Signs designating the Austin Tracy Fire Department as a polling location bend in the wind on Election Day, Nov. 5, 2024, in Barren County. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Austin Anthony)
LOUISVILLE — The partisan balance in Kentucky’s legislature appears to have been unchanged by Tuesday’s election, although a Democratic leader in the House was defeated.
Republicans went into — and came out of — Tuesday’s election with 80 of the 100 House seats and 31 of the 38 Senate seats, according to unofficial results.
- House Democratic Caucus Chair Rep. Cherlynn Stevenson was unseated by Republican challenger Vanessa Grossl in the 88th House District which includes parts of Fayette and Scott counties.
- Democrat Adam Moore defeated Republican Thomas Jefferson in the 45th House District in Fayette and Jessamine counties. Jefferson had defeated Rep. Killian Timoney in the Republican primary.
In the Senate, 19 seats were on the ballot. Republicans won 14 of them and Democrats won five.
County boards of election will certify election results by Friday, Nov. 8.
Outgoing Senate Republican Floor Leader Damon Thayer said in a phone interview with the Kentucky Lantern Tuesday night that he had “no concerns about the Democrats chipping away at our supermajority — in either the House or the Senate.” Thayer announced he planned to not seek reelection ahead of the 2024 legislative session.
Republicans have maintained a supermajority in Frankfort for the last eight years. They took control of the House in 2016 and the Senate in 2000.
“I think people really like that we are a supermajority that delivers results,” Thayer said. “We don’t just make promises, we deliver. And our House and Senate supermajorities have worked really well together to deliver big legislative wins that have made Kentucky a better place to live, work and raise a family.”
On the other side of the aisle, Sen.-elect Keturah Herron said the night had been “a little disappointing” and “we’ve got a lot of work to do.” Herron, of Louisville and a state representative, faced no opposition in seeking the 35th District Senate seat.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do as far as finding candidates. We got a lot of work to do with raising money. We got a lot of work to do with organizing and really just getting out and talking to Kentuckians. I think that when Kentuckians hear about what’s really happening. I believe that they would really vote toward a Democratic platform. I don’t know that we’re doing a great job of laying out what that platform is.”
Ahead of the election, Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear predicted his party would “pick up seats in our state legislature.” While drumming up enthusiasm during a Fayette County Democratic rally before early voting began last week, Beshear highlighted local Democrats seeking office and said Kentucky needs “a General Assembly with more empathy, sympathy, compassion and confidence.” Beshear particularly criticized the lack of legislative movement on bills that would have added exceptions in cases of rape and incest to Kentucky’s abortion ban.
However, as of early October, Beshear’s In This Together PAC had not reported donating to a Democratic legislative candidate in Kentucky. Meanwhile, U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell’s PAC, Bluegrass Committee, gave 95 Republican candidates $2,100 each, the maximum allowed under state law, which mirrors donations the PAC has given in the past. This year’s number included 90 legislative candidates, three Louisville Metro Council candidates and two mayor candidates.
Within Republican ranks, the Liberty Caucus grew. Newcomers to the legislature, T.J. Roberts in the 66th House District and Aaron Reed in the 7th Senate District, are expected to be closely aligned with current Liberty Caucus members, who describe themselves as very conservative, dedicated to limited government and individual rights and eschewing establishment politicians.
Here are the unofficial results of some key races:
17th Senate District: Thayer’s open seat
Succeeding Thayer, the Georgetown Republican, will be Republican Matt Nunn.
In the GOP primary, Thayer backed Nunn, a veteran and executive at Toyota Tsusho America. Kiana Fields, the Democratic candidate in the race, had hoped to flip the district blue after Beshear won three of its four counties last year.
The 17th Senate District includes Grant and Scott counties and parts of Fayette and Kenton counties.
29th Senate District: 11 write-in candidates
After Republican Sen. Johnnie Turner died in October, 11 write-in candidates filed for election in his Southeastern Kentucky district. Pineville mayor Scott Madon won Tuesday evening.
Republicans quickly endorsed Madon and Democrats backed attorney Justin Noble of Knott County.
30th House District: Grossberg unopposed
Despite calls from within his party for him to resign amid allegations of inappropriate behavior towards women, Louisville Democratic Rep. Daniel Grossberg sailed to reelection Tuesday evening. He faced no opponent in the general election after narrowly winning his primary this spring. Grossberg garnered 10,125 votes within the 30th House District.
37th House District: Stovall vs. Callaway
John Stovall, a union leader and Democrat endorsed by Beshear, lost his challenge to freshman incumbent Louisville Republican Rep. Emily Callaway.
On her campaign website, Callaway highlighted her co-sponsorship of an omnibus crime bill, House Bill 5 during the last legislative session. Her website also says she supports eliminating the state income tax, giving parents “more freedom and choices in education,” “is pro-life” and supports the Second Amendment.
Stovall told the Kentucky Lantern earlier this year his top priorities include creating and protecting jobs, along with securing pensions and health care.
40th House District: Kulkarni battled to stay in race
After the Kentucky Supreme Court rejected a challenge to Louisville Democratic Rep. Nima Kulkarni, she won 10,293 votes in her district. She faced no opponent as Republicans did not nominate a candidate when a vacancy in the general election was declared earlier this year.
45th House District: Who will succeed Timoney?
Republican Rep. Killian Timoney was defeated in the GOP primary by a challenger from the right, Thomas Jefferson, earlier this year. On Tuesday Democrat Adam Moore won the general election by roughly 100 votes in the district that includes parts of Fayette and Jessamine counties.
Jefferson, who aligned himself with Liberty Caucus candidates and lawmakers in the Republican Party, was critical of Timoney for voting against two recent GOP anti-transgender bills and brought culture wars into the race. Moore, the Democratic candidate backed by Beshear, said ahead of the election he hoped to implement policies like eliminating sales taxes on services and expanding Beshear’s executive order that restored the right to vote to nonviolent felons.
48th House District: Farrow vs. Fleming
Incumbent Louisville Republican Rep. Ken Fleming defeated Democratic challenger Kate Farrow, an education advocate backed by Beshear.
Earlier this year, Fleming introduced a resolution to establish the Efficient and Effective School District Governance Task Force, which has been reviewing the governance of Jefferson County Public Schools. He also sponsored legislation this session to expand exceptions to Kentucky’s abortion ban, including for rape and incest. That bill was never assigned to a House committee.
Fleming served in the House from 2017 to 2018 and again from 2021 to present.
Farrow, who worked at the Louisville Water Company, narrowly lost a 2022 race for the Oldham County Board of Education.
88th House District: Grossl vs. Stevenson
House Democratic Caucus Chair Rep. Cherlynn Stevenson, of Lexington was defeated by Republican opponent and business executive Vanessa Grossl in the 88th House District which includes parts of Fayette and Scott counties. Grossl won by about 200 votes
Stevenson has served in the House since 2019 and won a narrow election for the seat in 2022 after redistricting drastically changed her constituency. Grossl, of Georgetown, previously worked at The Council of State Governments’ (CSG) National Headquarters in Lexington.
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