1996 Kentucky Senate election

Last updated • 4 min readFrom Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

1996 Kentucky Senate election
Flag of Kentucky.svg
 1994November 5, 19961998 

19 out of 38 seats in the Kentucky Senate
20 seats needed for a majority
 Majority partyMinority partyThird party
 
Leader Larry Saunders Dan Kelly John A. Rose
Party Coalition Republican Democratic
Leader sinceJanuary 7, 1997November 12, 1994January 5, 1993
Leader's seat 37thLouisville 14thSpringfield 28thWinchester
Last election1721
Seats won51815
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 5Increase2.svg 1Decrease2.svg 6
Seats up712
Races won811

1996 Kentucky Senate election.svg
1996 Kentucky Senate Election Popular Vote.svg
Results:
     Democratic hold     Coalition gain
     Republican hold     Republican gain
     No election
Popular vote:
     50–60%     60–70%     >90%
     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     >90%

Senate President before election

John A. Rose
Democratic

Elected Senate President

Larry Saunders
Coalition government

The 1996 Kentucky Senate election was held on November 5, 1996. The Republican and Democratic primary elections were held on May 28. Half of the senate (all odd-numbered seats) were up for election. Despite the Democratic Party maintaining a majority of 20 seats, five members joined all 18 Republicans to elect Larry Saunders the President of the Senate. This gave Republicans effective control of the Senate for the first time since 1920. [1]

Contents

A numbered map of the senate districts at the time can be viewed here.

Overview

Kentucky Senate diagram, 1998.svg
PartyCandidatesVotes%Seats
OpposedUnopposedBeforeWonAfter+/−
Democratic 162322,90154.23211120-1
Republican 161272,48545.7717818+1
Total323595,386100.00381938±0
Source: Kentucky Secretary of State

Retiring incumbents

One senator retired, who did not run for another office. Additionally, Mike Moloney resigned from the senate on July 31, 1996.

  1. 15th: James D. Crase (Somerset): Retired.

Incumbents defeated

Two incumbents lost renomination in the primary election, and two incumbents lost reelection in the general election.

In the primary election

Democrats

Two Democrats lost renomination.

  1. 17th: Charlie Berger (first elected in 1979) lost renomination to Glenn Freeman, who won the general election.
  2. 31st: Kelsey E. Friend Sr. (first elected in 1971) lost renomination to Gary C. Johnson, who won the general election.

Republicans

No Republicans lost renomination.

In the general election

Democrats

One Democrat lost reelection to a Republican.

  1. 23rd: Joseph U. Meyer (first elected in 1988) lost to Jack Westwood.

Republicans

One Republican lost reelection to a Democrat.

  1. 29th: John David Preston (elected in 1994) lost a redistricting race to fellow incumbent Benny Ray Bailey.

Summary by district

Certified results by the Kentucky Secretary of State are available online for the primary election and general election.

† – Incumbent not seeking re-election

District Incumbent PartyElectedParty
1 Jeff Green Dem Jeff Green Dem
3 Joey Pendleton Dem Joey Pendleton Dem
5 Virgil Moore Rep Virgil Moore Rep
7 Lindy Casebier Rep Lindy Casebier Rep
9 Richard "Richie" Sanders Rep Richard "Richie" Sanders Rep
11 Richard L. "Dick" Roeding Rep Richard L. "Dick" Roeding Rep
13 Vacant Ernesto Scorsone Dem
15 James D. CraseRep Vernie McGaha Rep
17 Charlie Berger Dem Glenn Freeman Dem
19 Tim Shaughnessy Dem Tim Shaughnessy Dem
21 Albert L. Robinson Rep Albert L. Robinson Rep
23 Joseph U. Meyer Dem Jack Westwood Rep
25 John David Preston Rep Robert Stivers Rep
27 Walter "Doc" Blevins Dem Walter "Doc" Blevins Dem
29 Benny Ray Bailey Dem Benny Ray Bailey Dem
31 Kelsey E. Friend Sr. Dem Gary C. Johnson Dem
33 Gerald A. Neal Dem Gerald A. Neal Dem
35 David K. Karem Dem David K. Karem Dem
37 Larry Saunders Dem Larry Saunders Dem

