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PRESTONSBURG, Ky. – Tanner Hesterberg, an attorney and former TV news anchor, announced Wednesday he is running for state representative in Kentucky’s 95th District, which includes Floyd County and part of Pike County. He released the following statement:

To my friends in Floyd and Pike Counties: I am honored to announce my campaign for the 95th District state representative Republican primary. Our people, our region, it’s all worth fighting for.

This is where I felt called to live and build my law practice. My career as a trial lawyer has allowed me to represent teachers, coal miners, nurses, social workers, and police officers. I have helped folks battling addiction navigate the criminal justice system and access the rehabilitation services they need to get back on their feet. I have tried more than a dozen jury cases and argued in the Kentucky Supreme Court and Court of Appeals. What I am most proud of, though, is how our law office has taken God’s blessings and reinvested them right back into the community through pro bono initiatives like veteran expungements and FEMA appeals for flood survivors.

I will not take your vote for granted. I do not expect support simply because you know my name or recognize me from the courtroom or TV or because we go to church together. I intend to earn your vote the oldschool way by listening, learning, and answering questions honestly, even when the answers are not easy. My familiarity with Kentucky’s laws will serve me well when drafting legislation; and I believe I have the diplomatic skills to get my bills passed.

I am pro life, pro coal, and pro second amendment. I support continued reductions in state income taxes so families can keep more of what they earn and small business owners like me can grow and reinvest in the community. We have to push policies that will make single-family housing more affordable for young adults who want to stay here or move back. In other words, stop the “brain drain.”

Republicans have a great opportunity here to flip the 95th District out of control of the Democratic minority, so we must choose the right candidate for the general election. I look forward to making the case for why I have the strongest chance of winning in November 2026. Our district needs a state legislator in the supermajority to ensure a seat at the table when decisions get made in Frankfort.

But at the end of the day, it’s not about the horizontal politics of right versus left. It’s about VERTICAL politics. What will move Eastern Kentucky up? We face too many challenges to choose politics over each
other.

We need a fresh voice in Frankfort. I’m all in, and I hope you will join me. Let’s do this.

Tanner Hesterberg is a resident of Floyd County and a lifelong Kentuckian. His career began with a strong foundation in journalism and legal studies from Morehead State University. For more than seven years, Tanner served as a respected reporter and anchor at WYMT-TV in Hazard and WKYT-TV in Lexington, where he earned accolades from the Associated Press, including awards for Best Enterprise Reporting and Best Sports Play-by-Play.

Tanner’s passion for storytelling and justice naturally transitioned into a legal career, leading him to graduate from the University of Cincinnati College of Law. After passing the bar, he quickly established himself as a capable attorney, securing his first trial victory in Hazard – the very town where his media career began. He hung his own shingle, launching Hesterberg Law Firm, based in Pikeville. Specializing in criminal law, expungements, and civil litigation, Tanner has demonstrated a relentless commitment to defending the rights of Eastern Kentuckians. In 2025, Hesterberg and his team spearheaded a project to provide nearly 300 Halloween costumes to children in need at 10 schools.

Beyond the courtroom, Tanner’s legal expertise has led him to write numerous appellate briefs, including a petition for writ of certiorari to the U.S. Supreme Court. Outside of his legal practice, Tanner continues to engage with his community by calling games for TV and radio at the high school and college levels. He serves on the speaking team and tech team at Destination Community Church in Prestonsburg.