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2004 Kentucky Senate election
19 out of 38 seats in the Kentucky Senate; 20 seats needed for a majority
	Results:; Republican hold Republican gain; Democratic hold Democratic gain; Election voided No election; Popular vote:; 50–60% 80–90% >90% ; 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% >90%
Senate President before election; David Williams; Republican	Elected Senate President ; David Williams; Republican

The 2004 Kentucky Senate election was held on November 2, 2004. The Republican and Democratic primary elections were held on May 18. Half of the senate (all odd-numbered seats) were up for election. Republicans maintained their majority in the chamber without gaining or losing any seats.

A numbered map of the senate districts at the time can be viewed here.

Overview

Party		Candidates		Votes	%	Seats

Party		Opposed	Unopposed	Votes	%	Before	Won	After	+/−
	Republican	12	4	369,602	50.31	22	9	22	-
	Democratic	11	3	361,963	49.27	16	9	15	-1
	Constitution	1	0	3,046	0.41	0	0	0	-
Total		24	7	734,611	100.00	38	18	37	-1
Source: Kentucky Secretary of State

Retiring incumbents

A total of four senators retired, none of which ran for other offices.^[1]

Democratic

1st: Bob Jackson (Murray): Retired.
35th: David K. Karem (Louisville): Retired.
37th: Larry Saunders (Louisville): Retired.

Republican

7th: Lindy Casebier (Louisville): Retired due to redistricting.

Incumbents defeated

Two incumbents lost renomination in the primary election.^[2]

In the primary election

Democrats

None.

Republicans

Two Republicans lost renomination.

5th: Virgil Moore (first elected in 1992) lost renomination to Carroll Gibson, who won the general election.
21st: Albert Robinson (first elected in 1994) lost renomination to Tom Jensen, who won the general election.

In the general election

None.

Summary by district

Certified results by the Kentucky Secretary of State are available online for the primary election and general election.

† – Incumbent not seeking re-election

District	Incumbent		Elected
1	Bob Jackson†	Dem	Kenneth W. Winters	Rep
3	Joey Pendleton	Dem	Joey Pendleton	Dem
5	Virgil Moore	Rep	Carroll Gibson	Rep
7	Lindy Casebier†	Rep	Julian M. Carroll	Dem
9	Richard "Richie" Sanders	Rep	Richard "Richie" Sanders	Rep
11	Richard L. "Dick" Roeding	Rep	Richard L. "Dick" Roeding	Rep
13	Ernesto Scorsone	Dem	Ernesto Scorsone	Dem
15	Vernie McGaha	Rep	Vernie McGaha	Rep
17	Damon Thayer	Rep	Damon Thayer	Rep
19	Tim Shaughnessy	Dem	Tim Shaughnessy	Dem
21	Albert Robinson	Rep	Tom Jensen	Rep
23	Jack Westwood	Rep	Jack Westwood	Rep
25	Robert Stivers	Rep	Robert Stivers	Rep
27	Walter "Doc" Blevins	Dem	Walter "Doc" Blevins	Dem
29	Johnny Ray Turner	Dem	Johnny Ray Turner	Dem
31	Ray S. Jones II	Dem	Ray S. Jones II	Dem
33	Gerald A. Neal	Dem	Gerald A. Neal	Dem
35	David K. Karem†	Dem	Denise Harper Angel	Dem
37	Larry Saunders†	Dem	Vacant

Closest races

Seats where the margin of victory was under 10%:

District 37, 2.30% (election voided)
District 1, 2.37% (gain)
District 23, 6.60%
District 3, 7.80%

Special elections

District 17 special

The 17th district was vacant beginning January 1, 2003, following incumbent senator Daniel Mongiardo's election to the 30th district in November 2002. Damon Thayer was elected on January 28, 2003, for the remainder of the term.

2003 Kentucky Senate 17th district special election^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Damon Thayer	4,913	55.6
	Democratic	Charles Britton Wells	3,920	44.4
Total votes			8,833	100.0
	Republican gain from Democratic

District 4 special

J. Dorsey Ridley was elected in July 2004 following the death of Paul Herron.

2004 Kentucky Senate 4th district special election^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	J. Dorsey Ridley	12,094	59.1
	Republican	David Thomason	8,362	40.9
Total votes			20,456	100.0
	Democratic hold

District 1

Incumbent senator Bob Jackson did not seek reelection. He was succeeded by Republican Kenneth W. Winters.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Dennis L. Null

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Kenneth W. Winters

General election

Results

2004 Kentucky Senate 1st district election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Kenneth W. Winters	23,701	51.2
	Democratic	Dennis L. Null	22,603	48.8
Total votes			46,304	100.0
	Republican gain from Democratic

District 3

Incumbent senator Joey Pendleton won reelection, defeating Republican Tracy Dean Hann.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Joey Pendleton, incumbent senator

