Gov. Beshear Files Emergency Order to Freeze Gas Tax
Gov. Andy Beshear has filed an emergency order effectively freezing Kentucky’s gas tax – preventing a 2-cent increase per gallon that would have taken effect July 1. The current tax rate of 26 cents was set to increase under a regulatory trigger, resulting in a price hike on both regular and diesel fuel. Beshear asked...
Charles Booker Dons Noose in First Ad of U.S. Senate Campaign
Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Charles Booker the first Black Senatorial candidate in Kentucky history has launched his first ad of the campaign donning a noose to draw a contrast with U.S. Sen. Rand Paul. “In Kentucky, like many states throughout the south, lynching was a tool of terror,” says Booker in the ad. “Now, in a...
Ryan Quarles Officially Launches Bid for Governor
GEORGETOWN – Weeks after a first announcing and 11 months before the GOP primary Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles officially kicked off his gubernatorial campaign in sweltering 90-degree temperatures in front of the Scott County Courthouse. Surrounded by approximately 250 supporters, which included a grade-school teacher and multiple elected officials from around Kentucky, Quarles kicked off...
Matt Bevin’s Path Back to the Governor’s Mansion
Matt Bevin knows about being counted out, in fact, his first trip to the Governor’s Mansion relied on it, and some of the pieces are falling in place for him to run the type of race he ran in 2015 again in 2023. Many in the political class, including his Republican challengers, thought that the...
Rep. Savannah Maddox Prepares to Launch Gubernatorial Bid
Republican state Rep. Savannah Maddox is preparing to launch her gubernatorial primary bid in Burlington next month. The northern Kentucky lawmaker is sending out invites for her “big announcement” on June 6. “Rep. Savannah Maddox is the leading voice of conservative values in the Kentucky General Assembly,” the event information on her announcement reads. “She...
Four Pack of Kentucky Political Nuggets
Here’s what’s happening in Kentucky as many in the political world take a short collective breath before Fancy Farm in August. Mitch McConnell looks like he is partly to blame for the lack of U.S. Attorney appointments in the Western and Eastern Districts of Kentucky. Reporter Andrew Wolfson explains the impasse between McConnell and Kentucky’s...
Fmr. Democratic Nominee for Treasurer Plans to Run Again in 2023
A former Democratic nominee for state Treasurer Michael Bowman plans to run again for the Constitutional office next year in an open seat race. Bowman was the 2019 Democratic nominee for Treasurer, who lost to Allison Ball in her re-election. Ball finished the contest with nearly 61 percent of the vote to Bowman’s 39 percent....
House Speaker David Osborne to Emcee Fancy Farm
A man used to dealing with quarreling elected Republicans will emcee the political speaking at the 142nd Annual Fancy Farm Picnic on the first Saturday in August. House Speaker David Osborne has been tapped to host the Kentucky tradition in far West Kentucky. As multiple statewide-elected Republicans vie for their party’s nomination to challenge incumbent...
Al Cross: As primary voters move GOP farther right, will others follow?
Tuesday’s primary elections in Kentucky reflected increasing polarization of the two political parties. The Republican Party kept moving right, with the victories of several candidates who campaigned primarily on cultural issues and against government overreach. The Democratic Party kept moving left, with the U.S. Senate primary victory of former state Rep. Charles Booker of Louisville,...