2010 Kentucky Senate election

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.

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

Retiring incumbents
A total of two senators (one Democrat and one Republican) retired, neither of which ran for other offices.

Democratic

 * 1) 34th: Ed Worley (Richmond): Retired.

Republican

 * 1) 20th: Gary Tapp (Shelbyville): Retired.

Defeated incumbents
Three incumbents (two Democrats and one Republican) were defeated for reelection.

Democrats

 * 1) 8th: David Boswell (first elected in 1990) lost to Joseph R. Bowen.
 * 2) 32nd: Mike Reynolds (elected in February 2009) lost to Mike Wilson.

Republicans

 * 1) 10th: Elizabeth Tori (first elected in 1994) lost to Dennis Parrett.

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

Closest races
Seats where the margin of victory was under 10%:
 * 1) District 12, 2.38%
 * 2) District 2, 2.49%
 * 3) District 10, 3.30% (gain)
 * 4) District 8, 3.34% (gain)
 * 5) District 6, 5.19%
 * 6) District 28, 5.41%
 * 7) District 18, 6.62%

District 32 special
Mike Reynolds was elected in February 2009 following the resignation of Brett Guthrie.

District 18 special
[[File:2009 Kentucky Senate 18th district special election results map by county.svg|thumb|200px|Results by county: {{legend|#7996E2|Webb}}

{{legend|#7996E2|50–60%}} {{legend|#E27F7F|Ditty}}

{{legend|#FFB2B2|40–50%}}

{{legend|#E27F7F|50–60%}} ]] Robin L. Webb was elected in August 2009 following the resignation of Charlie Borders.

District 14 special
[[File:2009 Kentucky Senate 14th district special election results map by county.svg|thumb|200px|Results by county: {{legend|#E27F7F|Higdon}}

{{legend|#E27F7F|50–60%}}

{{legend|#D75D5D|60–70%}} {{legend|#7996E2|Haydon}}

{{legend|#7996E2|50–60%}} ]] Jimmy Higdon was elected in December 2009 following the resignation of Dan Kelly.

District 2
Incumbent senator Bob Leeper won reelection, defeating Democratic and Republican challengers.

Nominee

 * Rex Smith, representative from the 4th district (1987–1995)

Nominee

 * William Michael East

Independent candidates

 * Bob Leeper, incumbent senator

District 4
Incumbent senator Dorsey Ridley won reelection unopposed.

Nominee

 * Dorsey Ridley, incumbent senator

District 6
Incumbent senator Jerry Rhoads won reelection, defeating Republican Jack Whitfield.

Nominee

 * Jerry Rhoads, incumbent senator

Nominee

 * Jack Whitfield

District 8
Incumbent senator David Boswell was defeated for reelection by Republican Joseph R. Bowen.

Nominee

 * David Boswell, incumbent senator

Nominee

 * Joseph R. Bowen

District 10
Incumbent senator Elizabeth Tori was defeated for reelection by Democrat Dennis Parrett.

Nominee

 * Dennis Parrett

Nominee

 * Elizabeth Tori, incumbent senator

District 12
Incumbent senator Alice Forgy Kerr won reelection, defeating primary and general election challengers.

Nominee

 * Don Blevins, County Clerk of Fayette County (1982–2008)

Nominee

 * Alice Forgy Kerr, incumbent senator

Eliminated in primary

 * Andrew Roberts

District 14
Incumbent senator Jimmy Higdon won reelection unopposed.

Nominee

 * Jimmy Higdon, incumbent senator

District 16
Incumbent senator David Williams won reelection, defeating primary election challenger Denver Capps.

Nominee

 * David Williams, incumbent senator

Eliminated in primary

 * Denver Capps

District 18
Incumbent senator Robin L. Webb won reelection, defeating Republican Jack Ditty.

Nominee

 * Robin L. Webb, incumbent senator

Nominee

 * Jack Ditty, Republican candidate for this district in August 2009

District 20
Incumbent senator Gary Tapp did not seek reelection. He was succeeded by Republican Paul Hornback.

Nominee

 * David Eaton, candidate for the 58th house district in 2002 and 2004

Eliminated in primary

 * John Spainhour

Nominee

 * Paul Hornback

Eliminated in primary

 * David Glauber

District 22
Incumbent senator Tom Buford won reelection, defeating primary election challenger Chad Crouch.

Nominee

 * Tom Buford, incumbent senator

Eliminated in primary

 * Chad Crouch

District 24
Incumbent senator Katie Kratz Stine won reelection, defeating Democrat Julie Smith-Morrow.

Nominee

 * Julie Smith-Morrow

Nominee

 * Katie Kratz Stine, incumbent senator

District 26
Incumbent senator Ernie Harris won reelection, defeating primary and general election challengers.

Nominee

 * John Black

Nominee

 * Ernie Harris, incumbent senator

Eliminated in primary

 * Don Godfrey

District 28
Incumbent senator R. J. Palmer won reelection, defeating primary and general election challengers.

Nominee

 * R. J. Palmer, incumbent senator

Eliminated in primary

 * Bryan Lutz

Nominee

 * Ralph Alvarado, candidate for the 73rd house district in 2004 and 2006

Eliminated in primary

 * Ryan Dotson

District 30
Incumbent senator Brandon Smith won reelection, defeating Democrat Johnnie L. Turner.

Nominee

 * Johnnie L. Turner, representative from the 88th district (1999–2003)

Nominee

 * Brandon Smith, incumbent senator

District 32
Incumbent senator Mike Reynolds was defeated for reelection by Republican Mike Wilson.

Nominee

 * Mike Reynolds, incumbent senator

Nominee

 * Mike Wilson

Eliminated in primary

 * Ed Mills
 * Regina Webb

District 34
Incumbent senator Ed Worley did not seek reelection. He was succeeded by Republican Jared Carpenter.

Nominee

 * Lee Murphy

Eliminated in primary

 * Michael Cope
 * Landra Lewis

Nominee

 * Jared Carpenter

Eliminated in primary

 * Kent Kessler
 * Barry Metcalf, senator from the 34th district (1994–1999) and candidate in 2002 and 2006

Evangelical Christian

 * Donald VanWinkle

District 36
Incumbent senator Julie Denton won reelection, defeating primary and general election challengers.

Nominee

 * Rick Hiles

Nominee

 * Julie Denton, incumbent senator

Eliminated in primary

 * Shawn Slone

District 38
Incumbent senator Dan Seum won reelection, defeating Democrat Marty Meyer.

Nominee

 * Marty Meyer

Nominee

 * Dan Seum, incumbent senator