| Election Name: | 2010 Kentucky Senate election |
| Country: | Kentucky |
| Type: | legislative |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2008 Kentucky Senate election |
| Previous Year: | 2008 |
| Next Election: | 2012 Kentucky Senate election |
| Next Year: | 2012 |
| Seats For Election: | 19 out of 38 seats in the Kentucky Senate |
| Majority Seats: | 20 |
| Election Date: | November 2, 2010 |
| 1Blank: | Seats up |
| 2Blank: | Races won |
| Leader1: | David Williams |
| Party1: | Republican Party of Kentucky |
| Leaders Seat1: | 16th – Burkesville |
| Leader Since1: | January 5, 1999 |
| Last Election1: | 22 |
| Seats Before1: | 20 |
| Seats1: | 22 |
| Seat Change1: | 2 |
| 1Data1: | 11 |
| 2Data1: | 13 |
| Leader2: | Ed Worley (retired) |
| Party2: | Kentucky Democratic Party |
| Leaders Seat2: | 34th – Richmond |
| Leader Since2: | January 6, 2003 |
| Last Election2: | 15 |
| Seats Before2: | 17 |
| Seats2: | 15 |
| Seat Change2: | 2 |
| 1Data2: | 7 |
| 2Data2: | 5 |
| Senate President | |
| Before Election: | David Williams |
| Before Party: | Republican Party of Kentucky |
| After Election: | David Williams |
| After Party: | Republican Party of Kentucky |
The 2010 Kentucky Senate election was held on November 2, 2010. The Republican and Democratic primary elections were held on May 18. Half of the senate (all even-numbered seats) were up for election. Republicans increased their majority in the chamber, gaining two seats.[1]
A numbered map of the senate districts at the time can be viewed here.
| Party | Candidates | Votes | % | Seats | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opposed | Unopposed | Before | Won | After | +/− | ||||||
| Republican | 15 | 3 | 398,458 | 57.88 | 20 | 13 | 22 | +2 | |||
| Democratic | 15 | 1 | 271,350 | 39.42 | 17 | 5 | 15 | style="text-align:right;" | -2 | ||
| Independent | 1 | 0 | 17,606 | 2.56 | 1 | 1 | 1 | style="text-align:center;" | - | ||
| Evangelical Christian | 1 | 0 | 1,004 | 0.15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | style="text-align:center;" | - | ||
| Total | 32 | 4 | 688,418 | 100.00 | 38 | 19 | 38 | ±0 | |||
| Source: Kentucky Secretary of State | |||||||||||
A total of two senators (one Democrat and one Republican) retired, neither of which ran for other offices.[2]
Three incumbents (two Democrats and one Republican) were defeated for reelection.
Certified results by the Kentucky Secretary of State are available online for the primary election and general election.
| District | Incumbent | Party | Elected | Party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Bob Leeper | Ind | Bob Leeper | Ind | ||
| 4 | Dorsey Ridley | Dem | Dorsey Ridley | Dem | ||
| 6 | Jerry Rhoads | Dem | Jerry Rhoads | Dem | ||
| 8 | David Boswell | Dem | Joseph R. Bowen | Rep | ||
| 10 | Elizabeth Tori | Rep | Dennis Parrett | Dem | ||
| 12 | Alice Forgy Kerr | Rep | Alice Forgy Kerr | Rep | ||
| 14 | Jimmy Higdon | Rep | Jimmy Higdon | Rep | ||
| 16 | David Williams | Rep | David Williams | Rep | ||
| 18 | Robin L. Webb | Dem | Robin L. Webb | Dem | ||
| 20 | Gary Tapp | Rep | Paul Hornback | Rep | ||
| 22 | Tom Buford | Rep | Tom Buford | Rep | ||
| 24 | Katie Kratz Stine | Rep | Katie Kratz Stine | Rep | ||
| 26 | Ernie Harris | Rep | Ernie Harris | Rep | ||
| 28 | R. J. Palmer | Dem | R. J. Palmer | Dem | ||
| 30 | Brandon Smith | Rep | Brandon Smith | Rep | ||
| 32 | Mike Reynolds | Dem | Mike Wilson | Rep | ||
| 34 | Ed Worley | Dem | Jared Carpenter | Rep | ||
| 36 | Julie Denton | Rep | Julie Denton | Rep | ||
| 38 | Dan Seum | Rep | Dan Seum | Rep | ||
Seats where the margin of victory was under 10%:
Mike Reynolds was elected in February 2009 following the resignation of Brett Guthrie.
Robin L. Webb was elected in August 2009 following the resignation of Charlie Borders.
Jimmy Higdon was elected in December 2009 following the resignation of Dan Kelly.
Incumbent senator Bob Leeper won reelection, defeating Democratic and Republican challengers.
Incumbent senator Dorsey Ridley won reelection unopposed.
Incumbent senator Jerry Rhoads won reelection, defeating Republican Jack Whitfield.
Incumbent senator David Boswell was defeated for reelection by Republican Joseph R. Bowen.
Incumbent senator Elizabeth Tori was defeated for reelection by Democrat Dennis Parrett.
Incumbent senator Alice Forgy Kerr won reelection, defeating primary and general election challengers.
Incumbent senator Jimmy Higdon won reelection unopposed.
Incumbent senator David Williams won reelection, defeating primary election challenger Denver Capps.
Incumbent senator Robin L. Webb won reelection, defeating Republican Jack Ditty.
Incumbent senator Gary Tapp did not seek reelection. He was succeeded by Republican Paul Hornback.
Incumbent senator Tom Buford won reelection, defeating primary election challenger Chad Crouch.
Incumbent senator Katie Kratz Stine won reelection, defeating Democrat Julie Smith-Morrow.
Incumbent senator Ernie Harris won reelection, defeating primary and general election challengers.
Incumbent senator R. J. Palmer won reelection, defeating primary and general election challengers.
Incumbent senator Brandon Smith won reelection, defeating Democrat Johnnie L. Turner.
Incumbent senator Mike Reynolds was defeated for reelection by Republican Mike Wilson.
Incumbent senator Ed Worley did not seek reelection. He was succeeded by Republican Jared Carpenter.
Incumbent senator Julie Denton won reelection, defeating primary and general election challengers.
Incumbent senator Dan Seum won reelection, defeating Democrat Marty Meyer.