2020 Kentucky Senate election


The 2020 Kentucky Senate election was held on November 3, 2020. The Republican and Democratic primary elections were held on June 23. Half of the senate seats were up for election. Republicans increased their majority in the chamber, gaining two seats.
A numbered map of the senate districts at the time can be viewed .

Retiring incumbents

A total of three senators retired, none of whom ran for other offices.

Democratic

  1. 7th: Julian M. Carroll : Retired
  2. 37th: Perry B. Clark : Retired

Republican

  1. 1st: Stan Humphries : Retired

Incumbents defeated

One incumbent lost renomination in the primary election, and one incumbent lost reelection in the general election.

In the primary election

Republicans

One Republican lost renomination.
  1. 21st: Albert Robinson lost renomination to Brandon J. Storm, who won the general election.

In the general election

Democrats

One Democrat lost reelection to a Republican.
  1. 29th: Johnny Ray Turner lost to Johnnie L. Turner.

Summary by district

Certified results by the Kentucky Secretary of State are available online for the and .
† – Incumbent not seeking re-election

Crossover seats

Democratic

Three districts voted for Donald Trump in 2016 but had Democratic incumbents:

Republican

None.

Closest races

Seats where the margin of victory was under 10%:
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Special elections

District 31 special

Phillip Wheeler was elected in March 2019 following the resignation of Ray Jones II.

District 38 special

Michael J. Nemes was elected in January 2020 following the resignation of Dan Seum.

District 26 special

Karen Berg was elected in June 2020 following the resignation of Ernie Harris.

District 1

Incumbent senator Stan Humphries did not seek reelection. He was succeeded by Republican Jason G. Howell.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

District 3

Incumbent senator Whitney H. Westerfield won reelection, defeating Libertarian candidate Amanda Billings.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Third-party candidates

Libertarian party

  • Amanda Billings

District 5

Incumbent senator Stephen L. Meredith won reelection, defeating Independent and Libertarian candidates.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Independent candidates

  • John Whipple

Third-party candidates

Libertarian party

  • Guy M. Miller

District 7

Incumbent senator Julian M. Carroll did not seek reelection. He was succeeded by Republican Adrienne E. Southworth.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Independent candidates

General election

Results

Results by county

District 9

Incumbent senator David P. Givens won reelection, defeating Democratic candidate Brian Pedigo.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee
  • Brian Pedigo

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

District 11

Incumbent senator John Schickel won reelection, defeating Democratic candidate James Fiorelli.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee
  • James Fiorelli

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

District 13

Incumbent senator Reginald Thomas won reelection, defeating write-in candidate Matt E. Miniard.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

District 15

Incumbent senator Rick Girdler won reelection, defeating primary election challenger Larry Sears Nichols.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee
  • Rick Girdler, incumbent senator
    Eliminated in primary
  • Larry Sears Nichols

District 17

Incumbent senator Damon Thayer won reelection, defeating Democratic candidate Jason Stroude.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee
  • Jason Stroude

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

District 19

Incumbent senator Morgan McGarvey won reelection unopposed.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

District 21

Incumbent Republican senator Albert Robinson was defeated for renomination by Brandon Jackson Storm.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee
  • Walter Trebolo III

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

District 23

Incumbent senator Chris McDaniel won reelection, defeating Democratic candidate Ryan Olexia.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee
  • Ryan Olexia

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

District 25

Incumbent senator Robert Stivers won reelection unopposed.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

District 27

Incumbent senator Steve West won reelection, defeating Libertarian and write-in candidates.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Third-party candidates

Libertarian party

District 29

Incumbent senator Johnny Ray Turner was defeated for reelection by Republican Johnnie L. Turner.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee
  • Johnnie L. Turner, representative from the 88th district
    Eliminated in primary
  • Matthew Wynn

General election

Results

Results by county

District 31

Incumbent senator Phillip Wheeler won reelection, defeating Democratic candidate Glenn Martin Hammond.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee
  • Glenn Martin Hammond
    Eliminated in primary
  • Scott Sykes

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

District 33

Incumbent senator Gerald A. Neal won reelection unopposed.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

District 35

Incumbent senator Denise Harper Angel won reelection unopposed.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

District 37

Incumbent senator Perry B. Clark did not seek reelection. He was succeeded by Democrat David Yates.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee
  • David Yates
    Eliminated in primary
  • Katie Brophy
  • Garrett A. Dean
  • Di Tran