Republican Party of Kentucky
Encyclopedia
The Republican Party of Kentucky is the affiliate of the Republican Party
in Kentucky
and follows its nationally established platform. Headquarters for the party have been established in Frankfort, Kentucky
.
, Kentucky has a unique Republican history. Although it is a traditionally Democratic State, the Republican Party of Kentucky became more relevant in Kentucky political affairs around the 1940s and 1950s. Although candidates in presidential and congressional races began to fair well and see success in elections around this time, it did not translate to much success on the state and local levels. Despite receiving measurable amounts of votes and being competitive in elections, many of the candidates for gubernatorial and legislative races consistently failed to get elected into office.
in 1967. This is considered one of the few high points for the party. Problems within the party organization contributed greatly to these struggles. Part of it is due to the turnover at the state party chairman position throughout the 1970s, which hindered any consistency and progress within the party organization. While in the 1980s, however, much of the difficulties for the party came from trying to get good candidates to run for office. For example, in the four state elections held between 1979 and 1987, Republicans only contested 53 out of the 100 State House of Representative seats and only 11 of the 19 State Senate seats.
. They currently hold 22 of the 38 seats in the Kentucky Senate, while holding 40 out of 100 seats in the Kentucky House of Representatives.
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
in Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
and follows its nationally established platform. Headquarters for the party have been established in Frankfort, Kentucky
Frankfort, Kentucky
Frankfort is a city in Kentucky that serves as the state capital and the county seat of Franklin County. The population was 27,741 at the 2000 census; by population it is the 5th smallest state capital in the United States...
.
Emergence and relevancy
After the times of the Solid SouthSolid South
Solid South is the electoral support of the Southern United States for the Democratic Party candidates for nearly a century from 1877, the end of Reconstruction, to 1964, during the middle of the Civil Rights era....
, Kentucky has a unique Republican history. Although it is a traditionally Democratic State, the Republican Party of Kentucky became more relevant in Kentucky political affairs around the 1940s and 1950s. Although candidates in presidential and congressional races began to fair well and see success in elections around this time, it did not translate to much success on the state and local levels. Despite receiving measurable amounts of votes and being competitive in elections, many of the candidates for gubernatorial and legislative races consistently failed to get elected into office.
Struggles
Despite becoming consistently competitive in state elections, the party’s strength in the 1970s and 1980s were comparable to that of the 1930s and 1940s. Between the time of the emergence of the Republican Party of Kentucky and the 1980s, the only Republican governor elected to office was Louie B. NunnLouie B. Nunn
Louie Broady Nunn was the 52nd governor of Kentucky. Elected in 1967, he was the first Republican elected to that office since Simeon Willis in 1943 and the last to hold it until the election of Ernie Fletcher in 2003....
in 1967. This is considered one of the few high points for the party. Problems within the party organization contributed greatly to these struggles. Part of it is due to the turnover at the state party chairman position throughout the 1970s, which hindered any consistency and progress within the party organization. While in the 1980s, however, much of the difficulties for the party came from trying to get good candidates to run for office. For example, in the four state elections held between 1979 and 1987, Republicans only contested 53 out of the 100 State House of Representative seats and only 11 of the 19 State Senate seats.
Party organization
The Republican Party of Kentucky is organized based on three levels of authority. The top authority comes from the registered Republicans in Kentucky when the State Convention is in session. However, since the convention is often out of seesion, there are two lower levels of main authority. The Republican State Central Committee (RSCC) has full control of party operations when State Convention is not in session, while the Executive Committee within the RSCC controls operations when the RSCC is not in session.Republican State Central Committee
The Republican Party of Kentucky's main authority when not assembled in State Convention is the Republican State Central Committee. The RSCC is responsible for a number of activities and operations involving the party on the state and local levels and is required to meet twice per year through established rules. Some of the operations include controlling of funds, creating committees, and promoting campaigns on all levels. The RSCC meets within twenty days of the Republican State Convention to elect certain officers, while some other officers in turn are appointed by the elected officers. For example, the State Chairman is elected by the RSCC, who in turn appoints a Treasurer of his or her choosing.Executive Committee
While the RSCC is not in session, the responsibilities for party organization are delegated to the Executive Committee, which consists of fifty six members and is required through established rules to meet four times a year. Most of the power in the Executive Committee resides in six high-ranking members, which are the State Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, National Committeewoman, and National Committeeman.Current officers
- Steve Robertson, State Chairman
- Martie Wiles, Vice Chairman
- John Mocker, Secretary
- Cathy Bell, Treasurer
- Gail Russell, National Committeewoman
- Robert M. Duncan, National Committeeman
Current Kentucky Republican officeholders
The Kentucky Republican Party controls one of the seven statewide offices and holds a majority in the Kentucky Senate. Republicans also hold both of the state's U.S. Senate seats and four of the six U.S. House seats. This did not change in the recent state office elections of 2011, as James Comer won the Agriculture Commissioner seat, while the Democrats won all the others.Place in Kentucky General Assembly
The Republican Party of Kentucky holds majority in the upper house of the Kentucky General AssemblyKentucky General Assembly
The Kentucky General Assembly, also called the Kentucky Legislature, is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Kentucky.The General Assembly meets annually in the state capitol building in Frankfort, Kentucky, convening on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January...
. They currently hold 22 of the 38 seats in the Kentucky Senate, while holding 40 out of 100 seats in the Kentucky House of Representatives.
| Republican Senate Leader | Position |
|---|---|
| Sen. David L. Williams | Senate President |
| Sen. Katie Kratz Stine | President Pro Tempore |
| Sen. Robert Stivers | Majority Floor Leader |
| Sen. Dan Seum | Majority Caucus Chairman |
| Sen. Carroll Gibson | Majority Whip |
U.S. House of Representatives
- Ed WhitfieldEd WhitfieldWayne Edward "Ed" Whitfield is the U.S. Representative of , serving since 1995. He is a member of the Republican Party.The district covers much of the western part of the state, including Hopkinsville, Paducah, Henderson and Kentucky's share of Fort Campbell.-Early life, education and...
, 1st DistrictKentucky's 1st congressional districtKentucky's 1st congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Kentucky. Located in Western Kentucky, the district takes in Henderson, Hopkinsville, Madisonville, Paducah, and the college town of Murray.... - Brett GuthrieBrett GuthrieSteven Brett Guthrie is the U.S. Representative for , a Bowling Green-based district, since 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party. He previously served in the Kentucky Senate.-Early life, education, and career:...
, 2nd DistrictKentucky's 2nd congressional districtKentucky'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, and Elizabethtown. The district has not seen an incumbent defeated since 1884.... - Geoff DavisGeoff DavisGeoffrey C. "Geoff" Davis is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. He is a member of the Republican Party....
, 4th DistrictKentucky's 4th congressional districtKentucky's 4th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Kentucky. Located in Northern Kentucky, it is a long district that follows the Ohio River... - Harold RogersHal RogersHarold Dallas "Hal" Rogers is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1981. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education, and early career:...
, 5th DistrictKentucky's 5th congressional districtKentucky's 5th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Kentucky. Located in the heart of Appalachia in Southeastern Kentucky, the rural district is one of the most impoverished districts in the nation and, as of the 2010 U.S. Census, it has the largest percentage of...