Republican Party of Kentucky

Emergence and relevancy

Cassius Marcellus Clay and John Gregg Fee organized the Republicans in Madison County, Kentucky. Clay was selected as Kentucky's member of the Republican National Committee.^[6]

After the times of the Solid South, Kentucky has a unique Republican history. Although it is a traditionally Democratic Southern State, the Republican Party of Kentucky became more relevant in Kentucky political affairs around the 1940s and 1950s.^[7] Although candidates in presidential and congressional races began to fare well and see success in elections around this time, it did not translate to much success on the state and local levels.^[2] Despite receiving measurable numbers of votes and being competitive in elections, many of the candidates for gubernatorial and legislative races consistently failed to get elected into office.

Struggles

Despite becoming consistently competitive in state elections, the party's strength in the 1970s and 1980s were comparable to that of the 1930s and 1940s. Between the time of the emergence of the Republican Party of Kentucky and the 1980s, the only Republican governor elected to office was Louie B. Nunn in 1967.^[8] This is considered one of the few high points for the party. Problems within the party organization contributed greatly to these struggles. Part of it is due to the turnover at the state party chairman position throughout the 1970s, which hindered any consistency and progress within the party organization. While in the 1980s, however, much of the difficulties for the party came from trying to get good candidates to run for office.^[2] For example, in the four state elections held between 1979 and 1987, Republicans only contested 53 out of the 100 State House of Representative seats and only 11 of the 19 State Senate seats.^[9]

Republican State Central Committee

The Republican Party of Kentucky's main authority when not assembled in State Convention is the Republican State Central Committee. The RSCC is responsible for a number of activities and operations involving the party on the state and local levels and is required to meet twice per year through established rules. Some of the operations include controlling of funds, creating committees, and promoting campaigns on all levels. The RSCC meets within twenty days of the Republican State Convention to elect certain officers, while some other officers in turn are appointed by the elected officers. For example, the State Chairman is elected by the RSCC, who in turn appoints a Treasurer of his or her choosing.^[3]

Executive committee

While the RSCC is not in session, the responsibilities for party organization are delegated to the executive committee, which consists of 56 members and is required through established rules to meet four times a year. Most of the power in the executive committee resides in six high-ranking members, which are the State Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, National Committeewoman, and National Committeeman.^[3]

Members of U.S. Congress

U.S. House of Representatives

Out of the 6 seats Kentucky is apportioned in the U.S. House of Representatives, 5 are held by Republicans:

More information District, Member ...

District	Member	Photo
1st	James Comer
2nd	Brett Guthrie
4th	Thomas Massie
5th	Hal Rogers
6th	Andy Barr

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Statewide office

Republicans control five of the seven elected statewide offices:

• Attorney General: Russell Coleman
• Auditor: Allison Ball
• State Treasurer: Mark Metcalf
• Agriculture Commissioner: Jonathan Shell
• Secretary of State: Michael Adams

Kentucky General Assembly

• Senate President: Robert Stivers
  • Senate President Pro Tempore: David P. Givens
  • Senate Majority Leader: Max Wise
• Speaker of the House: David Osborne
  • House Speaker Pro Tempore: David Meade
  • House Majority Leader: Steven Rudy

Place in Kentucky General Assembly

The Republican Party of Kentucky holds supermajorities in both chambers of the Kentucky General Assembly. They currently hold 30 of the 38 seats in the Kentucky Senate, while holding 80 out of 100 seats in the Kentucky House of Representatives.

Gubernatorial

More information Election, Gubernatorial candidate ...

Kentucky Republican Party gubernatorial election results

Election	Gubernatorial candidate	Votes	Vote %	Result
1867	Sidney M. Barnes	33,939	24.72%	Lost N
1868 (special)	H. Tarvin Baker	25,734	18.36%	Lost N
1871	John Marshall Harlan	89,298	41.39%	Lost N
1875	John Marshall Harlan	90,795	41.69%	Lost N
1879	Walter Evans	81,881	36.19%	Lost N
1883	Thomas Z. Morrow	89,181	40.03%	Lost N
1887	William O'Connell Bradley	126,473	44.76%	Lost N
1891	Andrew T. Wood	116,087	40.14%	Lost N
1895	William O'Connell Bradley	172,436	48.29%	Won Y
1899	William S. Taylor	193,714	48.07%	Won Y
1900 (special)	John W. Yerkes	229,363	49.09%	Lost N
1903	Morris B. Belknap	202,862	46.17%	Lost N
1907	Augustus E. Willson	214,478	51.17%	Won Y
1911	Edward C. O'Rear	195,672	44.92%	Lost N
1915	Edwin P. Morrow	219,520	48.96%	Lost N
1919	Edwin P. Morrow	254,472	53.82%	Won Y
1923	Charles I. Dawson	306,277	45.81%	Lost N
1927	Flem D. Sampson	399,698	52.09%	Won Y
1931	William B. Harrison	366,982	45.43%	Lost N
1935	King Swope	461,104	45.14%	Lost N
1939	King Swope	354,704	43.49%	Lost N
1943	Simeon Willis	279,144	50.49%	Won Y
1947	Eldon S. Dummit	287,756	42.48%	Lost N
1951	Eugene Siler	288,014	45.40%	Lost N
1955	Edwin R. Denney	322,671	41.45%	Lost N
1959	John M. Robsion Jr.	336,456	39.44%	Lost N
1963	Louie Nunn	436,496	49.26%	Lost N
1967	Louie Nunn	453,323	51.20%	Won Y
1971	Tom Emberton	412,653	44.35%	Lost N
1975	Bob Gable	277,998	37.16%	Lost N
1979	Louie Nunn	381,278	40.59%	Lost N
1983	Jim Bunning	454,650	44.11%	Lost N
1987	John Harper	273,141	34.91%	Lost N
1991	Larry J. Hopkins	294,452	35.27%	Lost N
1995	Larry Forgy	479,227	48.71%	Lost N
1999	Peppy Martin	128,788	22.20%	Lost N
2003	Ernie Fletcher	596,284	55.04%	Won Y
2007	Ernie Fletcher	435,773	41.29%	Lost N
2011	David L. Williams	294,034	35.29%	Lost N
2015	Matt Bevin	511,374	52.52%	Won Y
2019	Matt Bevin	704,754	48.84%	Lost N
2023	Daniel Cameron	627,457	47.46%	Lost N

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