With state Rep. Johnny Bell, D-Glasgow, not seeking re-election, four candidates are running to represent Kentucky’s 23rd House District, which is made up of Barren County and a part of Warren County that includes Three Forks.

Steve Riley, who was Barren County High School principal from 2011 to 2015, is running as a Republican.

During his time as principal, Riley said he learned how to work and communicate with people in government and industry as well as all sorts of everyday people. 

“When you’re in a school system, you’ve got to deal with students of all different abilities and backgrounds,” he said, noting that his former job allows him to look at issues from multiple viewpoints.

During Riley’s time as principal, the school expanded its area technology center, which introduces students to trades like engineering, welding and biomedical science, which informed his commitment to expanding the workforce at the state level, he said.

 “We need schools encouraging people to go into skilled trades,” Riley said.

Developing the state’s workforce would create better-paying jobs, he said.

“I think it’s important in this state to improve the job market,” he said.

Freddie Joe Wilkerson, who retired from the Kentucky Army National Guard in 2009, is also running as a Republican.

Wilkerson expressed frustration with the current political system, which he said makes it difficult for average people to contact their representatives. “The bureaucracy in Washington has come down to our everyday lives,” he said. “I want to work to give government back to the people.”  

If elected, Wilkerson said he would be easy to reach and keep his constituents informed of what’s going on in state government.

“I’m in touch with people,” he said. “I feel like I’m the guy because I’m not a politician.”

Joe Trigg, an Air Force veteran serving his second term as a Glasgow City Council member, is running as a Democrat.

“I feel I’ve done a good job, and I’m ready to move up and do more for the county,” he said. 

As representative, Trigg would aim to improve the state’s infrastructure and balance its budget. “I’m a down-the-middle guy,” he said. “Not far left, not far right.”

Glasgow attorney Danny Basil, who worked as former state House Speaker Bill Kenton’s campaign manager in 1980, is also running as a Democrat.

As a lawyer, Basil has plenty of experience with Kentucky statutes, which he said makes him qualified for the job. “I have dealt with these laws on a daily basis,” he said. 

Basil wants to “keep Kentucky on a sound financial footing” and strengthen the state’s retirement system, he said.

He also expressed a desire to make sure the needs of his district’s section of Warren County are not neglected.

“Three Forks is not going to feel like a stepchild,” he said. 

The winners in the May 17 primary will face off in November. 

— Follow Daily News reporter Jackson French on Twitter @Jackson_French or visit bgdailynews.com.