Kentucky's 2018 primary was one for the history books

CNN/Stylemagazine.com Newswire | 5/24/2018, 3:01 p.m.
For the first time in Louisville history, a woman will be on the ballot in November for mayor. Angela Leet …
Angela Leet is the first female nominee for mayor in Louisville's history.

By Web Staff

Louisville, KY (WLKY) -- For the first time in Louisville history, a woman will be on the ballot in November for mayor.

Angela Leet is the first female nominee for mayor in Louisville's history.

Leet defeated Bob DeVore in the Republican primary.

"I plan to bring a unique perspective to the mayor's office as a wife and mother," Lee said. "As an engineer, I've spent my working life in a field made up predominantly of men. It sometimes meant I had to work harder to prove myself, but made success that much more meaningful. I plan to work just as hard to earn the votes of my community."

She'll face incumbent Democratic Mayor Greg Fischer in November.

Fischer defeated four challengers to win his party's nomination.

"People like what we’ve done and are looking forward to another four years, so we have tremendous momentum in the city right now. What we're showing is we can have an inclusive city, an innovative city, the city of compassion and everyone can feel connected to a bright future," Fischer said.

A high school math teacher defeated the House majority floor leader of the Kentucky House of Representatives in an election that comes following a wave of education protests at state Capitols.

Travis Brenda narrowly defeated state Rep. Jonathan Shell on Tuesday to win the Republican nomination for House District 71. Two years ago, Shell was credited with helping orchestrate the first GOP takeover of the state House of Representatives in nearly 100 years. But voters turned on him for his role in writing a new state law that made changes to the state's pension system.

Brenda credited a groundswell of teacher support for his victory and says it sends a message to other candidates that teachers and public workers will not be silent. Brenda will face Democrat Mary Renfro in the general election.

At least 15 other current and former teachers were also on the ballot Tuesday.

An attorney and former appointee of Gov. Matt Bevin has won the Republican nomination in Kentucky's 3rd Congressional District.

Vickie Yates Brown Glisson defeated two other candidates for the chance to face Democratic U.S. Rep. John Yarmuth in November.

"I feel like we have not had a true advocate for Louisville or this community for the 12 years and I want to be that advocate for Louisville," Glisson said.

Glisson was an attorney with the Louisville firm Frost Brown Todd. In 2015, Bevin appointed her secretary for the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, the state's largest government agency. She resigned in January to run for Congress. She opposes the Affordable Care Act, saying it keeps health care costs high by eliminating competition.

"The Affordable Care Act needs to be fixed. There are definitely things that need to be addressed. And some of those things that need to be addressed are things that really impact our community," Glisson said.

Yarmuth, who was unopposed in the primary, is running for his seventh term as a congressman since beating Republican Anne Northup in 2006.

Voters in a central Kentucky congressional district opted for retired Marine officer and fighter pilot Amy McGrath over Lexington Mayor Jim Gray to advance to a fall campaign against Republican Rep. Andy Barr.

National Democrats once touted Gray as one of their best recruits in their efforts for a House majority. They said in recent weeks they'd be happy with McGrath, but the race still shaped up as a battle between rank-and-file activists and the party establishment.

McGrath was making her first bid for public office, among a handful of female Naval Academy graduates running for Congress this year.

Gray also lost a 2016 Senate race.

Democratic Metro Councilwoman Cheri Bryant Hamilton will not keep her seat.

Hamilton, who served on both the Louisville Metro Council and Louisville Board of Aldermen before that, lost to challenger Donna Lyvette Purvis by 154 votes.

"I'm disappointed with the results and the extremely low turnout in District 5 and across the city," Bryant Hamilton said. "It has been an honor and privilege to serve and represent this district and this community that I love for 18 years."

Two candidates were vying to replace longtime Louisville Metro Councilwoman Mary Woolridge, who is not seeking re-election.

Keisha Dorsey defeated Josephine Buckner in the Democratic primary for District 3, which includes Shively and the Algonquin neighborhood.

For the first time in a quarter century, Dan Johnson was not on the ballot in Louisville, and that set off a heated race to replace him on the Louisville Metro Council.

Nicole George defeated Vitalis Lanshima in the Democratic primary for District 21, which includes South Louisville neighborhoods such as Beechmont and Iroquois.

Republican Bret Shultz was unopposed in the primary.

Karen Berg defeated Matt Kaufmann in the Democratic primary for Kentucky Senate District 26.

Personal injury lawyer Alex White challenged 12-term incumbent Sen. Ernie Harris in the Republican primary for Kentucky's Senate District 26.

The primary elections for Kentucky's Senate District 36 epitomize two big trends: the Year of the Woman, and increasing frustration with perceived attacks on public education.

All four candidates in the primaries for the district are women. They include Republican incumbent Julie Raque Adams, who easily defeated her challenger, Sheeba Jolly.

On the Democratic side, Sheri Donahue defeated Gay Adelmann.