Kentucky Senate Democrat switches to GOP in main blow to Dem Gov Andy Beshear

[ad_1] Kentucky state Democratic Sen. Robin Webb, who represents Kentucky’s rural 18th Senate district , is switching her get together affiliation to Republican after she says the Democrat Celebration "left me."

"In the beginning, I’m a mom, a rancher and a lawyer with deep private {and professional} roots in Kentucky’s coal nation," Webb defined. "Because the Democratic Celebration continues its lurch to the left and its hyperfocus on insurance policies that damage workforce and financial growth in my area, I not really feel it represents my values."

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"It has turn out to be untenable and counterproductive to the perfect pursuits of my constituents for me to stay a Democrat."

Longtime Democrat Sen. Robin Webb switches affiliation to the Republican Celebration. (Andy Westburry)

Webb was initially elected to the Kentucky State Home after defeating Republican Ramona Gee in 1998.

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This comes as a serious blow to Kentucky Democrats, who've traditionally held a stronghold in rural areas of the state largely attributable to union staff and the coal business.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear advised an area Louisville information outlet that he "would take into account" a run as the Democratic nominee for president in 2028, and the newly elected Democratic governor and potential presidential candidate now faces a further problem to mobilize his state's get together forward of the 2026 midterms.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear attends the Clinton International Initiative 2024 Annual Assembly at New York Hilton Midtown on Sept. 24, 2024 in New York Metropolis. (John Nacion/Getty Pictures)

"Like numerous different Kentuckians, [Webb] has acknowledged that the insurance policies and goals of at the moment’s Democratic Party are merely not what they as soon as had been, and don't align with the overwhelming majority of Kentuckians," Republican Celebration of Kentucky Chairman Robert Benvenuti added.

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"I all the time revered that [Webb] approached points in a really considerate and commonsense method, and that she by no means did not keenly concentrate on what was greatest for her constituents," Benvenuti added. "It's my pleasure to welcome Sen. Robin Webb to the Republican Celebration."

The Kentucky Capitol is seen on Jan. 14, 2020 in Frankfort, Kentucky. (AP Picture/Timothy D. Easley, File)

Regardless of Beshear serving within the governor's workplace, the legal professional common's workplace, secretary of state and each chambers of the state legislature have a Republican majority.

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"Whereas it’s cliché, it’s true: I didn’t depart the get together — the get together left me," Webb mentioned.

Fox Information Digital reached out to Governor Andy Beshear's workplace however didn't obtain a response.

Preston Mizell is a author with Fox Information Digital masking breaking information. Story suggestions could be despatched to Preston.Mizell@fox.com and on X @MizellPreston