Matthew Lehman

Matthew Lehman was born in Fort Thomas, Kentucky.[1] Lehman graduated from Covington Catholic High School. He earned a B.A. from the University of Louisville in 1999 and an M.S. from Columbia University in 2002. Lehman's career experience includes co-founding and working as the CEO of Koligo Therapeutics.[2][3][4]

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State House

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Matt Lehman is a candidate for Kentucky State Representative for the 67th District in Northern Campbell County.

Our district, and Northern Kentucky generally, is booming with new jobs and companies, infrastructure investment, and cultural activities, the likes of which were unthinkable a few decades ago. These developments are not an accident, but rather the result of responsible, forward-thinking community leadership.

Significant work remains to ensure all of us have access to opportunities in our region. Affordable housing is difficult to find. Teachers in our public schools are badly underpaid. Extremist abortion laws compromise the health of our Commonwealth and reward abusers and rapists. The opioid crisis continues to ravage families and affect our workforce.

We need ‘work horses’ in Kentucky who take the job of elected office seriously instead of ‘show horses’ who wage irresponsible culture wars at the expense of our most marginalized neighbors.

Matt is a Northern Kentucky native who graduated from Covington Catholic High School, University of Louisville (B.A.) and Columbia University (M.S). He has managed and founded several healthcare companies and continues to work in the biotechnology field, helping to develop new therapeutics for cancer and autoimmune diseases. He lives with his family in Newport.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Restore & protect reproductive rightsPrioritize public education and teachersSupport Kentucky's working families

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Infrastructure, economic development, entrepreneurship, health care

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

responsibility, respect for constituents, transparence, communication

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

professional experience and care for my community

U.S. House

Matthew Lehman did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2024 Candidate Connection survey.

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Matt Lehman is a candidate to represent Kentucky’s fourth district in Congress, dedicated to restoring respectful and responsible leadership for our community.

A Northern Kentucky native, Matt is a product of St. Joseph Elementary in Crescent Springs and Covington Catholic High School.

He earned a Mitch McConnell scholarship to attend the University of Louisville, back when politicians put people before politics. After earning his M.S. from Columbia University in New York in 2002, Matt has worked in the medical research field in multiple states and abroad.

Matt and his wife Adriana returned to live in Newport, Kentucky in 2015, to raise their three children in the Commonwealth, in a community among their family and friends. Matt is proud of his family’s long legacy of contributions to Kentucky as union leaders, small businessmen and women, nurses, teachers, and public servants.

In this spirit, Matt co-founded Koligo Therapeutics in 2016 with collaborators from the University of Louisville to bring opioid-free treatment to pancreatitis patients.

Matt served as Koligo’s CEO until it was sold to Orgenesis, Inc., an Israel-based cell and gene therapy company, which will help bring Koligo’s technology to worldwide markets.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Responsible leadership and representation for KentuckyInvest in infrastructureInvest in health care, including mental health and substance abuse

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

OPIOID EPIDEMIC

ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT

INFRASTRUCTURE

VETERANS & AMERICA’S PLACE IN THE WORLD

HEALTHCARE & HEALTHCARE WORKERS

THOROUGHBRED INDUSTRY

Campaign website

Lehman's campaign website stated the following:

OPIOID EPIDEMIC

Kentucky has been deeply affected by the scourge of opioid abuse. Opioids have killed thousands of Kentuckians, overwhelmed law enforcement, and stressed our health care system.

Rep. Massie has done nothing for Northern Kentucky to help fight the opioid epidemic, voting no on nearly every bill to treat those suffering from drug addiction or support the communities affected. He couldn’t even vote for minimal funding for the safe care of infants affected by prenatal drug abuse (a bill that passed the house 406-3). He has done nothing to hold the rogue drug company executives who started this mess accountable.

Matt has worked to develop innovative treatments in the healthcare industry, including new ways to treat pancreatitis pain without opioids. He knows how the U.S. healthcare system works and how how it has left too many families without access to treatment. Matt will fight to get Kentuckians the resources we need to overcome the opioid epidemic.

ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Coal and coal miners have powered Kentucky’s economy and the nation’s growth for over 200 years.

But environmental concerns are forcing us to look at the future of energy differently. Kentuckians cannot ignore the future and we need to prepare.

The United States owes Kentucky and other coal-producing regions major investments in new technology, education, and employment opportunities to meet our energy needs for generations to come.

Like the Tobacco Buyout of 2004, Kentucky has shown its resilience and ability to transition from legacy industries. Matt will fight in D.C. to get Kentucky miners and mining communities what they have earned.

SAFE SCHOOLS

Our children have the right to safe schools. Every child has the right to a quality early education, free of violence and fear.

Gun ownership is an American right. Responsible gun ownership is an American duty. Matt will work to keep guns out of schools and out of the hands of irresponsible people doing harm to our children and our communities.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Northern Kentucky is growing and so are our infrastructure needs. Besides the obvious Brent Spence issue, we have a growing airport, growing manufacturing and distribution industries, and a growing knowledge-based economy. We require regional, multi-state, and federal coordination to be sure everyone and every business in our community have world-class infrastructure including clean water and sanitation, connected air, rail, and road logistics.

In addition to “hard” infrastructure, Northern Kentucky needs to secure our knowledge infrastructure too. We need to protect our libraries and small bookstores. We must stabilize our postal system and ensure this vital public service is ready for the next generation. All of our citizens must have access to affordable high-speed internet. And we need to appreciate and support our local and regional journalists to bring unbiased and meaningful information to our community.

VETERANS & AMERICA’S PLACE IN THE WORLD

Matt is immensely grateful to the men and women of our armed services and understands the great sacrifices our military families have made to ensure our safety and freedoms. He believes strongly that the country owes our veterans the benefits and resources they need to build a strong, healthy, and successful future upon returning home.

For more than 100 years, since WWI, America has proven that working together with democratic allies is the path to prosperity. Kentucky, the U.S., and the world are safer when America is a leader. Matt will work to ensure that our military, our diplomats, and our international development efforts are the best in the world and that they have the resources to carry out their missions.

HEALTHCARE & HEALTHCARE WORKERS

Despite our superiority in medical research and development of new technologies, America’s healthcare system is bloated and ineffective. We pay vastly more than any other industrialized country in the world for healthcare and we suffer from worse patient outcomes.

The cost of healthcare is especially acute for small businesses and the self-employed, hindering the engine of America’s future economic growth.

Our healthcare workers – doctors, nurses, EMTs, therapists, pharmacists – are overworked and exhausted. They have been on the front line fighting the opioid epidemic and COVID, all while dealing with insurance companies and other middlemen making their jobs more difficult. Our country owes our healthcare workers for their service.

Matt has worked his whole career in healthcare and knows the issues well. He will work tirelessly to bring down healthcare costs, simplify our delivery of healthcare, and improve health outcomes for Kentucky.

THOROUGHBRED INDUSTRY

Horses, thoroughbreds in particular, are integral to the history and culture of Kentucky. Kentucky’s horse industry is responsible for more than 60,000 direct and indirect jobs and $5.2 billion in economic impact statewide. The Kentucky Derby is among the largest events each year in America, and one of our most unique traditions.

Unfortunately, the racing industry has suffered from doping scandals, safety concerns, and integrity issues in recent years. To combat these problems, Congress passed the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (“HISA”) of 2020. Co-sponsored by every Kentucky legislator except Thomas Massie, supported by Keeneland, Churchill Downs, The Jockey Club, and signed into law by President Trump, HISA promises to renew and strengthen the thoroughbred industry.

Matt promises to work tirelessly to ensure the proper funding and implementation of HISA for the benefit of Kentucky. Unlike Rep. Massie, Matt believes that constructive representation in Congress will lead to benefits for Kentucky’s industries.[5]

—Matthew Lehman's campaign website (2022)[6]