'An Absolute Blowout': Democrat Wins Kentucky Election In A Landslide

It's no wonder that Republicans, including Trump, are concerned about an upcoming Blue Wave. Democrats have been massively overperforming in formerly "safe" areas.
By Conover Kennard — December 17, 2025

Democrat Gary Clemons, president of United Steelworkers Local 1693 and an army veteran, handily won a special election to a fill a Kentucky state Senate seat, beating back challenges from Republican Calvin Leach, and Libertarian candidate Wendy Higdon, who founded the Louisville Tea Party in 2009, with a roughly 47.5‑point landslide victory. Clemons has won with a jaw dropping 72.5% of the vote, defeating Republican Calvin Leach, who received 25%.

It's no wonder that Republicans, including Trump, are concerned about an upcoming blue wave since Democrats have been overperforming.

Via Newsweek:

The south‑end Louisville district has long leaned Democratic, but Clemons’ margin far exceeds recent benchmarks. Democrat David Yates beat Leach by about 20 points in 2024, and former Vice President Kamala Harris only carried the area by roughly 6 points in the presidential election that year. Tuesday’s special drew a turnout of around 7 percent (just over 5,000 ballots), illustrating how low‑turnout December contests can produce outsized swings.

...

Clemons, president of United Steelworkers Local 1693, campaigned on bolstering support for working families, lowering costs for essentials, creating jobs, and representing blue-collar interests in the state legislature.

“I’ve spent my life working alongside the people who keep Louisville running—in factories, in shops, and in all jobs important in our neighborhoods–union or not," Clemons said in a statement to Newsweek.

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