FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) – Unlike last year, when Kentucky was in the spotlight for a hotly contested gubernatorial race, Republicans and Democrats announced their 2024 race on Friday with no major races for statewide office. As the lineup of candidates for the election was finalized, attention focused on Kentucky's legislative and legislative activities. Contest.
All six Kentucky members of Congress (five Republicans and one Democrat) have filed for re-election. All of them will be challenged in either the spring primary or the November general election.
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Democrats once again failed to field candidates across rural Kentucky, leaving many Republican state legislators facing major challenges. This reflects the weakening Democratic brand in much of rural Kentucky, the continued growth of the Republican Party, and increasingly competitive primaries. Republicans won supermajorities in both the Kentucky House and Senate.
“Kentucky continues to trend toward the Republican Party,” Republican House Speaker David Osborne told reporters hours before the nomination deadline. “So more and more seats will be decided in the Republican primary.”
Both Republicans and Democrats have finalized their lists of candidates for the Kentucky election.
Candidates, political strategists and reporters gathered outside the Secretary of State's office in the final hours before the deadline. Popcorn was provided as a snack. When the deadline arrived, Secretary of State Michael Adams ceremoniously closed the door to the office where candidates were filing their papers.
There was none of the drama a year ago, when former Republican Gov. Matt Bevin teased an effort at a political comeback. Mr. Bevin arrived at the state capitol, spoke to a large media audience, and then left without reporting. Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear, who ousted Bevin in 2019, won re-election over Republican challenger Daniel Cameron in one of the most closely watched elections of 2023.
In 2024, candidates for Congress and the state House will run in districts chosen by the state's Republican-controlled Legislature. Democrats challenged the congressional and state legislative district maps, but the Kentucky Supreme Court upheld the boundaries in a ruling last month. The Legislature will convene for a 60-day session this week, with crafting the state's budget for the next two years a top priority.
In the presidential election, President Joe Biden will participate in the primary voting in Kentucky along with fellow Democrats Dean Phillips and Marianne Williamson. On the Republican side, former President Donald Trump will be joining Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Chris Christie and Vivek Ramaswamy in Kentucky. Trump easily won Kentucky in the past two presidential elections.
In Congressional races, the Republican incumbents who attract primary challengers range from relative newcomers to veteran state Reps. Kimberly Poor Moser and Michael Meredith, who lead House committees.
Despite losing the state's marquee gubernatorial race last year, the Republican Party said it will enter this year's election campaign with a strong base and momentum on its side.
“One thing is clear from the candidate filings: There is more energy within the Republican Party than ever before,” Robert Benvenuti, chairman of the state Republican Party, said in a statement.
Democrats, hoping to make inroads into Republicans' lopsided legislative majority, said they are targeting suburban and rural areas where Mr. Beshear performed well last year. State Democratic Party Chairman Colmon Elridge provided a preview of the party's agenda for the campaign.
“Public education, access to health care, infrastructure, and the opportunity to uplift and move Kentucky forward are all at stake this November, and Kentucky Democrats will fight for them,” Elridge said in a statement. mentioned in.
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Seeking new terms in Kentucky's congressional delegation are Republicans James Comer, Brett Guthrie, Thomas Massie, Hal Rogers, and Andy Barr, and Democrat Morgan McGarvey.
The period leading up to the filing deadline was dominated by announcements by some prominent state legislators that they would not seek re-election in 2024. Those leaving after this year include Republican Senate Majority Leader Damon Thayer, Republican state Rep. Kevin Bratcher, and state House members. Representative Derrick Graham, the top Democrat in the House.
