- Share on WeChat
-
Three-term incumbent Rep. Andy Barr (R) defeated former Marine Corps pilot Amy McGrath (D) and three other candidates in the general election for Kentucky's 6th Congressional District on November 6, 2018.
All 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives were up for election in 2018. The Democratic Party gained a net total of 40 seats, winning control of the chamber. This race was identified as a 2018 battleground that might have affected partisan control of the U.S. House in the 116th Congress. Heading into the election, the Republican Party was in the majority holding 235 seats to Democrats' 193 seats, with seven vacant seats. Democrats needed to win 23 GOP-held seats in 2018 to win control of the House. From 1918 to 2016, the president’s party lost an average of 29 seats in midterm elections.
Although Barr won his re-election campaign in 2016 by more than 20 percentage points, this race was rated a toss-up by three race raters after McGrath won the Democratic primary. Grace Segers of CBS News wrote, "Ultimately, the race will be the test of whether a strong, nationally-admired Democrat is able to win in a deep-red district."
Third-party, independent, and write-in candidates included Frank Harris, James Germalic, and Rikka Wallin.
Kentucky's 6th Congressional District is based in central Kentucky and contains the cities of Lexington (including its suburbs), Richmond, and Frankfort, the state capital. Anderson, Bath, Bourbon, Clark, Estill, Fayette, Fleming, Franklin, Madison, Menifee, Montgomery, Nicholas, Powell, Robertson, Scott, Wolfe, and Woodford counties, as well as portions of Harrison and Jessamine counties, are included in the district.
Kentucky's 6th Congressional District election, 2018
| Poll | Poll sponsor |  Barr |
 McGrath | Undecided/Other | Margin of error | Sample size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York Times/Siena College November 1-4, 2018 | N/A | 44% | 44% | 10% | +/-4.9 | 438 |
| Public Opinion Strategies October 6-8, 2018 | Barr/NRCC | 48% | 46% | 6% | +/-4.9 | 400 |
| Garin-Hart-Yang Research Group September 30-October 2, 2018 | McGrath | 44% | 51% | 5% | +/-4.5 | 501 |
| Pulse Opinion Research September 12-17, 2018 | United States Term Limits | 47% | 47% | 5% | +/-4.0 | 600 |
| New York Times/Siena September 6-8, 2018 | N/A | 47% | 46% | 7% | +/-4.9 | 506 |
| Fabrizio, Lee and Associates September 4-6, 2018 | CLF | 49% | 45% | 6% | +/-4.9 | 400 |
| Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee April 30-May 2, 2018 | DCCC | 37% | 52% | 11% | +/-4.4 | 508 |
| AVERAGES | 45.14% | 47.29% | 7.14% | +/-4.64 | 479 |
The chart below contains data from financial reports submitted to the Federal Election Commission.
| Name | Party | Receipts* | Disbursements** | Cash on hand | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amy McGrath | Democratic Party | $8,619,206 | $8,351,250 | $267,956 | As of December 31, 2018 |
| Andy Barr | Republican Party | $5,310,225 | $5,652,125 | $134,679 | As of December 31, 2018 |
| Frank Harris | Libertarian Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available |
| James Germalic | Independent | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available |
| Rikka Wallin | Independent | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available |
|
Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2018.
* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee." |
|||||
rated this race as safely Republican. Incumbent Andy Barr (R) won re-election to his third term, defeating challenger Nancy Jo Kemper (D) in the general election on November 8, 2016. Barr defeated Roger Brill in the Republican primary, while Kemper defeated Geoff Young to win the Democratic nomination. The primary elections took place on May 17, 2016.
U.S. House, Kentucky District 6 General Election, 2016
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican |  Andy Barr Incumbent |
61.1% | 202,099 | |
| Democratic | Nancy Jo Kemper | 38.9% | 128,728 | |
| Total Votes | 330,827 | |||
| Source: Kentucky Secretary of State | ||||
U.S. House, Kentucky District 6 Republican Primary, 2016
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Andy Barr Incumbent |
84.5% | 25,212 | ||
| Roger Brill | 15.5% | 4,608 | ||
| Total Votes | 29,820 | |||
| Source: Kentucky State Board of Elections |
||||
U.S. House, Kentucky District 6 Democratic Primary, 2016
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Nancy Jo Kemper |
80.1% | 63,440 | ||
| Geoff Young | 19.9% | 15,772 | ||
| Total Votes | 79,212 | |||
| Source: Kentucky State Board of Elections |
||||
The 6th Congressional District of Kentucky held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 4, 2014. Incumbent Andy Barr (R) defeated challenger Elisabeth Jensen (D) in the general election.
