Some Democratic Ky. House incumbents lose seats; GOP grows supermajority
When Kentucky’s legislators return to Frankfort for the 2023 General Assembly, there won’t be a single Democrat from the Central time zone in their midst.
Rep. Patti Minter, D-Bowling Green, lost her re-election bid Tuesday night to Republican challenger Kevin Jackson in what proved to be one of most expensive legislative races in the state.
“I’ve said from Day 1 that people have the power and together we’ve used that power to do big things,” Minter said in her concession speech.
Republicans also picked off a Democratic incumbent in Eastern Kentucky, with Rep. Angie Hatton, D-Whitesburg, losing to Republican Jacob Justice.
In Northern Kentucky, Rep. Buddy Wheatley, R-Covington, appears to have fallen by just 2%, according to unofficial Kenton County Clerk results.
In Louisville, a particular focus for the GOP according to Republican Party of Kentucky spokesman Sean Southard, Republicans are eyeing three flips in more suburban areas. Those races have yet to be confirmed, but according to Secretary of State numbers, Republicans are set to win three races there.
Southard added that the party sees the results as something of a referendum on Democratic President Joe Biden, and that the GOP will attempt to pair Biden with Gov. Andy Beshear in his 2023 bid for reelection.
“The Republican Party of Kentucky led an unprecedented effort this year to put Democrats on the defense with messages focused on inflation and crime. Kentucky voters overwhelmingly sided with Republicans in rejecting the Biden agenda. There is no difference between a Kentucky Democrat and a Biden Democrat,” Southard said.
The Democrats appear likely to log one pickup, with Lamin Swann leading significantly against GOP challenger Kyle Whalen in a battle for Fayette County’s new House District 93. That would make six House seat flips for Republicans and just one for Democrats.
In all, the Republicans in the House look likely to grow their 75-25 majority to 80-20. In the Senate, they move from 30-8 to 31-7.
This year’s general election was the first since GOP lawmakers redrew statehouse districts, changing the makeup of many districts to lean more favorably toward Republicans — including Minter’s House District 20 and Hatton’s House District 94.
The Kentucky Democratic Party has sued over the redrawn House map, alleging that “extreme partisan gerrymandering” violated the Kentucky Constitution.
This story will be updated.
