Ron Lewis (born September 14, 1946), an American politician, has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 1994, representing the 2nd Congressional District of Kentucky. Lewis won the seat under unusual circumstances, in a special election to replace longtime representative William H. Natcher after Natcher's death. The Second District was predominantly Democrat in terms of voter registration, and Lewis was nominated by the GOP as somewhat of a "sacrifical lamb" in opposition to Joe Prather, a state senator from Hardin County, Kentucky. Lewis had already announced plans to run against Natcher in the schedule House election in November 1994, but when Natcher died, the state GOP leadership named him the candidate for the special election. In a major upset, the unknown Lewis defeated the widely-known Prather by a 55Ô5argin - a result that many political pundits saw as a harbinger of the Republican gains in Congress in the regular election later that year. Lewis became the first Republican to ever represent the district. He was born in McKell, Kentucky, was educated at the University of Kentucky and Morehead State University, and was a clergyman and owner of a Christian bookstore in Elizabethtown, Kentucky before entering the House. Lewis had been somewhat active in Republican politics prior to his election, having worked in the gubernatorial campaign of Louie B. Nunn in 1967, and unsuccessfully ran for the state legislature in 1971.
Lewis was opposed in the 2004 election by Democrat Adam Smith, and easily attained victory. Lewis' hometown is Cecilia, Kentucky.
Preceded by: William H. Natcher U.S. Representative, Kentucky 2nd District May 26, 1994-present Succeeded by: Incumbent
