Derrick Graham (politician) explained

Derrick Graham
Office:	Minority Leader of the Kentucky House of Representatives
Term Start:	January 3, 2023
Predecessor:	Joni Jenkins
State House1:	Kentucky
District1:	57th
Term Start1:	January 1, 2003
Predecessor1:	Gippy Graham
Birth Place:	Frankfort, Kentucky, U.S.
Party:	Democratic
Education:	Kentucky State University (BA) Ohio State University (MA)

Derrick W. Graham (born in Frankfort, Kentucky) is an American politician and a Democratic member of the Kentucky House of Representatives representing the 57th House district, which includes the Kentucky capital city of Frankfort, since January 2003.^[1] In 2023, Graham became the first African American to lead a legislative caucus in the Kentucky House of Representatives.^[2]

Graham is not seeking reelection in 2024.^[3]

Background

Graham earned his Bachelor of Arts in history and political science from Kentucky State University and his Master of Arts in political science from Ohio State University.^[4]

For the majority of his career, Graham taught social studies at Frankfort High School. During the 1990s, Graham was elected as a Frankfort city commissioner.

Elections

• 1994 When the District 57 seat was open, Graham ran in the seven-way 1994 Democratic Primary but lost to Gippy Graham, who was unopposed for the November 8, 1994 General election.
• 2002 When Representative Gippy Graham left the Legislature and left the seat open, Derrick Graham won the four-way 2002 Democratic Primary with 5,023 votes (44.7%)^[5] and won the November 5, 2002 General election with 8,209 votes (61.9%) against Republican nominee Joel Schrader.^[6]
• 2004 Graham was unopposed for both the 2004 Democratic Primary^[7] and the November 2, 2004 General election, winning with 14,432 votes.^[8]
• 2006 Graham was unopposed for both the 2006 Democratic Primary^[9] and the November 7, 2006 General election, winning with 11,938 votes.^[10]
• 2008 Graham was unopposed for the 2008 Democratic Primary^[11] and won the November 4, 2008 General election with 14,015 votes (74.7%) against Republican nominee Frank Haynes.^[12]
• 2010 Graham was unopposed for the May 18, 2010 Democratic Primary^[13] and won the November 2, 2010 General election with 11,282 votes (67.0%) against Republican nominee Paul Estep.^[14]
• 2012 Graham was unopposed for the May 22, 2012 Democratic Primary^[15] and won the November 6, 2012 General election with 11,639 votes (63.9%) against Republican nominee Donald Stosberg,^[16] who had run for the seat in 2000 and 2002.
• 2014 Graham was unopposed for both the May 20, 2014 Democratic Primary^[17] and the 2014 Kentucky House of Representatives election, winning with 13,384 votes.^[18]
• 2016 Graham was unopposed for both the May 17, 2016 Democratic Primary and the 2016 Kentucky House of Representatives election, winning with 15,747 votes.^[19]
• 2018 Graham was unopposed for the May 22, 2018 Democratic Primary and won the 2018 Kentucky House of Representatives election with 11,726 votes (64.8%) against Republican candidate Calen Studler.^[20]
• 2020 Graham was unopposed in the 2020 Democratic Primary and won the 2020 Kentucky House of Representatives election with 13,202 votes (61.4%) against Republican candidate Gary Stratton.^[21]
• 2022 Graham was unopposed in the 2022 Democratic Primary and won the 2022 Kentucky House of Representatives election with 10,066 votes (62.4%) against Republican candidate Gary Stratton.^[22]

External links

• Official page at the Kentucky General Assembly
• Campaign site
• Derrick Graham at Ballotpedia
• Derrick W. Graham at the National Institute on Money in State Politics

Notes and References

1. Web site: Representative Derrick Graham (D) . . Frankfort, Kentucky . April 30, 2014 . January 24, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190124214536/http://lrc.ky.gov/legislator/h057.htm . dead .
2. Web site: Top-ranking Democrat in GOP-dominated Ky House optimistic for session . 2024-07-08 . spectrumnews1.com . en.
3. Web site: Today . TOM LATEK, Kentucky . 2023-12-08 . Top Ky. Democrat retiring from the House after two decades . 2024-07-08 . Kentucky Today . en.
4. Web site: Derrick Graham's Biography . April 30, 2014 . Project Vote Smart.
5. Web site: 2002 Primary Election . Kentucky State Board of Elections . Frankfort, Kentucky . April 30, 2014.
6. Web site: 2002 General Election . Kentucky State Board of Elections . Frankfort, Kentucky . April 30, 2014.
7. Web site: 2004 Primary Election . Kentucky State Board of Elections . Frankfort, Kentucky . April 30, 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141224165808/http://elect.ky.gov/SiteCollectionDocuments/Election%20Results/2000-2009/2004/Primary%20Election/STATEwidebyoffice.txt . December 24, 2014 .
8. Web site: 2004 General Election . Kentucky State Board of Elections . Frankfort, Kentucky . April 30, 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141224121418/http://elect.ky.gov/SiteCollectionDocuments/Election%20Results/2000-2009/2004/General%20Election/2004statebyoffice.txt . December 24, 2014 .
9. Web site: 2006 Primary Election . Kentucky State Board of Elections . Frankfort, Kentucky . April 30, 2014.
10. Web site: 2006 General Election . Kentucky State Board of Elections . Frankfort, Kentucky . April 30, 2014.
11. Web site: 2008 Primary Election . Kentucky State Board of Elections . Frankfort, Kentucky . April 30, 2014.
12. Web site: 2008 General Election . Kentucky State Board of Elections . Frankfort, Kentucky . April 30, 2014.
13. Web site: Commonwealth of Kentucky May 18, 2010 Official 2010 Primary Election Results . 22 . Secretary of State of Kentucky . Frankfort, Kentucky . April 30, 2014.
14. Web site: Commonwealth of Kentucky November 2, 2010 Official 2010 General Election Results . 32 . Secretary of State of Kentucky . Frankfort, Kentucky . April 30, 2014.
15. Web site: Commonwealth of Kentucky May 22, 2012 Official 2012 Primary Election Results . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141103152601/http://elect.ky.gov/SiteCollectionDocuments/Election%20Results/2010-2019/2012/2012offpriresults.pdf . November 3, 2014 . April 30, 2014 . . 28 . Frankfort, Kentucky.
16. Web site: Commonwealth of Kentucky November 6, 2012 Official 2012 General Election Results . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140611025244/http://elect.ky.gov/SiteCollectionDocuments/Election%20Results/2010-2019/2012/2012genresults.pdf . June 11, 2014 . April 30, 2014 . Secretary of State of Kentucky . 42 . Frankfort, Kentucky.
17. Web site: Derrick Graham . 2024-07-08 . Ballotpedia . en.
18. Web site: Commonwealth of Kentucky November 4, 2024 Official 2014 General Election Results . July 8, 2024 . Kentucky State Board of Elections . 41.
19. Web site: Commonwealth of Kentucky November 8, 2016 Official 2016 General Election Results . July 8, 2024 . Kentucky State Board of Elections . 42.
20. Web site: Commonwealth of Kentucky November 6, 2018 Official 2018 General Election Results . July 8, 2024 . Kentucky State Board of Elections . 41.
21. Web site: Commonwealth of Kentucky November 3, 2020 Official 2020 General Election Results . July 8, 2024 . Kentucky State Board of Elections . 51.
22. Web site: Commonwealth of Kentucky November 8, 2022 Official 2022 General Election Results . July 8, 2024 . Kentucky State Board of Elections . 54.