Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell isn’t just trying to hold on to his Republican majority in Washington.
He’s also trying to flip the Kentucky House of Representatives, which Democrats have controlled since 1921. It would complete McConnell’s long quest for Republican dominance of the state’s elected offices.
McConnell’s leadership PAC, the Bluegrass Committee, has spent $85,000 to support Republican Kentucky House candidates, including $5,000 to the Kentucky Republican Caucus Campaign Committee and contributions of $1,000 or $2,000 to dozens of individual office-seekers.
1921 The last time Republicans held a majority in the Kentucky House of Representatives
It also gave $10,000 to the Republican Party of Kentucky.
Democrats have a 53-47 majority in the 100-member chamber.
Republicans already control the state senate and the governor’s mansion, both U.S. Senate seats and five of the state’s six U.S. House seats.
Like most southern states, Kentucky was dominated by Democrats for generations. But McConnell, first elected to the Senate in 1984, sought to change that, recruiting candidates for Congress, Senate and governor, as well as grooming others to run for local and state offices.
Republicans already control the state senate and the governor’s mansion, both U.S. Senate seats and five of the state’s six U.S. House seats.
Gov. Matt Bevin is only the state’s second Republican governor since 1971, but Kentucky hasn’t elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since 1992.
Republicans have 27-11 majority in the 38-member state Senate. The Kentucky House is the only state legislative body in the South controlled by Democrats.
McConnell’s Bluegrass Committee is set up primarily to support federal candidates. It has raised $1.6 million this election cycle and has contributed nearly $500,000 to U.S. House and Senate Republican candidates.
$1.6 million What McConnell’s leadership PAC has raised this election cycle
The leadership PAC has given $10,000 to support Reps. Andy Barr of Kentucky, Mike Bost of Illinois, Mike Coffman of Colorado and David Valadao of California.
It’s also given $10,000 to Senate candidates in tight races, such as Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, Richard Burr of North Carolina, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Rob Portman of Ohio, Todd Young of Indiana, Joe Heck of Nevada, and Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire.
Republicans currently have a 54-seat majority.
Curtis Tate: 202-383-6018, @tatecurtis