Republican wins seat in heavily Democratic Kentucky district

FPI / March 1, 2020

A Kentucky Republican candidate got a shout out from President Donald Trump after winning a seat in the state House of Representatives that had been held by Democrats for more than three decades.

Preliminary results in District 99 showed Republican Richard White defeating Democrat Bill Redwine on Tuesday by around 1,000 votes, the Courier-Journal reported.

Trump tweeted: "Big story, Big Win - Except in the Fake News, which won’t cover it!"

Republican Party Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel tweeted: "It’s a district Democrats held for 33 YEARS, where Democrats outnumber Republicans by double digits, and one the Democrat governor carried in 2019. But tonight, Republicans flipped the seat!"

The 99th District in the Kentucky State House of Representative includes Lewis, Elliott and Rowan counties.

The seat was left vacant by Democrat Rocky Adkins who late last year became a senior adviser to Democrat Gov. Andy Beshear. Adkins had served as both the majority and minority leader in his many decades in the Kentucky House of Representatives.

White posted the following statement on his Facebook page:

"Some may have doubted us, but we never gave up. We knew we couldn’t give up. We desperately need someone in Frankfort who will defend our Constitutional Rights, fight for increased funding for our schools and teachers, increased funding for better roads and Internet access, as well as work to decrease our rising healthcare costs. And, I promise to be that person. I will stand firm and work hard to ensure all these things, and much more is granted to the hard-working people of this region."

Free Press International