Politics

Democratic U.S. Ben Chandler and Republican challenger Andy Barr make their first face-to-face meeting on a TV show Monday after months of name-calling in what ranks as one of Kentucky's most mean-spirited congressional races ever.

A Jefferson County Circuit judge on Friday expressed concerns that a Republican state Senate candidate from south Louisville previously swore that he lived at a motel he owned in 2011, but filed to run for office under a different address in another district in 2012.

The first ever Republican state Senate president will end his 12-year reign by taking a circuit court judgeship back home. David Williams will resign his leadership position and Senate seat next week to start a judgeship that he was appointed to by his chief rival, Gov. Steve Beshear.

It ends Williams' nearly 30-year legislative career, which included more than a decade as his chamber's leader. Williams leaves his party with a "super majority" in a Senate that's part of a divided state government.

David Williams' tenure as president of the Kentucky State Senate -- and political adversary to Gov. Steve Beshear -- may soon end. Williams is among three nominees selected Thursday by the Judicial Nominating Commission for the open 40th Circuirt Court judgeship, and he said he'd take the job if chosen.