Kentucky, U.S. Senate
Race Forecast: Leans Republican
2008:
Vote for winner in 2002: 65 percent
If the Democrats are to realize their dream goal of a 60-seat
“
filibuster-proof
”
majority, they will probably need to knock off McConnell, the Minority Leader who has used his 49-Republican minority to thwart Democratic initiatives. McConnell, who
’
s seeking a fifth term, has seen a tightening in his race against Bruce Lunsford, a wealthy businessman who pivoted to the Senate race after losing a second bid for the Kentucky governorship in 2007. McConnell has been touting his seniority and linking Lunsford to
Race Information
- Incumbent: Sen. Mitch McConnell, R
- First Elected: 1984 (4th term)
- Last Elected: 2002 (64.68%)
- Incumbent Status: Running for re-election
- Challengers: Bruce Lunsford, D
- Race Forecast: Leans Republican
State Information
- U.S. Senate Delegation: 2 Republicans
- U.S. House Delegation: 2 Democrats, 4 Republicans
- Kentucky's Other Senator
- Sen. Jim Bunning-R
- First Elected: 1998 (2nd term)
- Last Elected: 2004 (50.66%)
- State Offices
- Governor: Gov. Steven L. Beshear, D
- First Elected: 2007 ()
- State House Control: Democratic
- State Senate Control: Republican
- Demographics (2000 census)
- Population (2005):4,173,405
- Under 18:24.6%
- Over 65:12.5%
- Non-Hispanic White:89.3%
- Black:7.3%
- Hispanic:1.5%
- Asian:0.7%
- American Indian:0.2%
- Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander:0.0%
- Median Household Income: 33,672
- Median Household Income Rank: 44
| Year | Election | Candidate | Votes | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | general | Mitch McConnell (R) | 953,816 | 53% |
| Bruce Lunsford (D) | 847,005 | 47% | ||
| 2002 | general | Mitch McConnell (R) | 731,679 | 64.7% |
| Lois Weinberg (D) | 399,634 | 35.3% | ||
| 1996 | general | Mitch McConnell (R) | 724,794 | 55.4% |
| Steven L. Beshear (D) | 560,012 | 42.8% | ||
| Dennis L. Lacy (LIBERT) | 8,595 | 0.6% | ||
| Patricia Metten (NL) | 8,344 | 0.6% | ||
| Mac McElroy (USTAX) | 5,284 | 0.4% | ||
| Richard Marshall Beilke (Write-In) | 17 | |||
| 1990 | general | Mitch McConnell (R) | 478,034 | 52% |
| Harvey I. Sloane (D) | 437,976 | 48% | ||
| 1984 | general | Mitch McConnell (R) | 644,990 | 50% |
| Walter D. Huddleston (D) | 639,721 | 50% | ||
| Year | Democrat | Republican | Independent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | John Kerry: 40% | George W. Bush: 60% | |
| 2000 | Al Gore: 41% | George W. Bush: 57% | |
| 1996 | Bill Clinton: 46% | Robert Dole: 45% | |
| 1992 | Bill Clinton: 45% | George H. W. Bush: 41% |
Campaign Finance Details for the 2008 Race
| Filers | Through | Total Receipts | Total Disbursements | Total From PACs | Total From Individuals | Ending Cash | Debts Owed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MCCONNELL, MITCH (R) | November 24, 2008 | $17,019,244.00 | $19,458,507.00 | $356,001.00 | $9,734,109.00 | $270,343.00 | $2,102,058.00 |
| BUNNING, JIM (R) | September 30, 2008 | $296,135.00 | $210,569.00 | $0 | $131,305.00 | $175,045.00 | $0 |
| HENRY, STEPHEN LEWIS DR (D) | September 30, 2008 | $13,981.00 | $0 | $0 | $3,000.00 | $118,449.00 | $261,435.00 |
| MONGIARDO, DANIEL (D) | September 30, 2008 | $7,800.00 | $9,723.00 | $0 | $0 | $73.00 | $606,993.00 |
| PRICE, DARLENE FITZGERALD (D) | October 30, 2008 | $4,335.00 | $2,494.00 | $0 | $0 | $1,841.00 | $0 |
| ESSEK, DANIEL JOHN (R) | May 7, 2008 | $1,136.00 | $966.00 | $0 | $120.00 | $169.00 | $0 |
| FISCHER, GREGORY EDWARD (D) | September 30, 2008 | $1,621,872.00 | $1,570,191.00 | $0 | $818,181.00 | $51,680.00 | $785,766.00 |
| STEPP, KENNETH (D) | September 30, 2008 | $0 | $656.00 | $0 | $150.00 | $0 | $0 |
| WYLIE, DAVID LEE (D) | September 30, 2008 | $0 | $3,088.00 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $419.00 |
| LUNSFORD, BRUCE (D) | November 24, 2008 | $10,686,289.00 | $10,682,835.00 | $126,500.00 | $1,792,648.00 | $4,718.00 | $8,400,000.00 |
| HORNE, ANDREW JOHN (D) | September 30, 2008 | $115,483.00 | $113,154.00 | $0 | $105,413.00 | $2,328.00 | $0 |
| CASSARO, MICHAEL GERRARD (D) | June 29, 2008 | $131,783.00 | $131,782.00 | $0 | $47,532.00 | $0 | $72,320.00 |
