2016 Kentucky House of Representatives election


The 2016 Kentucky House of Representatives elections were held on November 8, 2016, as part of the biennial United States elections. All 100 of Kentucky's state representatives were up for reelection. In Kentucky, members of the House of Representatives serve two-year terms. Accordingly, they are up for reelection in both presidential and midterm election years.
Republicans gained 17 seats in the election, winning the chamber outright. This ended nearly 100 years of Democratic control of the house, as the last time that Republicans won a majority was in 1919. Republicans performed well in rural districts and flipped many seats held by Democrats, including Democratic Speaker Greg Stumbo who lost reelection. Together with Republican governor Matt Bevin, this was the first time in history that Republicans gained a trifecta in the state.
A numbered map of the house districts at the time can be viewed .

Retiring incumbents

Brad Montell resigned in October 2016. Thomas Kerr resigned in September 2016.

Democratic

  1. 23rd: Johnny Bell: Retired.
  2. 46th: Larry Clark: Retired.
  3. 70th: Mike Denham: Retired.
  4. 94th: Leslie A. Combs: Retired.

Republican

  1. 48th: Bob DeWeese: Retired.
  2. 50th: David Floyd: Retired.

Defeated incumbents

In primary elections

Democratic

  1. 41st: Tom Riner lost renomination to Attica Scott, who won the general election.

Republican

  1. 33rd: Ronald Crimm lost renomination to Jason Nemes, who won the general election.

In general elections

Democratic

  1. 8th: Jeffrey R. Taylor lost to Walker Thomas.
  2. 11th: David Watkins lost to Robby Mills.
  3. 13th: Jim Glenn lost to DJ Johnson.
  4. 14th: Tommy Thompson lost to Matt Castlen.
  5. 15th: Brent Yonts lost to Melinda Gibbons Prunty.
  6. 16th: Martha Jane King lost to Jason Petrie.
  7. 24th: Terry Mills lost to Brandon Reed.
  8. 49th: Linda H. Belcher lost to Dan Johnson.
  9. 62nd: Chuck Tackett lost to Phillip Pratt.
  10. 78th: Tom McKee lost to Mark Hart.
  11. 81st: Rita Smart lost to C. Wesley Morgan.
  12. 84th: Fitz Steele lost to Chris Fugate.
  13. 91st: Cluster Howard lost to Toby Herald.
  14. 92nd: John Short lost to John Blanton.
  15. 95th: Greg Stumbo lost to Larry D. Brown.
  16. 97th: Hubert Collins lost to Scott Wells.
  17. 98th: Lew Nicholls lost to Danny Bentley.

Republican

  1. 38th: Denver Butler lost to McKenzie Cantrell.

Closest races

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