U.S. House · Kentucky's 5th District
Gerardo Serrano
CandidateIND
- Race
- U.S. House · Kentucky's 5th District
- Result
- Hal Rogers, projected winner
- Opponents
- Hal Rogers (R); Ned Pillersdorf (D); Mikel Wein (IND); Billy Ray Wilson (IND)
- Research
- Basic
Party linenone
No recorded floor votes — not a current legislator in our records.
Said vs. did1 statement · 0 votes
Congress—not a militia and not one president—must decide whether America goes to war.
Require Congress to approve U.S. military action abroad
Compare statements with votes ›On the ballotU.S. House · 5
2026-11-03
| Hal Rogers R | incumbent |
| Ned Pillersdorf D | challenger |
| Gerardo Serrano IND | challenger |
| Mikel Wein IND | challenger |
| Billy Ray Wilson IND | challenger |
Said vs. did
Each documented position next to the recorded floor votes we map to the same issue. Votes are compared one at a time; no overall stance is inferred from them.
Congress—not a militia and not one president—must decide whether America goes to war.
Campaign website says Congress, not one president, must decide whether America goes to war; his survey lists requiring Congress to vote before sending Americans into war.[3][4]
No recorded floor vote in our key-vote set maps to this issue.
Biography
Gerardo Serrano, an independent small-business owner and farmer who has lived in the district for more than 25 years, lost the November 3, 2026 election for Kentucky's 5th Congressional District to Hal Rogers. He challenged Rep. Hal Rogers in the 2020 and 2022 Republican primaries and ran outside both major parties in 2026.[1][2]
Basic profile — the most important sourced facts we found.
Serrano says he was born in Chicago, and he has described his first job as about three years at an A&P grocery store. According to Ballotpedia, he graduated from Lane Technical High School, attended South Suburban College and has worked as a farmer.[1][5] He says he has made Eastern Kentucky his home for more than 25 years and describes himself as a small-business owner and farmer.[1]
Serrano says he became involved in politics after experiencing civil asset forfeiture firsthand.[1] He ran against Rogers in the Republican primary in 2020, receiving 8.9% of the vote, and again in 2022, receiving 5.9%; Rogers won both. In 2026 he was on the general election ballot as an independent.[1] During the 2026 campaign, he emphasized constitutional rights and due process.[1] He received 1.4% of the vote to Hal Rogers's 71.2%, according to unofficial results reported by NBC News.[2]
In their own words
Priorities
- "I am independent—not controlled by either political party, political insiders, or special interests. I will answer to the people of Kentucky's 5th District, demand transparency, oppose wasteful omnibus bills, and insist that Congress vote on major issues openly and individually."[4]
- "Our children should not have to leave Eastern Kentucky to build a future. I want to attract businesses, create good jobs, strengthen infrastructure, and make this district a place where families can prosper."[4]
- "In Congress, I will fight civil asset forfeiture so the government cannot take your property without first proving you committed a crime."[3]
Statements, quoted without a stance
- Expand immigration enforcement and deportations
“I will support stronger border enforcement, faster lawful immigration, and firm action against cartels and traffickers—while protecting due process and America’s constitutional principles.”[3]
On his campaign website ("Border Security Is National Security")
Campaign moneyNo FEC filing summary matched — state candidates file with their state, not the FEC.
Profile: /people/gerardo-serrano
Compare all 5 candidates side by side ›
Sources cited in this profile
- 1.Kentucky's 5th Congressional District election, 2026 · Ballotpedia (Candidate Connection survey) · 2026-09-25 Candidate's own words
- 2.U.S. House · Kentucky's 5th District results 2026 · NBC News News report
- 3.Stories · Gerardo Serrano campaign website · 2026-10-19 Candidate's own words
- 4.Kentucky's 5th Congressional District election, 2026 · Ballotpedia (Candidate Connection survey) · 2026-09-25 Candidate's own words
- 5.Gerardo Serrano · Ballotpedia · 2026-10-19 Reference