Two important elections are taking place today. Polls are closing at 6:00 local time across the state of Kentucky, which is having a Democrat primary. The 3 candidates are state Attorney General Andy Beshear, who is the son of a popular former governor, Steve, State House Minority Leader Rocky Adkins, and former state Auditor Adam Edelen. Beshear is considered the establishment candidate, Adkins is the socially moderate Blue Dog, and Edelen is probably the most liberal of the three. Any of them would keep a close race with the unpopular incumbent governor, Matt Bevin (R), especially given Kentucky’s R-national, D-local voting habit.
The primary is generally considered a 3-way toss-up, but I predict Rocky Adkins will come out on top, due to (seemingly) larger-scale grassroots support and the other two candidates splitting the liberal vote. Looking at things geographically, Adkins should win many of the coal-country counties near West Virginia, which also happen to release their results first. If Adkins is losing a lot of these counties, he’s in big trouble.
At 8 pm, the first congressional race of the year will close its polls. Pennsylvania’s 12th district covers a wide swath of rural PA from just west of Scranton to northewest of Harrisburg. Still, don’t expect much competition. Trump won this district by 3 dozen points (36) and both candidates, State Rep. Fred Keller (R) and professor Mac Friedenberg (D) aren’t anything special. If Friedenberg gets over 40% of the vote, that should be considered a “win”. Assuming Keller wins, another Republican will be added to the House, bringing them up to 198.
Regardless, elections have consequences on the life of you and others, so remember to vote if you live in Kentucky or any of the counties I’m about to list in Pennsylvania. Bradford, Centre, Clinton, Juniata, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Lycoming, Perry, Potter, Snyder, Sullivan, Susquehana, Tioga, Union, and Wyoming.