U.S. House, Kentucky District 6 General Election, 2014
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Andy Barr Incumbent |
60% | 147,404 | |
| Democratic | Elisabeth Jensen | 40% | 98,290 | |
| Total Votes | 245,694 | |||
| Source: Kentucky Secretary of State | ||||
General election candidates
Andy Barr - Incumbent Elisabeth Jensen
May 20, 2014, primary results
|
|
|
Michael Coblenz Joe PalumboThe 6th Congressional District of Kentucky held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 6, 2012. Republican Andy Barr defeated incumbent Ben Chandler in the election.
U.S. House, Kentucky District 6 General Election, 2012
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Andy Barr |
50.6% | 153,222 | |
| Democratic | Ben Chandler Incumbent | 46.7% | 141,438 | |
| Independent | Randolph Vance | 2.8% | 8,340 | |
| Total Votes | 303,000 | |||
| Source: Kentucky Board of Elections "2012 General Election Official Vote Totals" | ||||
On November 2, 2010, Ben Chandler won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Garland "Andy" Barr, (R), C. Wes Collins (Write-In) and Randolph S. Vance (Write-In) in the general election.
U.S. House, Kentucky District 6 General Election, 2010
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Ben Chandler incumbent |
50.1% | 119,812 | |
| Republican | Garland "Andy" Barr | 49.8% | 119,164 | |
| Write-in | C. Wes Collins | 0.1% | 225 | |
| Write-in | Randolph S. Vance | 0% | 22 | |
| Total Votes | 239,223 | |||
On November 4, 2008, Ben Chandler won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Jon Larson (R) in the general election.
U.S. House, Kentucky District 6 General Election, 2008
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Ben Chandler incumbent |
64.7% | 203,764 | |
| Republican | Jon Larson | 35.3% | 111,378 | |
| Total Votes | 315,142 | |||
On November 7, 2006, Ben Chandler won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Paul Ard (L) in the general election.
U.S. House, Kentucky District 6 General Election, 2006
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Ben Chandler incumbent |
85.5% | 158,765 | |
| Libertarian | Paul Ard | 14.5% | 27,015 | |
| Total Votes | 185,780 | |||
On November 2, 2004, Ben Chandler won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Tom Buford (R), Mark Gailey (L) and Stacy Abner (Constitution Party) in the general election.
U.S. House, Kentucky District 6 General Election, 2004
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Ben Chandler incumbent |
58.6% | 175,355 | |
| Republican | Tom Buford | 40% | 119,716 | |
| Libertarian | Mark Gailey | 0.6% | 1,758 | |
| Constitution Party | Stacy Abner | 0.8% | 2,388 | |
| Total Votes | 299,217 | |||
On November 5, 2002, Ernie Fletcher won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Gatewood Galbraith (I) and Mark Gailey (L) in the general election.
U.S. House, Kentucky District 6 General Election, 2002
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Ernie Fletcher incumbent |
72% | 115,622 | |
| Independent | Gatewood Galbraith | 26% | 41,753 | |
| Libertarian | Mark Gailey | 2.1% | 3,313 | |
| Total Votes | 160,688 | |||
On November 7, 2000, Ernie Fletcher won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Scotty Baesler (D), Gatewood Galbraith (I) and Joseph Novak (L) in the general election.
U.S. House, Kentucky District 6 General Election, 2000
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Ernie Fletcher incumbent |
52.8% | 142,971 | |
| Democratic | Scotty Baesler | 34.8% | 94,167 | |
| Independent | Gatewood Galbraith | 12% | 32,436 | |
| Libertarian | Joseph Novak | 0.5% | 1,229 | |
| Total Votes | 270,803 | |||
Demographic data for Kentucky
| Kentucky | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|
| Total population: | 4,424,611 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 39,486 | 3,531,905 |
| Gender | ||
| Female: | 50.8% | 50.8% |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White: | 87.6% | 73.6% |
| Black/African American: | 7.9% | 12.6% |
| Asian: | 1.3% | 5.1% |
| Native American: | 0.2% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0% | 0.2% |
| Two or more: | 2.1% | 3% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 3.3% | 17.1% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 84.2% | 86.7% |
| College graduation rate: | 22.3% | 29.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $43,740 | $53,889 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 22.7% | 11.3% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Kentucky. | ||
As of July 2016, Kentucky had a population of approximately 4,436,974 people, with its three largest cities being Louisville (pop. est. 616,261), Lexington (pop. est. 318,449), and Bowling Green (pop. est. 65,234). The chart on the right shows demographic information for Kentucky from 2010 to 2015. The graphs below show racial demographics and levels of educational attainment in Kentucky compared to the rest of the country.
rated this race as safely Republican. Incumbent Andy Barr (R) won re-election to his third term, defeating challenger Nancy Jo Kemper (D) in the general election on November 8, 2016. Barr defeated Roger Brill in the Republican primary, while Kemper defeated Geoff Young to win the Democratic nomination. The primary elections took place on May 17, 2016.
