2024 primary election results: Analysis of General Assembly races

This year's primary election saw ballots cast from just 12.7% of registered voters in Kentucky, according to the Secretary of State’s office.  

Below is a summary of races for the Kentucky General Assembly. All 100 House districts and odd-numbered Senate districts are up for reelection this year.  

There were contested primaries in 34 House districts this year.  

Two incumbent House members lost their races. 2nd District Rep. Richard Heath (R-Graves County) lost to Kimberly Holloway (their second matchup after Heath prevailed in the 2022 primary), and 45th District Rep. Killian Timoney (R-Jessamine County) lost to political newcomer Thomas Jefferson.  

Incumbents who fended off challengers include:  

• 10th District Rep. Josh Calloway (R-Breckinridge County) defeated Julie Cantwell.  
• 19th District Rep. Michael Meredith (R-Edmonson County) pulled out a large win over challenger Kelsey Rock. 
• 30th District Rep. Daniel Grossberg (D-Jefferson County) was successful over Subedi Mitra. 
• 44th District Rep. Bevery Chester-Burton (D-Jefferson County) prevailed over two challengers, Daniel Deshawn Cockrell and Shreeta Waldon. 
• 47th District Rep. Felicia Rabourn (R-Henry County) won over Mark Gilkison.  
• 49th District Rep. Thomas Huff (R-Bullitt County) defeated William Harned.  
• 50th District Rep. Candy Massaroni (R-Nelson County) won against Andy Stone.  
• 60th District Rep. Marianne Proctor (R-Boone County) defeated Christopher Pavese.  
• 61st District Rep. Savannah Maddox (R-Grant County) defeated Jarrod Lykins.  
• 64th District Rep. Kim Moser (R-Kenton County) won over challenger Karen Campbell. 
• 69th District Rep. Steve Doan (R-Kenton County) defeated Diane Brown.  
• 77th District Rep. George Brown (D-Fayette County) fended off challenger Daniel Whitley. 
• 86th District Rep. Tom O’Dell Smith (R-Knox County) beat back Billy Taylor.  
• 89th District Rep. Timmy Truett (R-Jackson County) won over Idalia Holland.  
• 91st District Rep. Bill Wesley (R-Estill County) defeated Darrell Billings. 
• 93rd District Rep. Adrielle Camuel (D-Fayette County) defended her seat against challenger Sarah Ritter.  

The House 40th District race in Jefferson County still has legal challenges moving forward. Incumbent Nima Kulkarni won her Democratic primary but faces a Supreme Court hearing next month for a lawsuit claiming she was ineligible to be on the ballot due to submitting incorrect paperwork.  

Open Seats 

Thirteen retiring House members left districts open for a new face. Two of those retiring member districts have no general election challenger and will see the primary winner sworn in next January:  

• 11th District: Republican J.T. Payne will succeed Rep. Jonathan Dixon. 
• 94th District: Republican Mitch Whitaker will replace Rep. Jacob Justice.  

The primary results for the remaining 11 open seats include:  

• 24th District: Republican Ryan Bivens defeated Asa Waggoner. Rep. Courtney Gilbert (R-LaRue County) retiring.  
• 29th District: Republican Chris Lewis and Democrat Timothy Findley both won three-way races in their respective primaries for the change to replace retiring Rep. Kevin Bratcher. (R-Jefferson County).  
• 41st District: Former longtime state representative Mary Lou Marzian defeated William “Rick” Adams in the Democratic primary and will face Republican Sara Elizabeth Cottrell for a bid to replace Rep. Josie Raymond (R-Jefferson County).  
• 42nd District: current Rep. Keturah Heron (D-Jefferson County) will take over in the 35th Senate District in January and Joshua Watkins who won a three-way primary will replace her.  
• 57th District: retiring Democratic Floor Leader Derrick Graham (D-Franklin County) will be succeeded by either Democratic primary winner Erika Hancock or Republican Kyle Thompson. 
• 62nd District: Rep. Philip Pratt’s (R-Scott County) seat will be decided in the fall between current Scott County Sheriff Tony Hampton and Democrat Kevin Kidwell.  
• 66th District: Rep. Steve Rawlings successfully ran for the open 11th District Senate seat. Republican T.J. Roberts defeated former representative Ed Massey and will face Democrat Peggy Houston-Nienaber in November.  
• 67th District: Democrat Matthew Lehman will face Republican primary winner Terry Hatton for the chance to succeed outgoing Rep. Rachel Roberts (D-Campbell County).  
• 76th District: 33-year Rep. Ruth Ann Palumbo (D-Fayette County) will be succeeded by Democrat Ann Gay Donworth, winner of a three-way primary that included Rep. Palumbo’s son Jamie.  
• 94th District: Republican Mitchell Whitaker is unopposed in the general election and will replace retiring Rep. Jacob Justice (D-Pike County).  
• 98th District: a four-way Democratic primary resulted in Tammy Womack facing Republican Aaron Thompson to see who will succeed Rep. Danny Bentley (R-Greenup County).  

