More registered Republicans than Democrats in Kentucky; both parties react

Kentucky sees party flip in voter registration

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ) – For the first time, Republican voter registration in Kentucky now exceeds Democratic voter registration.

Secretary of State Michael Adams made the announcement Friday saying:

“After a century and a half, the birthplace of Lincoln has finally aligned with the party of Lincoln. Today is a grand day for all of us in the Grand Old Party who have worked so hard for so long to advance our goals of limited government and personal responsibility. Registered Republicans, however, are a plurality, not a majority. To win statewide elections, and then to govern effectively, Republican candidates must appeal beyond our base to the 55% of voters who are not Republicans.”

Republican Party of Kentucky Party Chairman Mac Brown and Republican leadership in the state celebrated the historic milestone with the following statement:

“Today, the Republican Party cements its place as the majority party in the Commonwealth of Kentucky,” Chairman Brown said. “This did not happen overnight, and we didn’t do it alone. This day has been decades in the making and is only made possible by the hard work and effort put in by so many. We stand on the shoulders of giants who came before us. Kentuckians know the Republican Party is their party. As Republicans, we have the ideas and values to grow our economy and make the Commonwealth a great place to work, live, and raise a family. Democrats should be on notice.”

This morning, the Kentucky State Board of Elections announced the number of registered Republican voters stands at 1,612,060, compared to 1,609,569 registered Democrats, giving Republicans a voter registration advantage of 2,491 voters. For context, when voters first sent Senator Mitch McConnell to the United States Senate in 1984, the state had 1.3 million registered Democrat voters, compared to just 525,060 Republicans.

“Every month, we issue a report about the number of voters, how many passed away, how many moved and been removed and so forth. We also offer a breakdown by party. For two and a half years, we’ve consistently seen a down tick by Democrats about a tenth of a percentage point each month, and an uptick of a percentage point of Republicans each month. Eventually, those lines were going to cost,” said Adams.

Adams says there are a few factors causing the shift.

“There’s not any one factor that has driven this. It’s a mix of things. It’s certainly our clamp of voters rolls, taking off people who have passed away years ago; getting our roles accurate. That’s made a big difference. Another is the national environment- the Democratic brand is not very strong,” said Adams.

Adams says the biggest reason, however, is at the state level.

“It’s legislature pushing tax reform, education reform, big ideas. All the big ideas in Kentucky are coming from the Republican party,” said Adams.

“Today is a day I never thought would happen. After decades of hard work and grassroots efforts across the Commonwealth, registered Republicans now outnumber registered Democrats in Kentucky,” said U.S. Senator McConnell. “Congratulations to all my fellow Republicans who have worked so hard and so long to make this historic day possible. This is great news for the Commonwealth but it’s just the beginning.”

“We are living a historic moment in the commonwealth,” said U.S. Senator Rand Paul. “The majority of people in Kentucky realize that their beliefs are best represented by the Republican Party. Key among these beliefs are that Government should be limited and operate from the understanding that your rights come from the Creator. Kentuckians have shown that those are the values that best represent them and not the policies of the radical left like defunding the police. I will fight to earn every vote in Kentucky in my bid for re-election, but today I am proud to be a part of an ever growing coalition of citizens who value freedom.”

“Today is a historic moment for the Commonwealth of Kentucky,” said Senate President Robert Stivers. “I remember the days when Republicans were the minority party in the General Assembly and dreamed of being the majority party. Now, we have supermajorities in both chambers and continue to grow. I join all my fellow Republicans in celebrating this important milestone as Kentucky voters have voted with their feet and embraced our agenda and our party.”

“Today’s news serves as further evidence that the people of Kentucky believe they are best represented by a political party that focuses on uniting the Commonwealth to build a stronger Kentucky and elected officials who are willing to stand up for the people they represent,” said House Speaker David Osborne. “This is a historic moment and I congratulate all who played a role in making it happen. However, our work continues as we look for ways to harness our Commonwealth’s great potential for generations to come.”

The Republican Party of Kentucky works to elect Republican candidates to office at the county, state, and federal levels. Republicans gained a majority in the state senate in 2000 and in the state house in 2017. As of today, Republicans hold both U.S. Senate seats, five of the six U.S. House seats, and five of the seven constitutional offices.

To celebrate this historic milestone, the Republican Party of Kentucky will be hosting a Majority Makers Statewide Picnic on Saturday, September 24 in Bowling Green, Kentucky, with Republican speakers and activists from across the state. Tickets can be purchased HERE.

“This positive momentum for the Republican Party means that we will continue to advance our candidates and our agenda, making Kentucky the best place in the country to work and live,” Brown continued. “This year we will continue our work by re-electing Senator Paul, supporting our full slate of congressional and state legislative candidates, and then turning our attention to electing a Governor who will work with the legislature and defeating Governor Beshear in 2023.”

ABC36 has reached out to the Kentucky Democratic Party for comment. The party released a statement about the ruling. Chair Colman Elridge said quote,“Kentucky Democrats are fighting for working families and responding to the urgent needs of our communities. Gov. Andy Beshear has delivered record job creation and much-needed investments in our infrastructure. In contrast, Republicans are blocking common-sense proposals like expanded gaming and medical marijuana, cutting off food assistance programs—and trafficking in dangerous and hateful rhetoric. The difference couldn’t be clearer and is why Gov. Beshear is the most popular Democratic governor in the country.”