The 2010 Kentucky Senate election was held on November 2, 2010. The Republican and Democratic primary elections were held on May 18. Half of the senate (all even-numbered seats) were up for election. Republicans increased their majority in the chamber, gaining two seats.
A numbered map of the senate districts at the time can be viewed here.
Overview PartyCandidatesVotes%SeatsOpposedUnopposedBeforeWonAfter+/−Republican153398,45857.88201322+2Democratic151271,35039.4217515-2Independent1017,6062.56111- Evangelical Christian101,0040.15000-Total324688,418100.00381938±0Source: Kentucky Secretary of State
Retiring incumbents A total of two senators (one Democrat and one Republican) retired, neither of which ran for other offices.
Democratic 34th: Ed Worley (Richmond): Retired.
Republican 20th: Gary Tapp (Shelbyville): Retired.
Defeated incumbents Three incumbents (two Democrats and one Republican) were defeated for reelection.
Democrats 8th: David Boswell (first elected in 1990) lost to Joseph R. Bowen. 32nd: Mike Reynolds (elected in February 2009) lost to Mike Wilson.
Republicans 10th: Elizabeth Tori (first elected in 1994) lost to Dennis Parrett.
Summary by district Certified results by the Kentucky Secretary of State are available online for the primary election and general election. DistrictIncumbent PartyElectedParty 2 Bob Leeper Ind Bob Leeper Ind 4 Dorsey Ridley Dem Dorsey Ridley Dem 6 Jerry Rhoads Dem Jerry Rhoads Dem 8 David Boswell Dem Joseph R. Bowen Rep 10 Elizabeth Tori Rep Dennis Parrett Dem 12 Alice Forgy Kerr Rep Alice Forgy Kerr Rep 14 Jimmy Higdon Rep Jimmy Higdon Rep 16 David Williams Rep David Williams Rep 18 Robin L. Webb Dem Robin L. Webb Dem 20 Gary Tapp Rep Paul Hornback Rep 22 Tom Buford Rep Tom Buford Rep 24 Katie Kratz Stine Rep Katie Kratz Stine Rep 26 Ernie Harris Rep Ernie Harris Rep 28 R. J. Palmer Dem R. J. Palmer Dem 30 Brandon Smith Rep Brandon Smith Rep 32 Mike Reynolds Dem Mike Wilson Rep 34 Ed Worley Dem Jared Carpenter Rep 36 Julie Denton Rep Julie Denton Rep 38 Dan Seum Rep Dan Seum Rep
Closest races Seats where the margin of victory was under 10%:
(gain) (gain)
Predictions SourceRankingAs of Governing | November 1, 2010
Special elections District 32 special
Mike Reynolds was elected in February 2009 following the resignation of Brett Guthrie.
District 18 special
Robin L. Webb was elected in August 2009 following the resignation of Charlie Borders.
District 14 special
Jimmy Higdon was elected in December 2009 following the resignation of Dan Kelly.
District 2 Incumbent senator Bob Leeper won reelection, defeating Democratic and Republican challengers.
Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Rex Smith, representative from the 4th district (1987–1995)
Republican primary Candidates Nominee William Michael East
Independent candidates Bob Leeper, incumbent senator
General election Results
District 4 Incumbent senator Dorsey Ridley won reelection unopposed.
Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Dorsey Ridley, incumbent senator
General election Results
District 6 Incumbent senator Jerry Rhoads won reelection, defeating Republican Jack Whitfield.
Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Jerry Rhoads, incumbent senator
Republican primary Candidates Nominee Jack Whitfield
General election Results
District 8 Incumbent senator David Boswell was defeated for reelection by Republican Joseph R. Bowen.
Democratic primary Candidates Nominee David Boswell, incumbent senator
Republican primary Candidates Nominee Joseph R. Bowen
General election Results
District 10 Incumbent senator Elizabeth Tori was defeated for reelection by Democrat Dennis Parrett.
Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Dennis Parrett
Republican primary Candidates Nominee Elizabeth Tori, incumbent senator
General election Results
District 12 Incumbent senator Alice Forgy Kerr won reelection, defeating primary and general election challengers.
Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Don Blevins, County Clerk of Fayette County (1982–2008)
Republican primary Candidates Nominee Alice Forgy Kerr, incumbent senator
Eliminated in primary Andrew Roberts
Results
General election Endorsements
Results
District 14 Incumbent senator Jimmy Higdon won reelection unopposed.
Republican primary Candidates Nominee Jimmy Higdon, incumbent senator
General election Results
District 16 Incumbent senator David Williams won reelection, defeating primary election challenger Denver Capps.
Republican primary Candidates Nominee David Williams, incumbent senator
Eliminated in primary Denver Capps
Results
General election Results
District 18 Incumbent senator Robin L. Webb won reelection, defeating Republican Jack Ditty.
Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Robin L. Webb, incumbent senator
Republican primary Candidates Nominee Jack Ditty, Republican candidate for this district in August 2009
General election Results
District 20 Incumbent senator Gary Tapp did not seek reelection. He was succeeded by Republican Paul Hornback.
Democratic primary Candidates Nominee David Eaton, candidate for the 58th house district in 2002 and 2004
Eliminated in primary John Spainhour
Results
Republican primary Candidates Nominee Paul Hornback
Eliminated in primary David Glauber
Results
General election Results
District 22 Incumbent senator Tom Buford won reelection, defeating primary election challenger Chad Crouch.
Republican primary Candidates Nominee Tom Buford, incumbent senator
Eliminated in primary Chad Crouch
Results
General election Results
District 24 Incumbent senator Katie Kratz Stine won reelection, defeating Democrat Julie Smith-Morrow.
Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Julie Smith-Morrow
Republican primary Candidates Nominee Katie Kratz Stine, incumbent senator
General election Results
District 26 Incumbent senator Ernie Harris won reelection, defeating primary and general election challengers.
Democratic primary Candidates Nominee John Black
Republican primary Candidates Nominee Ernie Harris, incumbent senator
Eliminated in primary Don Godfrey
Results
General election Results
District 28 Incumbent senator R. J. Palmer won reelection, defeating primary and general election challengers.
Democratic primary Candidates Nominee R. J. Palmer, incumbent senator
Eliminated in primary Bryan Lutz
Results
Republican primary Candidates Nominee Ralph Alvarado, candidate for the 73rd house district in 2004 and 2006
Eliminated in primary Ryan Dotson
Results
General election Results
District 30 Incumbent senator Brandon Smith won reelection, defeating Democrat Johnnie L. Turner.
Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Johnnie L. Turner, representative from the 88th district (1999–2003)
Republican primary Candidates Nominee Brandon Smith, incumbent senator
General election Results
District 32 Incumbent senator Mike Reynolds was defeated for reelection by Republican Mike Wilson.
Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Mike Reynolds, incumbent senator
Republican primary Candidates Nominee Mike Wilson
Eliminated in primary Ed Mills Regina Webb
Results
General election Results
District 34 Incumbent senator Ed Worley did not seek reelection. He was succeeded by Republican Jared Carpenter.
Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Lee Murphy
Eliminated in primary Michael Cope Landra Lewis
Results
Republican primary Candidates Nominee Jared Carpenter
Eliminated in primary Kent Kessler Barry Metcalf, senator from the 34th district (1994–1999) and candidate in 2002 and 2006
Results
Third-party candidates Evangelical Christian Donald VanWinkle
General election Results
District 36 Incumbent senator Julie Denton won reelection, defeating primary and general election challengers.
Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Rick Hiles
Republican primary Candidates Nominee Julie Denton, incumbent senator
Eliminated in primary Shawn Slone
Results
General election Results
District 38 Incumbent senator Dan Seum won reelection, defeating Democrat Marty Meyer.
Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Marty Meyer
Republican primary Candidates Nominee Dan Seum, incumbent senator
General election Results
See also 2010 Kentucky elections 2010 Kentucky House of Representatives election 2010 United States Senate election in Kentucky 2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Kentucky
Notes
References