U.S. House, Kentucky District 6 General Election, 2016
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Andy Barr Incumbent |
61.1% | 202,099 | |
| Democratic | Nancy Jo Kemper | 38.9% | 128,728 | |
| Total Votes | 330,827 | |||
| Source: Kentucky Secretary of State | ||||
U.S. House, Kentucky District 6 Republican Primary, 2016
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Andy Barr Incumbent |
84.5% | 25,212 | ||
| Roger Brill | 15.5% | 4,608 | ||
| Total Votes | 29,820 | |||
| Source: Kentucky State Board of Elections |
||||
U.S. House, Kentucky District 6 Democratic Primary, 2016
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Nancy Jo Kemper |
80.1% | 63,440 | ||
| Geoff Young | 19.9% | 15,772 | ||
| Total Votes | 79,212 | |||
| Source: Kentucky State Board of Elections |
||||
The 6th Congressional District of Kentucky held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 4, 2014. Incumbent Andy Barr (R) defeated challenger Elisabeth Jensen (D) in the general election.
U.S. House, Kentucky District 6 General Election, 2014
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Andy Barr Incumbent |
60% | 147,404 | |
| Democratic | Elisabeth Jensen | 40% | 98,290 | |
| Total Votes | 245,694 | |||
| Source: Kentucky Secretary of State | ||||
General election candidates
Andy Barr - Incumbent Elisabeth Jensen
May 20, 2014, primary results
|
|
|
Michael Coblenz Joe PalumboThe 6th Congressional District of Kentucky held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 6, 2012. Republican Andy Barr defeated incumbent Ben Chandler in the election.
U.S. House, Kentucky District 6 General Election, 2012
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Andy Barr |
50.6% | 153,222 | |
| Democratic | Ben Chandler Incumbent | 46.7% | 141,438 | |
| Independent | Randolph Vance | 2.8% | 8,340 | |
| Total Votes | 303,000 | |||
| Source: Kentucky Board of Elections "2012 General Election Official Vote Totals" | ||||
On November 2, 2010, Ben Chandler won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Garland "Andy" Barr, (R), C. Wes Collins (Write-In) and Randolph S. Vance (Write-In) in the general election.
U.S. House, Kentucky District 6 General Election, 2010
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Ben Chandler incumbent |
50.1% | 119,812 | |
| Republican | Garland "Andy" Barr | 49.8% | 119,164 | |
| Write-in | C. Wes Collins | 0.1% | 225 | |
| Write-in | Randolph S. Vance | 0% | 22 | |
| Total Votes | 239,223 | |||
On November 4, 2008, Ben Chandler won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Jon Larson (R) in the general election.
U.S. House, Kentucky District 6 General Election, 2008
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Ben Chandler incumbent |
64.7% | 203,764 | |
| Republican | Jon Larson | 35.3% | 111,378 | |
| Total Votes | 315,142 | |||
On November 7, 2006, Ben Chandler won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Paul Ard (L) in the general election.
U.S. House, Kentucky District 6 General Election, 2006
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Ben Chandler incumbent |
85.5% | 158,765 | |
| Libertarian | Paul Ard | 14.5% | 27,015 | |
| Total Votes | 185,780 | |||
On November 2, 2004, Ben Chandler won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Tom Buford (R), Mark Gailey (L) and Stacy Abner (Constitution Party) in the general election.
U.S. House, Kentucky District 6 General Election, 2004
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Ben Chandler incumbent |
58.6% | 175,355 | |
| Republican | Tom Buford | 40% | 119,716 | |
| Libertarian | Mark Gailey | 0.6% | 1,758 | |
| Constitution Party | Stacy Abner | 0.8% | 2,388 | |
| Total Votes | 299,217 | |||
On November 5, 2002, Ernie Fletcher won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Gatewood Galbraith (I) and Mark Gailey (L) in the general election.
U.S. House, Kentucky District 6 General Election, 2002
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Ernie Fletcher incumbent |
72% | 115,622 | |
| Independent | Gatewood Galbraith | 26% | 41,753 | |
| Libertarian | Mark Gailey | 2.1% | 3,313 | |
| Total Votes | 160,688 | |||
On November 7, 2000, Ernie Fletcher won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Scotty Baesler (D), Gatewood Galbraith (I) and Joseph Novak (L) in the general election.
U.S. House, Kentucky District 6 General Election, 2000
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Ernie Fletcher incumbent |
52.8% | 142,971 | |
| Democratic | Scotty Baesler | 34.8% | 94,167 | |
| Independent | Gatewood Galbraith | 12% | 32,436 | |
| Libertarian | Joseph Novak | 0.5% | 1,229 | |
| Total Votes | 270,803 | |||
