Kentucky's 2nd congressional district

Kentucky's 2nd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Kentucky. Located in west central Kentucky, the district includes Bowling Green, Owensboro, Elizabethtown, and a portion of eastern Louisville. The district has not seen an incumbent defeated since 1884.

The district is currently represented by Republican Brett Guthrie.

Former Representative Democrat William Natcher is noted for holding the record for most consecutive roll call votes in the history of Congress—more than 18,000 votes.

Characteristics The district is similar in character to the 1st district. While Democrats still hold most local offices in the district, they tend to be very conservative on social issues, a trend that leads them to vote Republican in most national elections.

Voter registration On January 1, 2026, the district had 552,548 registered voters, who were registered with the following parties.

PartyRegistrationVoters%Republican286,19951.80Democratic205,79937.25Independent26,8094.85Libertarian2,7430.50Green4080.07Constitution3080.06Socialist Workers940.02Reform440.01 "Other"30,1445.46Total552,548100.00

Recent election results from statewide races Year Office Results2008 PresidentMcCain 60% - 38%2012 PresidentRomney 64% - 36%2016 PresidentTrump 68% - 28% SenatePaul 61% - 39%2019 GovernorBevin 54% - 44% Attorney GeneralCameron 64% - 36%2020 PresidentTrump 67% - 31% SenateMcConnell 62% - 33%2022 SenatePaul 68% - 32%2023 GovernorCameron 54% - 46% Attorney GeneralColeman 64% - 36% Auditor of Public AccountsBall 66% - 34% Secretary of StateAdams 66% - 34% TreasurerMetcalf 63% - 37%2024 PresidentTrump 70% - 29%

Composition For the 118th and successive Congresses (based on redistricting following the 2020 census), the district contains all or portions of the following counties and communities:

Barren County (4)

All 4 communities

Breckinridge County (3)

All 3 communities

Bullitt County (9)

All 9 communities

Butler County (3)

All 3 communities

Daviess County (10)

All 10 communities

Edmondson County (1)

Brownsville

Grayson County (4)

All 4 communities

Green County (2)

Greensburg, Summersville

Hancock County (2)

Hawesville, Lewisport

Hardin County (10)

All 10 communities

Hart County (3)

All 3 communities

Jefferson County (2)

Louisville (part; also 3rd), Middletown (part; also 3rd)

LaRue County (4)

All 4 communities

Logan County (1)

Auburn

McLean County (5)

All 5 communities

Meade County (5)

All 5 communities

Muhlenberg County (10)

All 10 communities

Nelson County (4)

Bardstown (part; also 4th), Boston, New Haven, New Hope

Ohio County (7)

All 7 communities

Warren County (6)

