FRANKFORT, Ky. — The 38th Kentucky Senate District race has some wondering if it will show Democrats gaining traction after Andy Beshear's tight win over Matt Bevin or if it will solidify Republicans, keeping their super-majorities in 2020.
The contest impacts about 115,000 people living in southern Jefferson County and Bullitt County. Special elections typically bring small turnout which means anything can happen.
The resignation of one of the most colorful Kentucky Republican senators means his seat is up for grabs January 14.
Sen. Dan Seum is the Kentucky Republican who backed Andy Beshear and switched parties to give the GOP control of the Kentucky Senate in the mid-1990’s. He's also remembered for saying he smoked a joint instead of taking pain pills during cancer treatments. Seum will tell you his biggest legislative accomplishment is ending vehicle emissions testing.
Now, Seum is backing Mike Nemes who is running against Andrew Bailey in a special election for Seum’s seat.
Bailey is a teacher. Nemes is a former state representative who was deputy secretary for both Kentucky's Labor Cabinet and Workforce and Development Cabinet under Governor Bevin.
Here's where they stand on key issues:
Both support funding pensions but slightly differ on the topic of reforms.
“If it needs to happen, yes, but first and foremost we need to honor what we have promised,” Nemes said of whether pension reforms are needed.
Bailey said, “I don't believe that we really have to reform our pensions. I think we just need to make sure that we fully fund them.”
Both candidates support legalizing medical marijuana and neither want to tax those who are ill. Nemes is a firm "no" on recreational pot, while Bailey wants to see research before forming a firm stance.
On expanded gaming, Bailey said, “We already have casinos in Kentucky. They're just on the wrong side of the river as a lot of people pointed out before. I know my father likes to go over to Indiana all the time. Every time that he does that, as well as other Kentuckians, we are losing out on that revenue. So, I think that we do need to make sure that we have more access to gaming here in Kentucky.”
"When I was in the legislature before, I presented a gaming and gambling bill so I don't think it's going to be an issue, that it’s not even going to be brought up in the Senate, but I am for it and I think that our tax base is going over to the other states,” Nemes said.
Both men also support sports gaming, an issue expected to gain traction during the upcoming session.
Whoever wins will head to Frankfort as soon as the election is certified the General Assembly gets back to work on January 7.
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