Politics

Kentucky voters head to the polls this November to choose the state's next set of constitutional officers, including the position of governor. While most are familiar with Republican incumbent Matt Bevin and Democratic challenger, Attorney General Andy Beshear, some may not be aware of a third option: Libertarian candidate, business consultant John Hicks. 

Republican Gov. Matt Bevin and Democratic Attorney General Andy Beshear clashed over education, health care and pensions at a forum hosted by the Kentucky Farm Bureau on Wednesday.

The two year operating budget will move next year’s presidential primary to St. Patrick’s Day. Republicans had to move it to after March 15 so they could award all delegates to a single candidate.

A new version of the comprehensive energy bill, HB6, was introduced in the Ohio Senate on Monday that would charge residential ratepayers $0.85 a month on their electric bills to bail out the state's two nuclear power plants.

Plans to change the logo the state uses on handicap accessible signs have been put on hold. The transportation budget that just went into effect had required ODOT to use a new logo.

U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) says he was denied access to a Customs and Border Control detention facility that houses children over the weekend. Brown wanted to see the facilities holding children that some other lawmakers have described as cramped and smelly. Brown is telling reporters he blames top administration officials for wanting to keep him from seeing inhumane treatment there.

Democrats in Kentucky’s House of Representatives have unveiled two bills to try and address surging pension costs currently being experienced by the state’s regional universities and small agencies like health departments.

The proposals come as Gov. Matt Bevin has been trying to rally support for his own bill and has promised to call a special session for state lawmakers to vote on it.

The woman hoping to challenge U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell in this fall’s general election is off to a record-setting fundraising start.  

Amy McGrath, a former Marine fighter pilot, took to MSNBC Tuesday morning to announce her bid for the Senate seat held by McConnell since 1985.

Within 24 hours, McGrath’s campaign raised $2.5 million. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee says that dwarfs the previous record of $1 million dollars raised during the first 24 hours of a Democratic Senate bid.

A leader in Kentucky’s House of Representatives says Gov. Matt Bevin’s special legislative session on pensions will have to start on July 19, or else regional universities, health departments and others will have to wait until after a critical deadline to receive relief from a massive increase in their pension costs.