All 6 communities

List of members representing the district

Member Party Years Congress Electoral history Location District created November 8, 1792 Alexander D. Orr Anti-Administration November 8, 1792 –March 3, 1795 Elected September 7, 1792.Re-elected in 1793.Re-elected in 1795.Retired. 1792–1797:"Northern district": Bourbon, Fayette, Mason, Scott, and Woodford counties Democratic-Republican March 4, 1795 –March 3, 1797 John Fowler Democratic-Republican March 4, 1797 –March 3, 1803 Elected in 1797.Re-elected in 1799.Re-elected in 1801.Redistricted to the . 1797–1803:"Northern district": Bourbon, Campbell, Clark, Fayette, Franklin, Harrison, Mason, Scott, and Woodford counties John Boyle Democratic-Republican March 4, 1803 –March 3, 1809 Elected in 1803.Re-elected in 1804.Re-elected in 1806.Retired. 1803–1813 Samuel McKee Democratic-Republican March 4, 1809 –March 3, 1813 Elected in 1808.Re-elected in 1810.Redistricted to the . Henry Clay Democratic-Republican March 4, 1813 –January 19, 1814 Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1812.Resigned to accept a position as diplomatic envoy to Great Britain. 1813–1823 Vacant January 19, 1814 –March 29, 1814 Joseph H. Hawkins Democratic-Republican March 29, 1814 –March 3, 1815 Elected to finish Clay's term.Retired. Vacant March 3, 1815 –October 30, 1815 Henry Clay was re-elected in 1814, but the Governor declared the seat vacant as Clay was out of the country. Henry Clay Democratic-Republican October 30, 1815 –March 3, 1821 Elected to finish his vacant term.Re-elected in 1816.Re-elected in 1818.Retired. Samuel H. Woodson Democratic-Republican March 4, 1821 –March 3, 1823 Elected in 1820.Redistricted to the and lost re-election. Thomas Metcalfe Democratic-Republican March 3, 1823 –March 3, 1825 Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1822.Re-elected in 1824.Re-elected in 1827.Resigned to run for Governor of Kentucky. 1823–1833Bourbon, Bracken, Mason, Nicholas counties Anti-Jacksonian March 4, 1825 –June 1, 1828 Vacant June 1, 1828 –December 1, 1828 John Chambers Anti-Jacksonian December 1, 1828 –March 3, 1829 Elected to finish Metcalfe's term.Retired. Nicholas D. Coleman Jacksonian March 4, 1829 –March 3, 1831 Elected in 1829.Retired. Thomas A. Marshall Anti-Jacksonian March 4, 1831 –March 3, 1833 Elected in 1831.Redistricted to the . Albert G. Hawes Jacksonian March 4, 1833 –March 3, 1837 Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1833.Re-elected in 1835.Retired. 1833–1843 Edward Rumsey Whig March 4, 1837 –March 3, 1839 Elected in 1837.Retired. Philip Triplett Whig March 4, 1839 –March 3, 1843 Elected in 1839.Re-elected in 1841.Retired. Willis Green Whig March 4, 1843 –March 3, 1845 Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1843.Retired. 1843–1853 John H. McHenry Whig March 4, 1845 –March 3, 1847 Elected in 1845.Renominated but withdrew prior to election. Beverly L. Clarke Democratic March 4, 1847 –March 3, 1849 Elected in 1847.Retired to become a delegate to the state constitutional convention. James L. Johnson Whig March 4, 1849 –March 3, 1851 Elected in 1849.Renominated but declined. Benjamin E. Grey Whig March 4, 1851 –March 3, 1855 Elected in 1851.Re-elected in 1853.Lost re-election. 1853–1863 John P. Campbell Jr. Know Nothing March 4, 1855 –March 3, 1857 Elected in 1855.Renominated but declined. Samuel Peyton Democratic March 4, 1857 –March 3, 1861 Elected in 1857.Re-elected in 1859.Lost renomination. James S. Jackson Union Democratic March 4, 1861 –December 13, 1861 Elected in 1861.Resigned to enter the Union Army. Vacant December 13, 1861 –December 1, 1862 George H. Yeaman Union Democratic December 1, 1862 –March 3, 1865 Elected to finish Jackson's term.Re-elected in 1863.Lost re-election. 