Closest races

Seats where the margin of victory was under 10%:

  1. District 5, 2.48%
  2. District 7, 4.36%
  3. District 25, 5.44%
  4. District 17, 5.87%
  5. District 23, 8.50% (gain)

Special elections

District 9 special

Richard "Richie" Sanders was elected in June 1996 following the resignation of Walter Arnold Baker.

1996 Kentucky Senate 9th district special election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Richard "Richie" Sanders 6,908 58.6
Democratic John "Jake" D. Dickinson4,88941.4
Total votes11,797 100.0
Republican hold

District 13 special

§ Special election

District 1

Incumbent senator Jeff Green won reelection unopposed.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

General election

Results

1996 Kentucky Senate 1st district election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Jeff Green (incumbent) Unopposed
Total votes23,679 100.0
Democratic hold

District 3

Incumbent senator Joey Pendleton won reelection, defeating Republican John Young.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee
  • John Young

General election

Results

1996 Kentucky Senate 3rd district election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Joey Pendleton (incumbent) 13,043 55.6
Republican John Young10,41644.4
Total votes23,459 100.0
Democratic hold

District 5

Incumbent senator Virgil Moore won reelection, defeating Democrat Joe M. Hager.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee
  • Joe M. Hager
Eliminated in primary
  • Harold E. Davidson

Results

Democratic primary results
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Joe M. Hager 3,455 66.9
Democratic Harold E. Davidson1,70633.1
Total votes5,161 100.0

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

General election

Results

1996 Kentucky Senate 5th district election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Virgil Moore (incumbent) 16,738 51.2
Democratic Joe M. Hager15,92848.8
Total votes32,666 100.0
Republican hold

District 7

Incumbent senator Lindy Casebier won reelection, defeating Democrat Charles W. Miller.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee
Eliminated in primary
  • Dennis Mitchell

Results

Democratic primary results
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Charles W. Miller 4,068 51.4
Democratic Dennis Mitchell3,84848.6
Total votes7,916 100.0

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

General election

Results

1996 Kentucky Senate 7th district election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Lindy Casebier (incumbent) 19,929 52.2
Democratic Charles W. Miller 18,26347.8
Total votes38,192 100.0
Republican hold

District 9

Incumbent senator Richard "Richie" Sanders won reelection, defeating Democrat John "Jake" D. Dickinson.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee
  • John "Jake" D. Dickinson

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

General election

Results

1996 Kentucky Senate 9th district election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Richard "Richie" Sanders (incumbent) 19,632 60.6
Democratic John "Jake" D. Dickinson12,77739.4
Total votes32,409 100.0
Republican hold

District 11

Incumbent senator Richard L. "Dick" Roeding won reelection, defeating Democrat Sandra Easton.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee
  • Sandra Easton

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

General election

Results

1996 Kentucky Senate 11th district election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Richard L. "Dick" Roeding (incumbent) 28,604 66.2
Democratic Sandra Easton14,59533.8
Total votes43,199 100.0
Republican hold

District 13

Incumbent senator Mike Moloney resigned from the senate in July 1996. He was succeeded by Democrat Ernesto Scorsone, who was elected in both the regular election and a special election for the remainder of Moloney's term.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee
  • N. Mitchell Meade

General election

Results

1996 Kentucky Senate 13th district election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Ernesto Scorsone 18,262 61.1
Republican N. Mitchell Meade11,63938.9
Total votes29,901 100.0
Democratic hold

Special election

Results

1996 Kentucky Senate 13th district special election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Ernesto Scorsone 14,533 60.0
Republican N. Mitchell Meade9,68640.0
Total votes24,219 100.0
Democratic hold

District 15

Incumbent senator James D. Crase did not seek reelection. He was succeeded by Republican Vernie McGaha.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee
  • Gene Daniels

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee
Eliminated in primary
  • S. David Carr
  • Larry Sears Nichols
  • William J. Wilson Jr.

