KY-SD18: Democrats Pick Up GOP-Held Seat

Because we could all use some good news lately… here’s a nice booster from Kentucky:

Democrats chipped away at Republican control of the state Senate Tuesday as Democrat Robin Webb narrowly defeated Republican Jack Ditty in a special election Tuesday for a vacant seat in northeastern Kentucky.

Republicans now hold a 20-17 margin in the Senate, with one independent member, bringing Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear closer to his goal of allowing slot machines at horse racetracks.

Unofficial results in the 18th Senate District – Mason, Bracken, Robertson, Carter, Greenup and Lewis counties – show Webb collecting 8,684 votes to Ditty’s 8,402. Independent Guy Gibbons garnered 953 votes.

This race was a pretty expensive and hotly-contested one, so Kentucky Dems can pat themselves on the back for this win. Unofficial results are available here. (Update: Title edited to correct the district number.)

38 thoughts on “KY-SD18: Democrats Pick Up GOP-Held Seat”

  1. Not surprised the democrat won.  Republicans are very unpopular in this state right now because of the failed slot machines legislation.  There’s another senate special election in a month or two I believe as well for another republican that Beshear appointed to some position.

    Also the independent in the senate is basically 100% republican.

  2. and the House district being vacated by Webb is almost 50/50 in registration. So watch the loss of that seat be viewed as a sign of our eternal doom

  3. Republicans now hold a 20-17 margin in the Senate, with one independent member, bringing Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear closer to his goal of allowing slot machines at horse racetracks.

    If that’s the primary goal of Governor Beshear’s time in office, then Kentuckians deserve better.

  4. Is it at all conceivable that dems could carve out a 3-3 delegation should they get the trifecta of senate, house, and Beshear?

  5. It’s essentially Baldwin County (Milledgeville) plus a sliver of Putnam County.  Obama probably won it, judging from the map.  However, it’s swingy on a Presidential level.

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