community mental health services and expanding access to care in schools.

Supports programs that incentivize doctors, pediatricians, and dentists to prate in underserved areas.

- Supports reducing the cost of essential medications, such as insulin.
- Supports expanding access to affordable healthcare.
- Oppose work requirements or additional fees that could reduce Medicaid enrollment.
- Supports increased funding for community mental health services and expanding access to care in schools.
- Supports programs that incentivize doctors, pediatricians, and dentists to prate in underserved areas.

As of March 10, 2026, Patrick Bryant Dunegan’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Patrick Bryant Dunegan

- Supports providing tax breaks to local businesses that hire program graduates at a starting wage of at least $18 an hour with health insurance.
- Supports working with local schools to offer fast classes for jobs like Nurse Aide (CNA), Warehouse Robot Helper, and Truck Driver (CDL prep).
- Supports providing financial assistance for childcare, transportation to work, and legal help for minor crimes.
- Supports creating a state fund for Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) in Louisville by adding a small fee on big business real estate sales. 
- Supports increasing state funding for local organizations such as St. John Center and the Coalition for the Homeless to assist with health counseling, job readiness, and obtaining identification cards.

- Supports cash bail reform, public defenders, and re-entry programs for former prisoners.
- Supports decriminalizing marijuana.
- Supports expunging the criminal records of individuals with past minor cannabis offenses.
- Supports legalizing and taxing cannabis use for adults.

- Your state representative represents the interests of your local district in the Kentucky State House of Representatives. The State House of Representatives, along with the State Senate, makes up your state lawmaking body: the Kentucky General Assembly.
- Your state representative can author, sponsor, and vote on bills that may become state laws. 
- There are 100 members of the Kentucky House of Representatives, each representing a single district. Representatives must be at least 24 years old and reside in the state for at least two years before their election. 
- State Representatives are elected to two-year terms. They only serve in the role part-time. 
- In addition to a $203 per day salary, state representatives also receive mileage reimbursements and a daily expense stipend of $182. 

Kentucky State Representative, District 40, Democratic Primary

Candidates (2)