Results

Republican primary results
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Vernie McGaha 4,836 51.5
Republican William J. Wilson, Jr.1,66517.7
Republican S. David Carr1,53116.3
Republican Larry Sears Nichols1,35514.4
Total votes9,387 100.0

General election

Results

1996 Kentucky Senate 15th district election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Vernie McGaha 23,733 72.8
Democratic Gene Daniels8,84527.2
Total votes32,578 100.0
Republican hold

District 17

Incumbent Democratic senator Charlie Berger was defeated for renomination by Glenn Freeman.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee
Eliminated in primary

Results

Democratic primary results
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Glenn Freeman 6,011 51.8
Democratic Charlie Berger (incumbent)4,16235.9
Democratic Bill Blair Baird1,42112.3
Total votes11,594 100.0

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee
Eliminated in primary

Results

Republican primary results
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican J. C. Ausmus III 2,286 59.6
Republican Johnnie Lloyd Turner 1,54840.4
Total votes3,834 100.0

General election

Results

1996 Kentucky Senate 17th district election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Glenn Freeman 14,520 52.9
Republican J. C. Ausmus III 12,90947.1
Total votes27,429 100.0
Democratic hold

District 19

Incumbent senator Tim Shaughnessy won reelection, defeating Republican Barbara "Bobbie" Holsclaw.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee
  • Barbara "Bobbie" Holsclaw

General election

Results

1996 Kentucky Senate 19th district election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Tim Shaughnessy (incumbent) 24,198 59.3
Republican Barbara "Bobbie" Holsclaw16,63240.7
Total votes40,830 100.0
Democratic hold

District 21

Incumbent senator Albert L. Robinson won reelection, defeating primary election challengers.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee
Eliminated in primary
  • Michael Dean
  • Helen Jackson

Results

Republican primary results
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Albert L. Robinson (incumbent) 3,694 62.0
Republican Michael Dean1,57826.5
Republican Helen Jackson68811.5
Total votes5,960 100.0

General election

Results

1996 Kentucky Senate 21st district election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Albert L. Robinson (incumbent) Unopposed
Total votes20,450 100.0
Republican hold

District 23

Incumbent senator Joseph U. Meyer was defeated for reelection by Republican Jack Westwood.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee
Eliminated in primary
  • Joyce M. Macke
  • Joe Mattioli

Results

Republican primary results
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Jack Westwood 1,172 50.1
Republican Joe Mattioli70630.2
Republican Joyce M. Macke46019.7
Total votes2,338 100.0

General election

Results

1996 Kentucky Senate 23rd district election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Jack Westwood 16,429 54.3
Democratic Joseph U. Meyer (incumbent)13,85445.7
Total votes30,283 100.0
Republican gain from Democratic

District 25

Incumbent senator John David Preston was redistricted to the 29th district and was succeeded by Robert Stivers.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee
  • Charles M. Derrickson

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

General election

Results

1996 Kentucky Senate 25th district election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Robert Stivers 14,027 52.7
Democratic Charles M. Derrickson12,57947.3
Total votes26,606 100.0
Republican hold

District 27

Incumbent senator Walter "Doc" Blevins won reelection, defeating Republican Randy Memmer.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee
  • Randy Memmer
Eliminated in primary
  • Mary "Candy" Parker
  • Duane Porter

Results

Republican primary results
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Randy Memmer 1,118 43.0
Republican Duane Porter1,03840.0
Republican Mary "Candy" Parker44117.0
Total votes2,597 100.0

General election

Results

1996 Kentucky Senate 27th district election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Walter "Doc" Blevins (incumbent) 18,211 60.1
Republican Randy Memmer12,11339.9
Total votes30,324 100.0
Democratic hold

