2026 Kentucky Senate election
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The 2026 Kentucky Senate election will be held on November 3, 2026. The Republican and Democratic primary elections were held on May 19. Half of the senate (all even-numbered seats) are up for election. Following the 2024 election, Republicans and Democrats held 31 and seven seats, respectively. However, the party switch of Robin L. Webb in May 2025 increased the Republican majority to 32 seats. The deadline for candidates to file was January 9, 2026.[1]
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November 3, 2026
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19 out of 38 seats in the Kentucky Senate 20 seats needed for a majority | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Map of the incumbents: Republican incumbent Republican incumbent retiring Democratic incumbent No election | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Overview
| Party | Candidates | Votes | % | Seats | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opposed | Unopposed | Before | Won | After | +/− | ||||
| Republican | 11 | 8 | 32 | ||||||
| Democratic | 9 | 0 | 6 | ||||||
| Write-in | 2 | 0 | N/A | N/A | N/A | ||||
| Total | 22 | 8 | 38 | 19 | 38 | ±0 | |||
Retiring incumbents
One senator, a Republican, has announced his retirement, and is not running for another office.
Republican
- 14th: Jimmy Higdon (Lebanon): Retiring.[2]
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[3] | Safe R | January 22, 2026 |
Summary by district
† – Incumbent not seeking re-election
| District | Incumbent | Party | Elected | Party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Danny Carroll | Rep | Danny Carroll | Rep | ||
| 4 | Robby Mills | Rep | ||||
| 6 | Lindsey Tichenor | Rep | ||||
| 8 | Gary Boswell | Rep | ||||
| 10 | Matthew Deneen | Rep | ||||
| 12 | Amanda Mays Bledsoe | Rep | Amanda Mays Bledsoe | Rep | ||
| 14 | Jimmy Higdon† | Rep | ||||
| 16 | Max Wise | Rep | Max Wise | Rep | ||
| 18 | Robin L. Webb | Rep[a] | Robin L. Webb | Rep | ||
| 20 | Gex Williams | Rep | ||||
| 22 | Donald Douglas | Rep | ||||
| 24 | Shelley Funke Frommeyer | Rep | ||||
| 26 | Karen Berg | Dem | ||||
| 28 | Greg Elkins | Rep | Greg Elkins | Rep | ||
| 30 | Brandon Smith | Rep | Brandon Smith | Rep | ||
| 32 | Mike Wilson | Rep | Mike Wilson | Rep | ||
| 34 | Jared Carpenter | Rep | ||||
| 36 | Julie Raque Adams | Rep | ||||
| 38 | Michael J. Nemes | Rep | Michael J. Nemes | Rep | ||
Special elections
District 37 special
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December 16, 2025
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 Precinct results Clemons: 50-60% 60-70% 70-80% 80-90% >90% Leach: >90% Tie: 30-40% | |||||||||||||||||
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David Yates resigned from the senate on October 8, 2025, in order to become the county clerk of Jefferson County. A special election was held on December 16, 2025.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Gary Clemons | 3,752 | 72.6 | ||
| Republican | Calvin Leach | 1,297 | 25.1 | ||
| Libertarian | Wendy Higdon | 121 | 2.3 | ||
| Total votes | 5,170 | 100.0 | |||
| Democratic hold | |||||
District 2
Republican primary
Nominee
- Danny Carroll, incumbent senator
General election
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Danny Carroll (incumbent) | Unopposed | |||
| Total votes | 100.0 | ||||
| Republican hold | |||||
District 4
Republican primary
Nominee
- Robby Mills, incumbent senator
Write-in candidates
- Janyna Lynn Russelburg
General election
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Robert M. "Robby" Mills (incumbent) | |||
| Write-in | Janyna Lynn Russelburg | |||
| Total votes | 100.0 | |||
District 6
Republican primary
Nominee
- Lindsey Tichenor, incumbent senator
Democratic primary
Nominee
- Christian Furman, physician
Eliminated in primary
- Chaz Stoess
Endorsements
Christian Furman
Organizations
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Christian Furman | 8,425 | 76.5 | |
| Democratic | Chaz Stoess | 2,591 | 23.5 | |
| Total votes | 11,016 | 100.0 | ||
General election
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Lindsey Tichenor (incumbent) | |||
| Democratic | Christian Furman | |||
| Total votes | 100.0 | |||
District 8
Republican primary
Nominee
- Gary Boswell, incumbent senator
Democratic primary
Nominee
- Vicki Quisenberry
General election
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Gary M. Boswell (incumbent) | |||
| Democratic | Vicki Quisenberry | |||
| Total votes | 100.0 | |||
District 10
Republican primary
Nominee
- Matthew Deneen, incumbent senator
Eliminated in primary
- Louis Grider, perennial candidate[b]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Matt Deneen (incumbent) | 6,872 | 83.1 | |
| Republican | Louis Grider | 1,394 | 16.9 | |
| Total votes | 8,266 | 100.0 | ||
Democratic primary
Nominee
- Christopher Gatrost
General election
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Matt Deneen (incumbent) | |||
| Democratic | Christopher Gatrost | |||
| Total votes | 100.0 | |||
District 12
Republican primary
Nominee
- Amanda Mays Bledsoe, incumbent senator
Democratic primary
Withdrawn
- Tyler K. Dean
General election
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Amanda Mays Bledsoe (incumbent) | Unopposed | |||
| Total votes | 100.0 | ||||
| Republican hold | |||||
District 14
Republican primary
Nominee
- Ben Mudd, pharmacist
Eliminated in primary
- Brian Bayers, Spencer County magistrate (2015–2019)
- Stephen Carney, Washington County magistrate (2023–present)
- Dallas Robinson, former Olympic bobsledder
- Lynn Shelburne, member of the Spencer County Board of Education (2015–present)
- Peggy Brady Smith
