Kentucky 2015 - Predictions and Results Thread

[Bandit3 the Worker]

Another KY Democratic State Representative switches to the GOP. Democrats down to 50-46 in the chamber. If one more occurs the GOP has the chance to take the chamber in the special elections.

http://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/2015/12/28/state-rep-jim-gooch-switches-gop/77975148/

A lot of the Democrats are saying, "Good riddance." Gooch is a climate change denier.

[Bandit3 the Worker]

There is actually some speculation that maybe one or two Republican lawmakers might flip to the Democrats because the GOP has gotten so extreme. But actually if they were going to flip, they probably would have done it by now.

[Bandit3 the Worker]

A parting message from the outgoing Auditor (and one-time Senate hopeful) Adam Edelen to the Kentucky Democratic Party:

Get used to being in the minority.  

Or words to that effect.

The Democrats need to run on a progressive platform.

[Bandit3 the Worker]

How come none of these places in the South except Louisiana have a John Bel Edwards-style candidate who can win in a landslide?

Not like he was that liberal, but he's still much more liberal than the Tea Party.

[Bandit3 the Worker]

Why would a party get more popular as it gets more extreme, especially in a state known for electing moderates 50 years ago?

[Bandit3 the Worker]

2. David Vitter or equally saddled with numerous problems Republican candidate

Also, almost every major Republican in the South is just as bad as Vitter or Jindal. I'd say the average person in some of these other states is less conservative than in Louisiana, so you'd think the GOP would be easier to beat elsewhere.

The Kentucky GOP is beatable if their scandals are exposed. The Republican executive of a Republican county was defeated by 3-to-1 in 2014 because of a scandal.

[Bandit3 the Worker]

Also, these conservative politicians are much more conservative than the average person in their state. The average Kentuckian supports Medicaid expansion and a higher minimum wage, and opposes "right-to-work." Matt Bevin is against Kentuckians on all these issues.

But how many states have major politicians who are more liberal than the average person?

[Bandit3 the Worker]

Kentucky House Republican leader Jeff Hoover blurted out to a gathering of business leaders that Monday could be a "historic" day for the House.

But how??? It's too late for legislators to switch parties. The deadline was Dec. 31.