District 29

Incumbent senator Benny Ray Bailey won reelection, defeating Republican senator John David Preston, who had been redistricted from the 25th district.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

General election

Results

1996 Kentucky Senate 29th district election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Benny Ray Bailey (incumbent) 18,878 61.2
Republican John David Preston 11,97838.8
Total votes30,856 100.0
Democratic hold

District 31

Incumbent Democratic senator Kelsey E. Friend Sr. was defeated for renomination by Gary C. Johnson.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee
Eliminated in primary

Results

Democratic primary results
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Gary C. Johnson 8,322 54.6
Democratic Kelsey E. Friend, Sr. (incumbent)6,92345.4
Total votes15,245 100.0

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee
  • Kevin Hall

General election

Results

1996 Kentucky Senate 31st district election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Gary C. Johnson 18,167 64.1
Republican Kevin Hall10,15435.9
Total votes28,321 100.0
Democratic hold

District 33

Incumbent senator Gerald A. Neal won reelection unopposed.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

General election

Results

1996 Kentucky Senate 33rd district election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Gerald A. Neal (incumbent) Unopposed
Total votes24,373 100.0
Democratic hold

District 35

Incumbent senator David K. Karem won reelection, defeating Republican Bruce McCrea.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee
  • Bruce McCrea

General election

Results

1996 Kentucky Senate 35th district election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic David K. Karem (incumbent) 30,381 65.4
Republican Bruce McCrea16,09634.6
Total votes46,477 100.0
Democratic hold

District 37

Incumbent senator Larry Saunders won reelection, defeating Republican William C. Cothron.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee
  • William C. Cothron

General election

Results

1996 Kentucky Senate 37th district election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Larry Saunders (incumbent) 22,348 67.0
Republican William C. Cothron11,00633.0
Total votes33,354 100.0
Democratic hold

Related Research Articles

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) is the Democratic Hill committee for the United States Senate. Its purpose is to elect Democrats to the United States Senate. The DSCC's current Chair is Senator Gary Peters of Michigan, who succeeded Nevada's Catherine Cortez Masto after the 2020 Senate elections. DSCC's current executive director is Christie Roberts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1978 United States Senate elections</span>

The 1978 United States Senate elections were held on November 7, in the middle of Democratic President Jimmy Carter's term. The 33 seats of Class 2 were contested in regular elections. Special elections were also held to fill vacancies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2002 United States House of Representatives elections</span> House elections for the 108th U.S. Congress

The 2002 United States House of Representatives elections were held on November 5, 2002, in the middle of President George W. Bush's first term, to elect U.S. Representatives to serve in the 108th United States Congress. This was the first congressional election using districts drawn up during the 2000 United States redistricting cycle on the basis of the 2000 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1992 United States House of Representatives elections</span> House elections for the 103rd U.S. Congress

The 1992 United States House of Representatives elections were held on November 3, 1992, to elect U.S. Representatives to serve in the 103rd United States Congress. They coincided with the 1992 presidential election, in which Democrat Bill Clinton was elected as President, defeating Republican incumbent President George H. W. Bush.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1996 United States Senate election in Virginia</span>

The 1996 United States Senate election in Virginia was held on November 5, 1996. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator John Warner won re-election to a fourth term over Democratic challenger Mark Warner (unrelated), who later served as Governor of Virginia from 2002 to 2006 and won this Senate seat in 2008 after John Warner declined to run for re-election that year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2004 Kentucky Senate election</span>

The 2004 Kentucky Senate election was held on November 2, 2004. The Republican and Democratic primary elections were held on May 18. Half of the senate were up for election. Republicans maintained their majority in the chamber without gaining or losing any seats.

