Commonwealth Policy Center

Kentucky Republicans expanded their supermajorities in the legislature last week at the ballot box but you’d hardly know it by reading the major newspapers. Perhaps the victories were overshadowed by the presidential race. Regardless, it’s still big news. Republicans netted 13 seats in the State House and 2 seats in the State Senate. They now have a 75-25 margin in the House and 30-8 margin in the Senate. Republicans handily won five of six Congressional seats and Sen. Mitch McConnell beat Amy McGrath by 20 points. Democrats are doing some soul-searching after being walloped by voters. It was a rejection of Democratic policies that embrace socialism, controversial issues like abortion and crossdressing, and the perception that they don’t support law enforcement.