GOP hopes former Democrat will spur Kentucky House takeover

ADAM BEAM
Associated Press

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) – Kentucky Republicans seeking to take over the only legislative chamber in the South that they don’t control are getting some help from an unlikely place: a retired homicide detective from one of Louisville’s most prominent Democratic families.

State Rep. Denny Butler likely would have been unopposed for a third term in the state legislature this year. But Butler shocked everyone – including his family – when he switched parties to become a Republican. Now he has drawn a strong challenge from Democrat and labor attorney McKenzie Cantrell, turning the race into a tossup one week before the election.

Cantrell says Democrats need to keep control of the House to rein in the policies of Republican Gov. Matt Bevin. Butler says a Republican legislature would be best for Kentucky.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.