Katie Kratz Stine was a Republican member of the Kentucky Senate representing Campbell and Pendleton Counties as State Senator from the 24th Senate District from 1999 until 2015. She served as the President Pro tempore of the Kentucky State Senate. She did not seek reelection in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 New York state elections</span>

The 2012 New York state elections took place on November 6, 2012. These elections included the 2012 presidential election, an election to one U.S. Senate seat, and elections to all 27 New York congressional seats, all 63 seats in the New York State Senate, and all 150 seats in the New York State Assembly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 United States House of Representatives elections</span> House election for the 118th U.S. Congress

The 2022 United States House of Representatives elections were held on November 8, 2022, as part of the 2022 United States elections during incumbent president Joe Biden's term. Representatives were elected from all 435 U.S. congressional districts across each of the 50 states to serve in the 118th United States Congress, as well as 5 non-voting members of the U.S. House of Representatives from the District of Columbia and four of the five inhabited insular areas. Numerous other federal, state, and local elections, including the 2022 U.S. Senate elections and the 2022 U.S. gubernatorial elections, were also held simultaneously. This was the first election after the 2020 redistricting cycle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 New Hampshire Senate election</span>

The 2018 New Hampshire Senate election was held on November 6, 2018, concurrently with the elections for the New Hampshire House of Representatives, to elect members to the 166th New Hampshire General Court. All 24 seats in the New Hampshire Senate were up for election. It resulted in Democrats gaining control of both chambers of the New Hampshire General Court, ending the total control of New Hampshire's state government, that Republicans had held in New Hampshire since the 2016 state elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 New Hampshire Senate election</span>

The 2016 New Hampshire Senate election was held on November 8, 2016, concurrently with the elections for the New Hampshire House of Representatives, to elect members to the 165th New Hampshire General Court. All 24 seats in the New Hampshire Senate were up for election. It resulted in Republicains maintaining control of both chambers of the New Hampshire General Court.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 Kentucky Senate election</span>

The 2020 Kentucky Senate election was held on November 3, 2020. The Republican and Democratic primary elections were held on June 23. Half of the senate seats were up for election. Republicans increased their majority in the chamber, gaining two seats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1940 Illinois elections</span>

Elections were held in Illinois on Tuesday, November 5, 1940.

The 1942 Massachusetts general election was held on November 3, 1942, throughout Massachusetts. Primary elections took place on September 15.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 West Virginia House of Delegates election</span>

The 2022 West Virginia House of Delegates election was held on November 8, 2022, electing all 100 members of the chamber. This coincided with the election of 17 of West Virginia's 34 state senators, and the election of West Virginia's two U.S. representatives. Primary elections were held on May 10, 2022. Due to redistricting, this was the first House of Delegates election in which all members were elected from single member districts, with West Virginia following a trend of states phasing out multi-member districts in recent decades.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Kentucky House of Representatives election</span>

The 2022 Kentucky House of Representatives election was held on November 8, 2022. The Republican and Democratic primary elections were held on May 17. All 100 seats of the house were up for election. Republicans increased their majority in the chamber, gaining five seats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Kentucky Senate election</span>

The 2022 Kentucky Senate election was held on November 8, 2022. The Republican and Democratic primary elections were held on May 17. Half of the senate were up for election. Republicans increased their majority in the chamber, gaining one seat.

Joseph U. Meyer is an American politician from Kentucky who has served as the mayor of Covington since 2017. Meyer previously served in the Kentucky Senate and Kentucky House of Representatives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 Kentucky Senate election</span>

The 2010 Kentucky Senate election was held on November 2, 2010. The Republican and Democratic primary elections were held on May 18. Half of the senate were up for election. Republicans increased their majority in the chamber, gaining two seats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 Kentucky Senate election</span>

The 2016 Kentucky Senate election was held on November 8, 2016. The Republican and Democratic primary elections were held on May 17. Half of the senate were up for election. Republicans maintained their majority in the chamber without gaining or losing any seats.

References

  1. Chellgren, Mark R. (January 30, 1997). "GOP exerts newfound influence in Kentucky Senate". Associated Press .

Notes

    References

      See also