The 2022 primary election had a low turnout affecting the county and state races, with an unofficial estimate of 19 percent statewide from the Kentucky Secretary of State’s Office. In comparison, the past two state legislative primaries with no presidential nominee on the ballot had 23.9 percent turnout in 2018 and 26.8 percent turnout in 2014.
House Races
Three prominent Northern Kentucky House Republicans lost their primary election to candidates aligned with the “liberty” wing of the Republican party.
- District 60: Marianne Proctor defeated Budget Review Subcommittee on Transportation Chairman Sal Santoro (Boone) and is unopposed in the general election.
- District 66: Steve Rawlings defeated Judiciary Chairman Ed Massey (Boone) and will face Democrat Tim Montgomery in the general election.
- District 69: Steven Doan defeated Licensing, Occupations, & Administrative Regulations Chairman Adam Koenig (Kenton) and will face Democrat Chris Brown in the general election.
Decennial redistricting resulted in two districts having incumbent Republicans face off in the primary.
- District 12: Rep. Jim Gooch Jr. (Webster) defeated Rep. Lynn Bechler (Crittenden) and will face Democrat Alan Lossner in the general election.
- District 97: Rep. Bobby McCool (Johnson) defeated Rep. Norma Kirk-McCormick (Martin) and is unopposed in the general election.
Long-time legislator Rep. Tom Burch in District 30 (Jefferson) was defeated in the Democratic primary by Daniel Grossberg, who is unopposed in the general election. Burch has represented his district continuously since 1978.
20 of the 26 incumbent House members on the primary ballot won their race, 10 of which are unopposed in the general election: Rep. Steven Rudy (HD-1), Rep. Samara Heavrin (HD-18), Rep. Russell Webber (HD-26), Rep. Pamela Stevenson (HD-43), Rep. Ken Upchurch (HD-52), Rep. Kim King (HD-55), House Speaker David Osborne (HD-59), Rep. Tom Smith (HD-86), Rep. Bobby McCool (HD-97) and Rep. Danny Bentley (HD-98).
Eight newcomers who won their primary and are unopposed in the general election.
- Republicans: Amy Neighbors (HD-21), John Hodgson (HD-36), Candy Massaroni (HD-50), and Marianne Proctor (HD-60).
- Democrats: Daniel Grossberg (HD-30), Sarah Stalker (HD-34), Lindsey Burke (HD-75), and Chad Aull (HD-79).
Senate Races
Of the 18 Senate seats up for election this year, only 10 districts had at least one primary race. Five of the primary races featured incumbent Senators, all of whom won their race:
- District 4: Sen. Robby Mills (Henderson) defeated Roxan Ashby in the Republican primary and will face Democrat Bruce Pritchett in the general election.
- District 22: Sen. Donald Douglas (Jessamine) defeated Andrew Cooperrider in the Republican primary and will face Democrat Eddy Chuck in the general election.
- District 34: Sen. Jared Carpenter (Madison) defeated Rhonda Goode in the Republican primary and will face Democrat Susan Cintra in the general election.
- District 36: Louisville’s Sen. Julie Raque Adams’ primary opponent was disqualified prior to the primary election, and she is unopposed in the general election.
- District 38: Bullitt county’s Sen. Mike Nemes’ primary opponent was disqualified prior to the primary election, and he is unopposed in the general election.
A few retirements in the Senate left seats open for heavily contested primaries:
- District 6 (C.B. Embry): Lindsey Tichenor defeated Bill Ferko in the Republican primary and is unopposed in the general election.
- District 20 (Paul Hornback): Former legislator Gex Williams won a crowded Republican primary defeating Phyllis Sparks, Calen Studler and Mike Templeman. He will face Democrat Teresa Barton in the general election.
- District 24 (Wil Schroder): Shelley Funke Frommeyer defeated Jessica Neal and Chris Robinson in the Republican primary and will face Democrat Rene Heinrich in the general election.