Twenty-eight incumbents had no primary challenger but face a general election campaign.  

Thirty-eight House districts will be filled by incumbents who had no primary and will face no opposition in the general election. 

The 19 odd-numbered Senate districts are up for election this year, including four – Districts 3, 11, 17 and 35 – with retiring lawmakers. Sen. Whitney Westerfield (R-Christian County), Sen. John Schickel (R-Boone County), Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer (R-Scott County) and Sen. Denise Harper Angel (D-Jefferson County) chose not to run for re-election. 

Seven Senate races had contested primaries. 

Only one incumbent was defeated in Tuesday’s primary. 7th District Sen. Adrienne Southworth (R-Anderson County), lost her bid for re-election to Aaron Reed. Reed won in a close race for first place against Ed Gallrein. The district is made up of Anderson, Henry, Shelby and part of Jefferson counties.   

Primary election results for Kentucky Senate: 

• 1st District incumbent Sen. Jason Howell (R-Calloway County) defeated former state representative Lynn Bechler. 
• 3rd District candidate Craig Richardson (R-Christian County) did not face a primary challenger and is unopposed in the general election.  
• 5th District incumbent Sen. Stephen Meredith (R-Grayson County) defeated Thomas Ballinger and will face Democrat Jamie Skularek in the general election. 
• 7th District Republican primary winner Aaron Reed (Shelby County) will face Democrat Rhonda Davis in the general election. 
• 9th District incumbent Senate President Pro Tem David Givens (R-Green County) did not have a primary challenger and will face Democrat Karen Pennington in the general election. 
• 11th District Republican primary winner Steve Rawlings (R-Boone County), the current representative for the 66th House District, defeated Duane Froelicher and is unopposed in the general election. 
• 13th District incumbent Senate Minority Caucus Chair Reggie Thomas (D-Fayette County) did not face primary opposition and is unopposed in the general election. 
• 15th District incumbent Sen. Rick Girdler (R-Pulaski County) did not face primary opposition and is unopposed in the general election. 
• 17th District political newcomer Matt Nunn (R-Scott County) defeated Julia Jaddock in the primary and will face Democrat Kiana Fields in November. 
• 19th District incumbent Sen. Cassie Chambers Armstrong (D-Jefferson County) did not have a primary opponent and is unopposed in the general election. 
• 21st District incumbent Sen. Brandon Storm (R-Laurel County) did not have a primary opponent and is unopposed in the general election. 
• 23rd District incumbent Sen. Chris McDaniel (R-Kenton County) ran unopposed in the primary and will face Democrat Jennifer Sierra in the general election. 
• 25th District incumbent Senate President Robert Stivers (R-Clay County) did not have a primary opponent and is unopposed in the general election. 
• 27th District incumbent Sen. Steve West (R-Bourbon County) was unopposed in the primary and will face Democrat Molly Gene Crain in the general election. 
• 29th District incumbent Sen. Johnnie Turner (R-Harlan County) defeated two primary challengers and will face Independent candidate David Suhr in the general election. 
• 31st District incumbent Sen. Phillip Wheeler (R-Pike County) was unopposed in the primary election and does not have a challenger in the general election. 
• 33rd District incumbent Senate Minority Floor Leader Gerald Neal (D-Jefferson County) defeated two primary challengers and is unopposed in the general election. 
• 35th District candidate Keturah Herron (D-Jefferson County), who is the current House 42nd District representative, was unopposed in the primary and has no challenger in the general election. 
• 37th District incumbent Senate Minority Whip David Yates (D-Jefferson County) did not have a primary challenger and will face Republican Calvin Leach in the general election. 

Click here for full primary election results, which are still awaiting certification by the Secretary of State’s office.  

Independent candidates have until June 4, 2024 to file a statement of candidacy. 

Kentucky’s general election is Nov. 5.