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Tracy Dean Hann

General election

Results

2004 Kentucky Senate 3rd district election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Joey Pendleton (incumbent)	18,189	53.9
	Republican	Tracy Dean Hann	15,557	46.1
Total votes			33,746	100.0
	Democratic hold

District 5

Incumbent Republican senator Virgil Moore was defeated for renomination by Carroll Gibson.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Barry Cannon

Eliminated in primary

Richard Thornton

Results

Democratic primary results
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Barry Cannon	3,641	68.1
	Democratic	Richard Thornton	1,703	31.9
Total votes			5,344	100.0

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Carroll Gibson

Eliminated in primary

Virgil Moore, incumbent senator

Results

Republican primary results
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Carroll Gibson	2,842	63.4
	Republican	Virgil Moore (incumbent)	1,641	36.6
Total votes			4,483	100.0

General election

Results

2004 Kentucky Senate 5th district election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Carroll Gibson	23,717	55.2
	Democratic	Barry Cannon	19,233	44.8
Total votes			42,950	100.0
	Republican hold

District 7

The 2002 redistricting of the senate moved the 7th district from Louisville to part of Lexington, Frankfort, and surrounding counties. Incumbent senator Lindy Casebier did not seek reelection and was succeeded by Democrat Julian M. Carroll.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Julian M. Carroll, governor of Kentucky (1974–1979)

Eliminated in primary

Joe Graviss

Results

Democratic primary results
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Julian M. Carroll	10,149	56.0
	Democratic	Joe Graviss	7,973	44.0
Total votes			18,122	100.0

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Harold Fletcher Jr.

General election

Results

2004 Kentucky Senate 7th district election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Julian M. Carroll	33,509	63.0
	Republican	Harold Fletcher Jr.	19,708	37.0
Total votes			53,217	100.0
	Democratic gain from Republican

District 9

Incumbent senator Richard "Richie" Sanders won reelection unopposed.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Richard "Richie" Sanders, incumbent senator

General election

Results

2004 Kentucky Senate 9th district election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Richard "Richie" Sanders (incumbent)	Unopposed
Total votes			29,661	100.0
	Republican hold

District 11

Incumbent senator Richard L. "Dick" Roeding won reelection, defeating primary election challenger Charlie Walton.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Richard L. "Dick" Roeding, incumbent senator

Eliminated in primary

Charlie Walton

Results

Republican primary results
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Richard L. "Dick" Roeding (incumbent)	4,020	57.2
	Republican	Charlie Walton	3,013	42.8
Total votes			7,033	100.0

General election

Results

2004 Kentucky Senate 11th district election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Richard L. "Dick" Roeding (incumbent)	Unopposed
Total votes			39,618	100.0
	Republican hold

District 13

Incumbent senator Ernesto Scorsone won reelection unopposed.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Ernesto Scorsone, incumbent senator

General election

Results

2004 Kentucky Senate 13th district election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Ernesto Scorsone (incumbent)	Unopposed
Total votes			29,055	100.0
	Democratic hold

District 15

Incumbent senator Vernie McGaha won reelection, defeating primary election challenger David Carr.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Vernie McGaha, incumbent senator

Eliminated in primary

David Carr

Results

Republican primary results
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Vernie McGaha (incumbent)	6,692	71.5
	Republican	David Carr	2,673	28.5
Total votes			9,365	100.0

General election

Results

2004 Kentucky Senate 15th district election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Vernie McGaha (incumbent)	Unopposed
Total votes			34,131	100.0
	Republican hold

District 17

Incumbent senator Damon Thayer won reelection, defeating Democrat Cliff Wallace.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Cliff Wallace

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Damon Thayer, incumbent senator

General election

Results

2004 Kentucky Senate 17th district election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Damon Thayer (incumbent)	25,951	55.5
	Democratic	Cliff Wallace	20,826	44.5
Total votes			46,777	100.0
	Republican hold

District 19

Incumbent senator Tim Shaughnessy won reelection, defeating primary and general election challengers.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Tim Shaughnessy, incumbent senator

Eliminated in primary

Ched Jennings

Results

Democratic primary results
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Tim Shaughnessy (incumbent)	9,597	79.7
	Democratic	Ched Jennings	2,441	20.3
Total votes			12,038	100.0

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Christopher M. Smrt

General election

Results

2004 Kentucky Senate 19th district election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Tim Shaughnessy (incumbent)	36,749	61.5
	Republican	Christopher M. Smrt	22,964	38.5
Total votes			59,713	100.0
	Democratic hold

District 21

Incumbent Republican senator Albert Robinson was defeated for renomination by Tom Jensen.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Tom Jensen, representative from the 85th district (1985–1987, 1989–1997)

