By Linda Blackford | Editor
Election night was a very good night for Democrats and an even better one for Gov. Andy Beshear, who not only helped flip the 6th District, but also had a hand in getting a slew of Democratic governors elected. All to the good for someone eying the presidency in 2028. He talked to McKenna Horsley about the results.
McKenna also looked at Kentucky’s wins and losses against the huge national blue wave. Democrats managed to flip nine seats in the General Assembly, something that has seemed out of reach for a while.
And Liam Niemeyer took stock of a big issue in these elections: data centers. They definitely had an effect on some Kentucky races.
Then some good news all around: the next executive director of KET is someone most of us know and love.
As for Commentary, both Al Cross and I had thoughts about the election, which I will link to at the bottom.
Have a great day, and thanks for reading the Kentucky Lantern!
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear talks after Democrat Zach Dembo’s Sixth Congressional District win against Ralph Alvardo, at the Central Bank Center in downtown Lexington, Nov. 3, 2026. (Photo by Brian Simms for Kentucky Lantern)
By McKenna Horsley
Tuesday was a good night for Democrats and an extremely good night for Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear.
Leading up to midterm elections, Beshear had a spotlight trained on him as the Democratic Governors Association chair, campaigning across the country in races that ultimately led to Democrats flipping five seats, and so now controlling at least 28 governorships. He also supported some candidates back in Kentucky, like Zach Dembo, the congressman-elect in the 6th Congressional District who flipped the seat after Republican U.S. Rep. Andy Barr held the seat for 14 years.
Supporters of Zach Dembo, Kentucky Sixth Congressional District Democratic candidate, cheer while watching 2026 midterm election results at the Central Bank Center in downtown Lexington, Nov. 3, 2026.(Photo by Brian Simms for Kentucky Lantern)
By McKenna Horsley
While Zach Dembo’s win in central Kentucky allowed the state to take a part in Democrats’ nationwide “blue tsunami,” part of that wave trickled down to the Kentucky General Assembly.
More than 100 people packed inside the engine bay of Burgin’s fire department for the September special meeting. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Liam Niemeyer)
By Liam Niemeyer
Joe Monroe knew he had a good shot at winning as a write-in candidate, yet he also realized it was going to be an “uphill battle.”
But when he went to the Mercer County courthouse Tuesday night to check the results for the Burgin mayoral race, he had won handily, with 75% of the vote over his opponent, George Hensley, a sitting city council member. He won 273 write-in votes over Hensley’s 91 votes.
“I didn’t realize it would be by that kind of margin,” Monroe told the Lantern. “I’m thinking it probably had to do something with the data center.”
Renee Shaw will now be the CEO and executive director of KET. (Photo courtesy of KET)
By Liam Niemeyer
Renee Shaw, one of the most well-known moderators and journalists at Kentucky Educational Television for nearly three decades at the public television network, will lead the public media organization as its new executive director and CEO.
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