Primaries and Caucuses
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- On May 20, Kentucky Democratic voters will choose between Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton in a contest for the state's 51 pledged delegates.
- Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear, a Democratic superdelegate, hasn't endorsed either candidate, although he reportedly described himself as a Clinton "admirer." Democratic U.S. Reps. John Yarmuth and Ben Chandler have endorsed Obama. Chandler's grandfather served as a Kentucky governor, senator and as a Major League Baseball commissioner.
- With a Democratic governor and two GOP senators, the state has mixed political leanings. Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry took 11 eastern mountain states in 2004, although in the general election the state went to Bush 60 percent to 40 percent. Bill Clinton narrowly carried the state in both 1992 and 1996. Much of Kentucky's population is rural -- living away from Louisville, Lexington and the northern region near Cincinnati, Ohio.
- High poverty rates may highlight economic issues in the campaign. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Kentucky has the fourth highest percentage of residents over 65 living in poverty - 13.5 percent -- and it ranks No. 10 in number of children in poverty. Median household income ranks near the bottom of the nation at 45, according to the Census Bureau.
Latest polls
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Likely Democratic Kentucky primary voters' choice for nominee in 2008:
Clinton
58%
Obama
31%
Unsure
11%
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NO REPUBLICAN POLL AVAILABLE
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The Democratic Research 2000 poll was conducted among 500 respondents from May 7-9 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.5 percentage points.
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Demographics
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$37,046
Median Household Income (2004)
16.3%
Percentage Income in Poverty, 2004
12.5%
Percentage Age 65 and Up
12.8%
Percentage with College Degree (2000)
2.0%
Percentage Hispanic
5.5%
Unemployment Rate as of 11/2006
U.S. Census Bureau, The Associated Press
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Past General Elections
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Past Highlights
DEMOCRATS
1988: A tooth-and-nail battle between Democratic presidential hopefuls Jesse Jackson, Sen. Al Gore and Gov. Michael Dukakis led to a delegate dispute following the Kentucky primary. Jackson finished third with 15.3 percent, behind Dukakis and Gore. The state Democratic party denied a challenge by Jackson supporters that took issue with the number of delegates allocated to the civil rights leader.
REPUBLICANS
1976: Kentucky GOP voters helped then-President Gerald Ford stave off a rising challenge from former California Gov. Ronald Reagan, who was gaining momentum in the Republican race. Ford narrowly won Kentucky and of course eventually took the party nomination, losing to Jimmy Carter in November.
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Latest News
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Political Ticker Blog
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Posted: 05/16/08 07:10 AM, EDT Latest headline Eight Edwards delegates now moving to Obama |
Primary Process
Kentucky Democrats will allocate 51 pledged delegates. Most will be allocated proportionally based on results in each congressional district and a lesser number will be allocated based on statewide results. The state's GOP voters will allocate 45 delegates. The primary is closed; only registered party members may vote in their party's primary.
Source: Kentucky Democratic and Republican parties
Source: Kentucky Democratic and Republican parties
Current Government
Governor: Steven Beshear (D) re-election 2011
Senator: Mitch McConnell (R) re-election in 2008
Senator: Jim Bunning (R) re-election 2010
U.S. House delegation: 4 Republican, 2 Democrats
State Senate: 22 Republicans, 15 Democrats, 1 Independent
State House: 64 Democrats, 36 Republicans
State Capital: Frankfort
Local Media
Newspapers:
Louisville Courier-Journal
Lexington Herald-Leader
Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer
CNN Affiliates:
Lexington: WLEX
Lexington: WTVQ
Louisville: WAVE
Louisville: WDRB
Louisville: WHAS
Louisville: WLKY
Louisville Courier-Journal
Lexington Herald-Leader
Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer
CNN Affiliates:
Lexington: WLEX
Lexington: WTVQ
Louisville: WAVE
Louisville: WDRB
Louisville: WHAS
Louisville: WLKY
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