Eliminated in primary

Albert Robinson, incumbent senator

Results

Republican primary results
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Tom Jensen	5,066	56.7
	Republican	Albert Robinson (incumbent)	3,870	43.3
Total votes			8,936	100.0

General election

Results

2004 Kentucky Senate 21st district election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Tom Jensen	Unopposed
Total votes			27,386	100.0
	Republican hold

District 23

Incumbent senator Jack Westwood won reelection, defeating Democrat Kathryn Groob.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Kathryn Groob

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Jack Westwood, incumbent senator

General election

Results

2004 Kentucky Senate 23rd district election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Jack Westwood (incumbent)	21,864	53.3
	Democratic	Kathryn Groob	19,158	46.7
Total votes			41,022	100.0
	Republican hold

District 25

Incumbent senator Robert Stivers won reelection, defeating Constitution Party candidate Jeffrey L. Hillebrandt.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Robert Stivers, incumbent senator

Third-party candidates

Constitution

Jeffrey L. Hillebrandt

General election

Results

2004 Kentucky Senate 25th district election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Robert Stivers (incumbent)	20,928	87.3
	Constitution	Jeffrey L. Hillebrandt	3,046	12.7
Total votes			23,974	100.0
	Republican hold

District 27

Incumbent senator Walter "Doc" Blevins won reelection, defeating Republican Tim York.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Walter "Doc" Blevins, incumbent senator

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Tim York

General election

Results

2004 Kentucky Senate 27th district election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Walter "Doc" Blevins (incumbent)	25,339	58.4
	Republican	Tim York	18,043	41.6
Total votes			43,382	100.0
	Democratic hold

District 29

Incumbent senator Johnny Ray Turner won reelection, defeating primary election challenger Eric Shane Hamilton.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Johnny Ray Turner, incumbent senator

Eliminated in primary

Eric Shane Hamilton

Results

Democratic primary results
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Johnny Ray Turner (incumbent)	7,951	50.1
	Democratic	Eric Shane Hamilton	7,927	49.9
Total votes			15,878	100.0

General election

Results

2004 Kentucky Senate 29th district election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Johnny Ray Turner (incumbent)	Unopposed
Total votes			28,625	100.0
	Democratic hold

District 31

Incumbent senator Ray S. Jones II won reelection, defeating Republican candidate Chris Ratliff.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Ray S. Jones II, incumbent senator

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Chris Ratliff, representative from the 93rd district (1997–2001)

General election

Results

2004 Kentucky Senate 31st district election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Ray S. Jones II (incumbent)	23,952	61.2
	Republican	Chris Ratliff	15,187	38.8
Total votes			39,139	100.0
	Democratic hold

District 33

Incumbent senator Gerald A. Neal won reelection unopposed.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Gerald A. Neal, incumbent senator

General election

Results

2004 Kentucky Senate 33rd district election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Gerald A. Neal (incumbent)	Unopposed
Total votes			33,552	100.0
	Democratic hold

District 35

Incumbent senator David K. Karem did not seek reelection. He was succeeded by Democrat Denise Harper Angel.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Denise Harper Angel

Eliminated in primary

Ken Herndon
David Kaplan
Shelby Lanier Jr.

Results

Democratic primary results
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Denise Harper Angel	2,830	34.8
	Democratic	Ken Herndon	1,948	23.9
	Democratic	Shelby Lanier Jr.	1,682	20.7
	Democratic	David Kaplan	1,675	20.6
Total votes			8,135	100.0

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Ron Burrell

General election

Results

2004 Kentucky Senate 35th district election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Denise Harper Angel	29,423	77.8
	Republican	Ron Burrell	8,414	22.2
Total votes			37,837	100.0
	Democratic hold

District 37

Incumbent senator Larry Saunders did not seek reelection. The winner of the general election, Republican candidate Dana Seum Stephenson, was later declared to be ineligible due to her failure to meet residency requirements outlined in the state constitution. The seat remained vacant for over a year before a special election was held in February 2006, won by Democrat Perry B. Clark.^[4]

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Virginia L. Woodward

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Dana Seum Stephenson

General election

Results

2004 Kentucky Senate 37th district election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Dana Seum Stephenson	22,772	51.1
	Democratic	Virginia L. Woodward	21,750	48.9
Total votes			44,522	100.0

References

^ "GOP hold on state senate at stake". The Lexington Herald-Leader. October 24, 2004. p. A1.
^ "Most incumbents prevail, but some upsets occur". The Lexington Herald-Leader. May 19, 2004. p. A12. In the state Senate races, two Republican incumbents lost their seats last night ...
^ ^a ^b "2004 Special Senate" (PDF). Kentucky State Board of Elections.
^ "Democrats win two special elections in Louisville: vote fills senate seat vacant since disputed 2004 election". The Lexington Herald-Leader. February 15, 2006. p. B6.