This election cycle is coming to an end and many of the state legislative races across the state are starting to take shape.  We have two competitive congressional seats in the 2nd and 3rd districts and the US Senate race between incumbent Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and challenger Bruce Lunsford has gotten much closer than most observers expected.   McCain still holds a lead in the presidential race and will carry the state, but Obama appears to have made significant gains. See polling data on the Presidential Race in Kentucky and the U.S. Senate Race HERE.

 

The 2nd district congressional open seat is being challenged by two state senators, Guthrie from Bowling Green and Boswell from Owensboro.  This will be a close race and could be impacted by the national races.  Keep in mind whomever wins will vacate their state senate seat creating a very important special election in December or January. The 3rd district congressional race is between first time incumbent John Yarmuth and former congresswoman Ann Northup, who Yarmuth beat two years ago.  Yarmuth appears to have control of the race.

 

Currently the state legislature is 62-36 Democratic in the House and the Senate is 22-14-1 Republican.  The House has 26 contested races including 7 open seats.  The Senate has 11 contested races including 2 open seats.

 

There are very few competitive races in the House aside from the open seats.  We really don’t expect any significant changes in the numbers.  The Democrats may pick up 3-4 seats and no current Chairs of committees appear to be in any trouble.

 

The Senate could produce some close races especially with the national races beginning to trend up Democratic and the US Senate race becoming close.  The last two weeks of bad economic news seems to have helped the Democrats but there is no way of telling if that will extend down to the local senate races. 

 

The first district senate seat is held by a Republican Senator Ken Winters, who is defending for the first time against a former 1st district Congressman, Carroll Hubbard.  He ran last year against the lone independent in the Senate and was defeated.  The incumbent should win if the national races don’t impact.

 

The 19th Senate district seat is held by a longtime incumbent, Senator Tim Shaughnessy.  He is being challenged by a former House member who served 10 terms, Bob Heleringer.  Heleringer also ran for Lt. Governor.  Shaughnessy should hold the seat but this race could be close.

 

The open seat in the 9th was held by Republican Richie Sanders who retired.  The Democratic challenger, Steve Newberry, brother of the Mayor of Lexington appears to have the edge and could add this one to the Democratic total.

 

The open seat in the 13th is a Democratic seat and current House member Kathy Stein should win easily.

 

The 23rd district seat held by Republican Jack Westwood is under strong challenge by Democrat Kathy Groob.  It is a Republican area and district and Westwood should hold the seat, but this is another one that the national races could impact.

 

The final senate seat of note is the 37th where first time incumbent Perry Clark faces Metro Council member Doug Hawkins.  Hawkins could run very close to Clark making this one of the most competitive races.

 

To see more information on all of KY’s elections go to our new webpage 2008 Elections.

 

 

1. U.S. Senate Race – Sen. McConnell & Lunsford

2. 3^rd Congressional District – Rep. Yarmuth & Northup

3. 2^nd Congressional District – Open Seat – Boswell & Guthrie

4. 23^rd State Senate District – Sen. Westwood & Groob

5. 9^th State Senate District – Open Seat – Givens & Newberry

6. 1^st State Senate District – Sen. Winters & Hubbard

7. 13^th State Senate District – Open Seat – Chuck Ellinger & Kathy Stein

8. 49^th State House District – Open Seat – Linda Belcher & Trina Summers

9. 3^rd State House District – Open Seat – Housman & Renfro

10. 1^st State House District – Rep. Rudy & Lawrence

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Bruce Lunsford says Mitch McConnell has been in the U.S. Senate long enough. McConnell counters that his 24 years of seniority allow him to do things for Kentucky that a freshman senator couldn’t do.

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Two state Senate races this fall – one in Northern Kentucky, the other along I-65 in southwest Kentucky – already have cost about $350,000 each so far.

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With the Nov. 4 general election approaching, the Daily News asked local State Senate candidates questions about a variety of issues.

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Those sounds you heard last week were the political furniture banging around as the electoral landscape tilted further in favor of Democrats, even in Kentucky.

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