Republican Sources: Jimmy Higdon wins with 56% of the vote. Will update with numbers in a moment.
14th State Senate District
- Jimmy Higdon (Rep) 11,327
- Jodie Haydon (Dem) 8,891
Do we go ahead and count this as Steve Beshear’s third gambling loss?
Now we’ve lost another senate seat and we have a right-winger sitting on the bench thanks to papaw.
Pack your husband’s bags, Jane, cause he’s moving back to the farm with you.
96th State House District
- Jill York (Rep) 2,545
- Barry Webb (Dem) 1,663
Interesting that our embarrassing governor (is he finished?) and the Kentucky Democratic Party ignored Robin Webb’s old House seat in an easy to win district, isn’t it? That should prove this election really was about gambling and all attention was focused on the Higdon-Haydon race.
(And in other news, Jim Gray announced his campaign for Lexington mayor. Yup. Worst possible timing, ever, hands-down.)
15 responses so far ↓
1 right or wrong // Dec 8, 2009 at 7:31 pm
Looks like the govs bet looses. He is even giving up a safe district in the loss of Webbs seat.
Look for Webb to get beat next year making matters worse.
2 jake // Dec 8, 2009 at 7:35 pm
row: I believe you mean “one-termer”…
3 Steve Magruder (I, not D or R) // Dec 8, 2009 at 7:43 pm
The state Democratic Party really is in danger of becoming known as a political one-trick pony. After they shove expanding gaming down our throats, what _real_ economic development ideas are they going to get behind? (Hint: the answer is - None.)
4 jake // Dec 8, 2009 at 7:46 pm
Sorry, Steve, you’re as wrong as wrong could be.
The Kentucky Democratic Party doesn’t exist anymore. It’s the ‘Steve Beshear/Adam Edelen Let’s Tuck Tail and Run’ crew.
The party would have to be legit, organized and have competent leadership in order to consider it any sort of pony.
5 Conservative // Dec 8, 2009 at 9:11 pm
Serious question here for those of you who consider Beshear to be a one-termer. Will he lose in the primary or in the general? If in the primary, to whom? Greg Stumbo? I think one look at the Tiger Woods situation shows that adulterers are not in favor right now, and you can be darn sure that will be more of an issue in a 2011 governor’s race for Stumbo than it ever was in his AG’s race or even his lieutenant governor’s race. I will make it so myself if I can, for as much as I detest Beshear I detest Stumbo even more.
If not Stumbo, who’s widely rumored to be running for governor if the pundits in my area are to be believed, who else could/would primary him?
6 kelly // Dec 8, 2009 at 10:16 pm
Jake, you are so right. The Kentucky Democratic Party is dead. Progessives are lied to about “Democratic Senate Campaigns” where the Democratic brag about being pro-coal or pro-life. The Democratic Party died when Stevie threw Jerry Lundergan out for silly Jennifer Moore. Jerry won huge numbers of Democratic Seats and picked up a senate seat without selling out. It’s time to Bring JERRY BACK!!! Everywhere I go people keep saying it.. BRING JERRY BACK. Gov listen up!
7 Steve // Dec 8, 2009 at 10:26 pm
This may have been primarily a referendum on expanded gaming, but there was more. I’m hearing that the anti-Higdon ads hurt Haydon — maybe enough to tip the scales.
They may not have come directly from the Haydon camp , but few voters pay attention to the source of negative ads; they tend to blame the campaign.
I’m reasonably convinced that there was a backlash against them. We’ll never know whether it was decisive.
8 cfp // Dec 8, 2009 at 11:29 pm
it just goes to show that hard work and grass roots involvement really can win political campaigns even though being out spent 5 to 1
9 Shocked // Dec 9, 2009 at 12:14 am
How much happier can I get?
Beshear loses another one and Kentucky Basketball is back on top again.
What’s that I hear? Is that Richie lurking around the corner?
There aren’t any democrats with the balls to primary Beshear (which shows how weak our party is) and Richie Farmer will beat him like UK beat UNC Asheville.
10 George Warshington // Dec 9, 2009 at 7:37 am
Remember this is a heavy Republican seat (voting performance) with Dan Kelly at the helm bashing Democrats for 18 years. So, it is not all that of a watershed election. Haydon’s campaign could have done more to point out the mistakes and flaws of Kentucky Republicans in general. This is the formula the Republicans use against Dems effectively.
11 jake // Dec 9, 2009 at 7:42 am
GW: Wouldn’t that require a functional KDP with a Governor who gave a crap?
12 concerned // Dec 9, 2009 at 8:22 am
George Washington:
If your theory is correct how do you explain the 96th district loss. York beat Webb (not related to the current senator Webb who was the sitting representative)
Heavy Democratic registration, seat held by Robin Webb for a decade, the democratic candidate is a vocal union member and still lost in a landslide.
Now how does your theory hold water?
13 jake // Dec 9, 2009 at 8:29 am
And the guy had the same last name as Robin.
That alone should count for a ton of votes.
14 Conservative // Dec 9, 2009 at 8:46 am
I fully expect Ditty to beat Robin Webb for that Senate seat next year. The dynamics of a special election are much different from those of a general election.
15 ProudDem // Dec 9, 2009 at 11:02 am
It’s time to bring back Jerry Lundergan. As Party chair he fought very hard for Democrats. The GOV worked so hard to trash him and now look, they destroyed the Party he built. Go Dems, lets rebuild!!!
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