NRCC MEMO: KENTUCKY PRIMARY RESULTS
TO: INTERESTED PARTIES
FROM: NRCC POLITICAL AND NRCC COMMUNICATIONS
DATE: MAY 18, 2010
SUBJECT: KENTUCKY PRIMARY RESULTS
The Bluegrass State has traditionally leaned toward the Democratic Party, but Republican presidential nominee John McCain handily won the state in 2008 with 57% of the vote. With an electorate trending right and voter frustration mounting over the radical agenda of Washington Democrats, Kentucky Republican Andy Barr is poised for success in November.
KY- 06 (Rep. Ben Chandler, D)
Elected in a 2004 special election, there’s been nothing special about Ben Chandler’s record. Since being elected to office six years ago, Kentucky’s economy has taken a turn for the worst and the jobless rate has skyrocketed from 5.3% to an astounding 10.7% percent. On account of his votes to spend $787 billion on a pork-stuffed ‘stimulus,’ raise the national debt ceiling by $2 trillion and implement a job-killing energy tax, Chandler has found himself at odds with his conservative district. Roll Call newspaper recently said of his cap-and-trade vote, “The district contains a sizable number of companies and families who make their living off the coal industry — a constituency that was particularly irked by Chandler’s vote last year to support the House cap-and-trade bill.” He also drew criticism from central Kentuckians after refusing to hold town halls during the healthcare debate and blowing off a meeting with Danville seniors.
Andy Barr overwhelmingly won the Republican primary tonight and stands to pose a formidable challenge to Chandler. A lifelong resident of Lexington, Barr will stand strong for Kentucky values – not Washington values – in Congress. He’ll repeal Obamacare, put the brakes on runaway spending and create local jobs. In endorsing his primary candidacy, the Lexington Herald-Leader said “[h]is experience in government, including a stint as a congressional aide and service in the administration of former Gov. Ernie Fletcher, makes him [well] prepared for serving the district…In the Fletcher administration, Barr was one of the voices who counseled against politicizing merit system jobs.”
History: George W. Bush cruised to re-election in this district with 58% of the vote, and John McCain won with 55% in 2008. According to the Cook Partisan Voting Index, this is an R+9 district and prime for Republican taking.
Geography: The Sixth Congressional District includes Lexington and surrounding counties in central Kentucky.
RESULTS
The following are the unofficial results from Tuesday’s primary election in Kentucky. These results are UNOFFICIAL AND INCOMPLETE until certified by the Kentucky Secretary of State.
US Representative, 6th Congressional District (REPUBLICAN PRIMARY)
92.0% of precincts reporting
George PENDERGRASS (REP) 7.0% 3,139
John T. KEMPER III. (REP) 7.0% 3,147
Mike TEMPLEMAN (REP) 9.8% 4,421
Perry Wilson BARNES (REP) 3.8% 1,701
Matt LOCKETT (REP) 8.5% 3,819
Garland ‘Andy’ BARR (REP) 64.0% 28,833 (Declared winner)
TOTAL VOTES 45,060
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