2024 Kentucky Senate election
The 2024 Kentucky Senate election was held on November 5, 2024. The Republican and Democratic primary elections were held on May 21. Half of the senate was up for election. Following the 2022 election, Republicans and Democrats held 31 and seven seats, respectively. The deadline for candidates to file was January 5, 2024. Republicans maintained their majority in the chamber without gaining or losing any seats.
A numbered map of the senate districts can be viewed at the Kentucky Senate site.
Retiring incumbents
A total of four senators retired, none of whom retired to run for other offices.Democratic
- 35th: Denise Harper Angel : Retired.
Republican
- 3rd: Whitney Westerfield : Retired.
- 11th: John Schickel : Retired.
- 17th: Damon Thayer : Retired.
Incumbents defeated
One incumbent lost renomination in the primary election.In the primary election
Republicans
One Republican lost renomination.- 7th: Adrienne E. Southworth lost renomination to Aaron Reed.
Summary by district
† – Incumbent did not seek re-electionClosest races
There were no seats where the margin of victory was under 10%.Special elections
District 19 special
Cassie Chambers Armstrong was elected in February 2023 following the resignation of Morgan McGarvey to become a U. S. Representative.District 28 special
Greg Elkins was elected in May 2023 to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Ralph Alvarado in January 2023.District 1
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Jason G. Howell, incumbent senator
Eliminated in primary
- Lynn Bechler, representative from the 4th district
District 3
Incumbent senator Whitney Westerfield retired.Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Craig B. Richardson, attorney
District 5
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Jamie Skudlarek, candidate for the Ohio County Board of Education in 2022
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Stephen Meredith, incumbent senator
Eliminated in primary
- Thomas Ballinger, veteran and beekeeper
District 7
Incumbent senator Adrienne E. Southworth was defeated for renomination by Republican Aaron Reed.Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Rhonda Davis, small business owner
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Aaron Reed, veteran and firearms manufacturer
Eliminated in primary
- Ed Gallrein, veteran and farmer
- Adrienne E. Southworth, incumbent senator
District 9
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Karen M. Pennington
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- David P. Givens, incumbent senator and president pro tempore of the senate
District 11
Incumbent senator John Schickel retired.Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Steve Rawlings, representative from the 66th district
Eliminated in primary
- Duane Froelicher, member of the Florence city council and candidate for mayor of Florence in 2022
District 13
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Reggie Thomas, incumbent senator
District 15
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Rick Girdler, incumbent senator
District 17
Incumbent senator and senate majority leader Damon Thayer retired.Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Kiana Fields
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Matt Nunn, veteran and Toyota Tsusho vice president
Eliminated in primary
- Julia Jaddock, church employee
District 19
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Cassie Chambers Armstrong, incumbent senator
District 21
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Brandon J. Storm, incumbent senator
District 23
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Jennifer Sierra, artist and author, and candidate for Dayton city council in 2014
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Chris McDaniel, incumbent senator
District 25
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Robert Stivers, incumbent senator and president of the senate
District 27
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Molly Gene Crain, farmer and consultant
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Steve West, incumbent senator
District 29
At the time ballots were printed for the election, two candidates were in the race: Republican Johnnie L. Turner and independent David Suhr. However, before the election was held, Suhr withdrew from the race and Turner died, meaning neither of their votes would be counted. The winner of the race was a write-in candidate, Republican Scott Madon.Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Johnnie L. Turner, senator from the 29th district ''''
Eliminated in primary
- Shawn Andrew Gilley, member of the Letcher County Board of Education
- Randy Thompson, Judge/Executive of Knott County
Withdrawn
- Les Stapleton, mayor of Prestonsburg ''''
Independent candidates
Withdrawn
- David Suhr ''''
Write-in candidates
Democratic
- Craig E. Blackburn
- Valerie Ison Horn, volunteer and activist
- Justin Wade Noble, attorney
- Paul Williams, deputy sheriff
Republican
- John Clem, candidate for Harlan County Clerk in 2018
- Willie Crase, candidate for Judge/Executive of Floyd County in 2022
- Scott Madon, mayor of Pineville
- Andrew Thomas Saylor
- James Tyler Ward II, attorney
Independent
- James Richard Tanner Hesterberg, attorney and former journalist
Unknown
- Leonard Hendrickson, candidate for Judge/Executive of Knott County in 2018
District 31
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- C. Phillip Wheeler Jr., incumbent senator
District 33
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Gerald A. Neal, incumbent senator and senate minority leader
Eliminated in primary
- Michael W. Churchill Jr.
- Attica Woodson Scott, representative from the 41st district and candidate for Kentucky's 3rd congressional district in 2022
District 35
Incumbent senator Denise Harper Angel retired.Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Keturah J. Herron, representative from the 42nd district
District 37
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- David Yates, incumbent senator and senate minority whip
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Calvin Leach, master's student and member of the United States Army Reserve