Kentucky Senate Democratic Leader Ed Worley said it best last week in the Courier-Journal, “Dominoes fall one at a time.”
This year the Democrats have been on a roll in recapturing formerly held Republican Senate seats in special elections: first in Western Kentucky with the victory of Democrat State Senator Mike Reynolds, and last week with a second victory in Eastern Kentucky with the new Democrat State Senator, Robin Webb, who was sworn in today.
“Robin Webb won a tremendous victory for the Democrats,” said State Senator Tim Shaughnessy. “It makes for a sound foundation for Democrats to gain control of the Kentucky Senate next year.”
With Robin’s victory, Democrats are now within two seats of being even in the Senate, and within three seats of capturing the majority. The Senate is now 20 Republicans, 17 Democrats and one independent.
“Kentucky Democrats win when they are united,” said State Senator Denise Harper Angel. “The Kentucky Democratic Party had a fabulous GOTV effort in the special election for Robin that got her vote out and greatly helped in producing the win.”
Carter County voters gave their native, Robin, a 1200 vote margin, a strong vote of confidence for their state representative of twelve years. She would break even in the other county of her House District, Lewis County, where Republican registration is three to one over the Democrats. Robin’s home district gave her the necessary margin to beat back the mean spirited Republican attack ads against her that produced a win for her opponent in three of the four other counties in rest of the Senate District. Robin won by 282 votes by beating Republican Jack Ditty, 8684 to 8402.
Robin Webb’s victory was essential in building the momentum for Democrats to capture the Kentucky State Senate. It will be done, one Senate seat at a time. A United Kentucky Democratic Party can make it happen. As Kentucky Democratic Party Chair Charlie Moore said, “Kentuckians around the state are energized to take back the Kentucky Senate next year and this was the first step!”
I am going out today to buy some dominoes for the Kentucky Senate Democratic Caucus.
