2026 Kentucky Senate election
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19 out of 38 seats in the Kentucky Senate 20 seats needed for a majority | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Map of the incumbents: Republican incumbent Democratic incumbent No election | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in Kentucky |
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| Government |
The 2026 Kentucky Senate election will be held on November 3, 2026. The Republican and Democratic primary elections will be held on May 19. Half of the senate (all even-numbered seats) are up for election. Following the 2024 election, Republicans and Democrats held 31 and seven seats, respectively. However, the party switch of Robin L. Webb in May 2025 increased the Republican majority to 32 seats. The deadline for candidates to file is January 9, 2026.[1]
Summary by district
† – Incumbent not seeking re-election
| District | Incumbent | Party | Elected | Party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Danny Carroll | Rep | ||||
| 4 | Robby Mills | Rep | ||||
| 6 | Lindsey Tichenor | Rep | ||||
| 8 | Gary Boswell | Rep | ||||
| 10 | Matthew Deneen | Rep | ||||
| 12 | Amanda Mays Bledsoe | Rep | ||||
| 14 | Jimmy Higdon | Rep | ||||
| 16 | Max Wise | Rep | ||||
| 18 | Robin L. Webb | Rep[a] | ||||
| 20 | Gex Williams | Rep | ||||
| 22 | Donald Douglas | Rep | ||||
| 24 | Shelley Funke Frommeyer | Rep | ||||
| 26 | Karen Berg | Dem | ||||
| 28 | Greg Elkins | Rep | ||||
| 30 | Brandon Smith | Rep | ||||
| 32 | Mike Wilson | Rep | ||||
| 34 | Jared Carpenter | Rep | ||||
| 36 | Julie Raque Adams | Rep | ||||
| 38 | Michael J. Nemes | Rep | ||||
District 2
Candidates
None yet filed.[3]
District 4
Republican primary
Filed paperwork
- Robby Mills, incumbent senator[3]
District 6
Republican primary
Filed paperwork
- Lindsey Tichenor, incumbent senator[3]
Democratic primary
Filed paperwork
District 8
Republican primary
Filed paperwork
- Gary Boswell, incumbent senator[3]
District 10
Republican primary
Filed paperwork
- Matthew Deneen, incumbent senator[3]
District 12
Democratic primary
Filed paperwork
- Bill O'Brien, Democratic nominee for this district in 2022[3]
District 14
Republican primary
Filed paperwork
- Jimmy Higdon, incumbent senator[3]
District 16
Candidates
None yet filed.[3]
District 18
Candidates
None yet filed.[3]
District 20
Republican primary
Filed paperwork
- Gex Williams, incumbent senator[3]
Democratic primary
Filed paperwork
- Stella Pollard[3]
District 22
Republican primary
Filed paperwork
- Donald Douglas, incumbent senator[3]
District 24
Republican primary
Filed paperwork
- Shelley Funke Frommeyer, incumbent senator[3]
District 26
Candidates
None yet filed.[3]
District 28
Republican primary
Filed paperwork
- Greg Elkins, incumbent senator[3]
District 30
Republican primary
Candidates
- Brandon Smith, incumbent senator
- Bill Wesley, state representative from the 91st district (2021–present)
District 32
Republican primary
Filed paperwork
- Mike Wilson, incumbent senator[3]
District 34
Republican primary
Filed paperwork
- Jared Carpenter, incumbent senator[3]
District 36
Republican primary
Filed paperwork
- Julie Raque Adams, incumbent senator[3]
District 38
Republican primary
Filed paperwork
- Larry Miller[3]
- Michael J. Nemes, incumbent senator[3]
Notes
References
- ^ "Kentucky State Senate elections, 2026". Ballotpedia. Middleton, Wisconsin: Lucy Burns Institute. Retrieved February 10, 2025.
- ^ Pinski, Hannah. "Last rural Democrat in Kentucky senate leaves party, growing GOP supermajority". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved May 30, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v "Candidate Search - 2026 primary election". Kentucky Registry of Election Finance. Retrieved February 10, 2025.