Interactive: Can Democrats bounce back in Eastern Ky.? See the change over time.

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What happened to the mountain Democrats?

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Last days of the mountain Democrats? Red wave in Eastern Ky. becomes increasingly local.

Q&A: ‘Different kind of Democrat.’ Can a more conservative branch slow party’s losses in KY?

Interactive: Can Democrats bounce back in Eastern Ky.? See the change over time.

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Once considered a ‘blue wall,’ several counties across Eastern Kentucky have started to vote Republican for national, state and local elections.

Former president Bill Clinton was the last Democrat running for president to carry Kentucky in 1996. In ‘92, Clinton beat former president George H.W. Bush by more than three percentage points, with third-party candidate Ross Perot scoring nearly 14%.

Democrats in the state, and in the region, tout Andy Beshear’s victory in Eastern Kentucky as a sign of good news. He won 10 Eastern Kentucky counties, and ran up big margins in populous cities, in his narrow victory over unpopular former Gov. Matt Bevin.

This story was originally published June 30, 2022 at 11:00 AM.

Austin Horn

Lexington Herald-Leader

706-571-8597

Austin Horn is a politics reporter for the Lexington Herald-Leader. He previously worked for the Frankfort State Journal and National Public Radio. Horn has roots in both Woodford and Martin Counties.