1863–1873 Burwell C. Ritter Democratic March 4, 1865 –March 3, 1867 Elected in 1865.Retired. Vacant March 4, 1867 –March 3, 1869 John Y. Brown was elected in 1867 but the seat was declared vacant due to Brown's alleged disloyalty during the Civil War, and the district refused to elect anyone to fill the vacancy. William N. Sweeney Democratic March 4, 1869 –March 3, 1871 Elected in 1868.Renominated but declined. Henry D. McHenry Democratic March 4, 1871 –March 3, 1873 Elected in 1870.Retired. John Y. Brown Democratic March 4, 1873 –March 3, 1877 Elected in 1872.Re-elected in 1874.Retired. 1873–1883 James A. McKenzie Democratic March 4, 1877 –March 3, 1883 Elected in 1876.Re-elected in 1878.Re-elected in 1880.Lost renomination.James F. Clay Democratic March 4, 1883 –March 3, 1885 Elected in 1882.Lost renomination. 1883–1893 Polk Laffoon Democratic March 4, 1885 –March 3, 1889 Elected in 1884.Re-elected in 1886.Retired. William T. Ellis Democratic March 4, 1889 –March 3, 1895 Elected in 1888.Re-elected in 1890.Re-elected in 1892.Retired. 1893–1903 John D. Clardy Democratic March 4, 1895 –March 3, 1899 Elected in 1894.Re-elected in 1896.Retired. Henry D. Allen Democratic March 4, 1899 –March 3, 1903 Elected in 1898.Re-elected in 1900.Retired. Augustus O. Stanley Democratic March 4, 1903 –March 3, 1915 Elected in 1902.Re-elected in 1904.Re-elected in 1906.Re-elected in 1908.Re-elected in 1910.Re-elected in 1912.Retired to run for U.S. Senator. 1903–1913 1913–1933 David H. Kincheloe Democratic March 4, 1915 –October 5, 1930 Elected in 1914.Re-elected in 1916.Re-elected in 1918.Re-elected in 1920.Re-elected in 1922.Re-elected in 1924.Re-elected in 1926.Re-elected in 1928.Resigned when appointed to the U.S. Customs Court. Vacant October 5, 1930 –November 4, 1930 John L. Dorsey Jr. Democratic November 4, 1930 –March 3, 1931 Elected to finish Kincheloe's term.Retired. Glover H. Cary Democratic March 4, 1931 –March 3, 1933 Elected in 1930.Redistricted to the . District inactive March 4, 1933 –March 3, 1935 Glover H. Cary Democratic March 4, 1935 –December 5, 1936 Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1934.Died. 1935–1953 Vacant December 5, 1936 –March 2, 1937Beverly M. Vincent Democratic March 2, 1937 –January 3, 1945 Elected to finish Cary's term.Also elected to the next full term.Re-elected in 1938.Re-elected in 1940.Re-elected in 1942.Retired. Earle Clements Democratic January 3, 1945 –January 6, 1948 Elected in 1944.Re-elected in 1946.Resigned when elected Governor of Kentucky. Vacant January 6, 1948 –April 17, 1948 John A. Whitaker Democratic April 17, 1948 –December 15, 1951 Elected to finish Clements's term.Re-elected in 1948.Re-elected in 1950.Died. Vacant December 15, 1951 –August 2, 1952 Garrett Withers Democratic August 2, 1952 –April 30, 1953 Elected to finish Whitaker's term.Re-elected later in 1952.Died. 1953–1957 Vacant April 30, 1953 –August 1, 1953 William Natcher Democratic August 1, 1953 –March 29, 1994 Elected to finish Wither's term.Re-elected in 1954.Re-elected in 1956.Re-elected in 1958.Re-elected in 1960.Re-elected in 1962.Re-elected in 1964.Re-elected in 1966.Re-elected in 1968.Re-elected in 1970.Re-elected in 1972.Re-elected in 1974.Re-elected in 1976.Re-elected in 1978.Re-elected in 1980.Re-elected in 1982.Re-elected in 1984.Re-elected in 1986.Re-elected in 1988.Re-elected in 1990.Re-elected in 1992.Died. 1957–1963 1963–1967 1967–1973 1973–1983 1983–1993 1993–1997 Vacant March 29, 1994 –May 24, 1994 Ron Lewis Republican May 24, 1994 –January 3, 2009 Elected to finish Natcher's term.Re-elected in 1994.Re-elected in 1996.Re-elected in 1998.Re-elected in 2000.Re-elected in 2002.Re-elected in 2004.Re-elected in 2006.Retired. 1997–2003 2003–2013 Brett Guthrie Republican January 3, 2009 –present Elected in 2008.Re-elected in 2010.Re-elected in 2012.Re-elected in 2014.Re-elected in 2016.Re-elected in 2018.Re-elected in 2020.Re-elected in 2022.Re-elected in 2024. 2013–202321 Counties 2023–present

Recent election results 2002

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Kentucky's 2nd congressional district

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