- James Victery
Declined
- Jimmy Higdon, incumbent senator[2]
Endorsements
Dallas Robinson
Organizations
- Kentucky Right to Life Victory PAC[8]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Ben Mudd | 4,122 | 30.0 | |
| Republican | Dallas Robinson | 3,759 | 27.3 | |
| Republican | James Victery | 2,088 | 15.2 | |
| Republican | Stephen Carney | 1,576 | 11.5 | |
| Republican | Lynn Shelburne | 1,390 | 10.1 | |
| Republican | Brian Bayers | 452 | 3.3 | |
| Republican | Peggy Brady Smith | 368 | 2.7 | |
| Total votes | 13,755 | 100.0 | ||
Democratic primary
Nominee
- Carrie Gribbins Truitt, member of the Marion County Board of Education (2017–present)
Eliminated in primary
- Malcolm W. Jones
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Carrie Gribbins Truitt | 6,808 | 73.4 | |
| Democratic | Malcolm W. Jones | 2,469 | 26.6 | |
| Total votes | 9,277 | 100.0 | ||
General election
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Ben Mudd | |||
| Democratic | Carrie Gribbins Truitt | |||
| Total votes | 100.0 | |||
District 16
Republican primary
Nominee
- Max Wise, incumbent senator
General election
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | George Maxwell "Max" Wise (incumbent) | Unopposed | |||
| Total votes | 100.0 | ||||
| Republican hold | |||||
District 18
Republican primary
Nominee
- Robin L. Webb, incumbent senator
General election
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Robin L. Webb (incumbent) | Unopposed | |||
| Total votes | 100.0 | ||||
| Republican hold | |||||
District 20
Republican primary
Nominee
- Gex Williams, incumbent senator
Democratic primary
Nominee
- Stella R. Pollard
General election
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Gex "jay" Williams (incumbent) | |||
| Democratic | Stella R. Pollard | |||
| Total votes | 100.0 | |||
District 22
Republican primary
Nominee
- Donald Douglas, incumbent senator
Write-in candidates
- Michael Wieland French
General election
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Donald R. Douglas (incumbent) | |||
| Write-in | Michael Wieland French | |||
| Total votes | 100.0 | |||
District 24
Republican primary
Nominee
- Shelley Funke Frommeyer, incumbent senator
Democratic primary
Nominee
- Joshua Baker
General election
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Shelley "Funke" Frommeyer (incumbent) | |||
| Democratic | Joshua Baker | |||
| Total votes | 100.0 | |||
District 26
Democratic primary
Nominee
- Karen Berg, incumbent senator
Republican primary
Nominee
- Everett C. Corley, perennial candidate[c]
Eliminated in primary
- Sheeba Jolly, candidate for the 36th district in 2018
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Everett C. Corley | 4,960 | 82.4 | |
| Republican | Sheeba Jolly | 1,058 | 17.6 | |
| Total votes | 6,018 | 100.0 | ||
General election
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Karen A. Berg (incumbent) | |||
| Republican | Everett C. Corley | |||
| Total votes | 100.0 | |||
District 28
Republican primary
Nominee
- Greg Elkins, incumbent senator
General election
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Greg Elkins (incumbent) | Unopposed | |||
| Total votes | 100.0 | ||||
| Republican hold | |||||
District 30
Republican primary
Nominee
- Brandon Smith, incumbent senator
Eliminated in primary
- Bill Wesley, state representative from the 91st district (2021–present)
Endorsements
Brandon D. Smith
Organizations
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Brandon D. Smith (incumbent) | 7,275 | 53.8 | |
| Republican | Billy Wesley | 6,248 | 46.2 | |
| Total votes | 13,523 | 100.0 | ||
General election
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Brandon D. Smith (incumbent) | Unopposed | |||
| Total votes | 100.0 | ||||
| Republican hold | |||||
District 32
Republican primary
Nominee
- Mike Wilson, incumbent senator
General election
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Mike Wilson (incumbent) | Unopposed | |||
| Total votes | 100.0 | ||||
| Republican hold | |||||
District 34
Republican primary
Nominee
- Jared Carpenter, incumbent senator
Democratic primary
Nominee
- Jessica D. McIntosh
General election
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Jared K. Carpenter (incumbent) | |||
| Democratic | Jessica D. McIntosh | |||
| Total votes | 100.0 | |||
District 36
Republican primary
Nominee
- Julie Raque Adams, incumbent senator
Eliminated in primary
- David J. Farley
Endorsements
Julie Raque Adams
Organizations
- Kentucky Chamber of Commerce[9]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Julie Raque Adams (incumbent) | 9,126 | 80.4 | |
| Republican | David J. Farley | 2,220 | 19.6 | |
| Total votes | 11,346 | 100.0 | ||
Democratic primary
Nominee
- Sarah Cole McIntosh, member of the Jefferson County Board of Education (2021–2025)
Eliminated in primary
- Luke Whitehead, former University of Louisville basketball player
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Sarah Cole McIntosh | 7,411 | 57.9 | |
| Democratic | Luke Whitehead | 5,391 | 42.1 | |
| Total votes | 12,802 | 100.0 | ||
General election
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Julie Raque Adams (incumbent) | |||
| Democratic | Sarah Cole McIntosh | |||
| Total votes | 100.0 | |||
District 38
Republican primary
Nominee
- Michael J. Nemes, incumbent senator
General election
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Mike Nemes (incumbent) | Unopposed | |||
| Total votes | 100.0 | ||||
| Republican hold | |||||
See also
Notes
- Candidate for sheriff of Hardin County in 2010, 2014, 2018; candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2020.
- Candidate for this district in 2022, the 43rd house district in 2018, and Kentucky's 3rd congressional district in 2016.
