When the Kentucky General Assembly convenes January 3rd, there will be no Democrats serving counties in the central time zone.
The change comes after the defeat of two-term Representative Patti Minter. Minter was first elected to the Bowling Green-based 20th House district in 2018, filling the seat occupied for more than forty years by former House Speaker Jody Richards.
Unofficial vote totals show Republican challenger Kevin Jackson capturing the seat. Jackson is a financial advisor and retired educator in local school districts.
The race was a top target for Republicans hoping to expand their supermajority in the state House. In the redistricting process following the 2020 census, Republican legislative leaders redrew Minter’s district to remove core Democratic precincts in Bowling Green in favor of GOP-heavy precincts in Warren County. In her concession speech, Minter said the new maps and lack of voting options in Bowling Green caused her defeat.
“It took unprecedented gerrymandering, a huge super PAC from the other side, and as everybody in this room who voted knows, it took extraordinary voter suppression,” Minter said.
Minter said the local Democratic Party repeatedly requested a polling location in downtown Bowling Green, which she said would have benefited low-income and minority voters and allowed for a walkable polling site near Western Kentucky University.
Jackson told WKU Public Radio he looks forward to representing Bowling Green in the General Assembly. He said he comes from a background similar to those of many voters in his district and will be able to have a seat at the table as a member of the majority party.
“I don’t have any hidden agendas. I want to go to Frankfort and represent all the people of the 20th district,” Jackson said. “I’m not interested in a small group here and there. I think most of the 20th district is just like me. They’re middle-class, middle of the road people, and I so look forward to representing them in Frankfort.”
Jackson said he plans to seek a seat on the House Education Committee. He identified advocating for public education as a top priority for his term of office.
