[MUSIC] >> Thank you, Mr.

President, for your powerful support.

[MUSIC] >> This campaign is for the people of Kentucky.

>> Which of those two men will spend the next six years working here?

[MUSIC] >> Now my focus is on advancing the president's and the party's agenda to put America first and Kentucky always.

>> Voters in Kentucky's fourth Congressional District side, with President Trump's hand-picked candidate plus Central, Kentucky will have a new face in the U.S.

House.

Will it be Republican Ralph Alvarado or Democrat Zach Dembo.

>> Production of Kentucky edition is made possible in part by the KET Millennium Fund.

>> Good evening and welcome to Kentucky Edition for this post-election Wednesday, May the 20th.

I'm Renee Shaw, and we thank you for winding down your Wednesday with us.

The 2026 primary election is now behind us here in Kentucky, and the fall matchups are now set.

Kentucky's Republican voters have chosen their nominee for the U.S.

Senate race to replace Mitch McConnell.

Congressman Andy Barr, who serves Central Kentucky sixth Congressional District, sailed to victory over former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, securing over 60% of the vote.

We begin our primary election coverage recap tonight with Kentucky's U.S.

Senate race, where the Trump endorsement in hand and a well-funded campaign war chest.

Barr will face former state legislator and Democratic nominee Charles Booker in the November general election.

Our Clayton Dalton begins tonight's coverage with a closer look at the GOP race for U.S.

Senate right here in Kentucky.

>> Last night, Kentucky's sixth district congressman, Andy Barr, won the Republican nomination for the U.S.

Senate just a few weeks ago.

The contest was a tight three way race between Barr, former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron and businessman Nate Morris.

That all changed when President Trump convinced Morris to drop out of the race.

And when Trump formally endorsed Andy Barr.

Those actions changed the course of the election, and as the votes rolled in, Barr quickly defeated Cameron, winning 116 of Kentucky's 120 counties.

>> You know, it didn't turn out the way we wanted it to, but I felt very strongly that, you know, I would have been a strong voice for the people here in this commonwealth in Washington, and that just wasn't the case tonight.

You ultimately work your tail off and get to as many places as you can and try to articulate your message.

And we we try to do that, but we didn't get to enough people.

>> We asked Cameron how his campaign shifted following Trump's endorsement of Barr.

>> I'm thankful for the work that President Trump has done and obviously want to continue to see him succeed.

What I've said is that America First and Kentucky first are one and the same.

And so I continue to articulate the exact same principles.

You know, the day before that Friday and the day after that Friday in my message, has been that what is good for Kentucky and via the America First agenda, is what my hope was in serving in the Senate was to advance that agenda.

>> At Andy Barr's watch party, the crowd cheered as he took the stage for his victory speech and quickly acknowledged the influence of Trump's support.

[APPLAUSE] >> Thank you, Mr.

President, for your powerful support.

I look forward to fighting alongside you to advance our America First agenda and deliver for Kentucky in the United States Senate.

>> He went on to slam the Democratic Party on national issues like immigration, military funding, taxes, health care and more, but argued conservative common sense principles will prevail.

>> The future will be built by Kentucky.

Common sense, or the craziness of politicians on the extreme far left who promote these radical ideas.

They want to turn Kentucky into the commonwealth of Kamala.

I will not let it happen.

>> Already looking to the November general election, Barr painted himself as the candidate who will fight for, quote, our way of life.

>> In six months, there will be another election night.

And between now and then the left will make its stand.

It will bring its craziness to our borders.

Just as I said when I declared my candidacy in the primary, I will fight for our way of life, for our farms, our factories, our horse industry, our bourbon for coal, for low taxes, for high growth, for safe towns, safe cities, civility, respect, and fairness to all.

>> For Kentucky Edition, I'm Clayton Dalton.

>> Thank you.

Clayton.

Meanwhile, the third time was the charm for Charles Booker.

He clinched the Democratic nomination for U.S.

Senate last night by winning 25 of Kentucky's 120 counties, including three of the four largest counties in the state Jefferson, Fayette and Warren counties.

Booker previously ran for the Senate seat back in 2020 and again in 2022.

After giving his acceptance speech last night, he said he's running to flip the seat blue for the first time since 1999.

>> Well, because I understand this moment is bigger than politics.

This is about all of us.

I'm running not simply as a Democratic nominee, but as a leader who will fight for all Kentuckians.

This campaign is for the people of Kentucky, no matter your background, because we're all getting screwed.

And because my own story coming from the struggle, and as I always say, my insulin doesn't care about my party registration, we finally have the chance to elect leadership that will fight for us at a time when so many people are hurting.

That's what makes this moment so different.

We all realize we can't keep doing things the same, and I'm just proud to represent the possibility not only for Kentucky, but for this country.

Democracy, the pursuit of it, is still lives and the chance to end generational poverty is still real.

And we're going to get this win for Kentucky.

>> Booker won with 47% of the votes in yesterday's Democratic primary.

His closest competitor was Amy McGrath, who received 36% of the vote.

Amy McGrath put out this statement after her defeat last night.

It says, quote, I can tell you with certainty that things are changing here.

People are tired of getting left behind and instead of pretending everything will be okay, they're ready to fight back for their families and their communities.

I know that because of our campaign, Kentucky is stronger, end quote.

McGrath offered Charles Booker her full support in the fall campaign.

This was McGrath's third run for federal office.

She also ran for the U.S.

House back in 2018 and the U.S.

Senate back in 2020.

Congressman Barr wasn't the only Kentucky candidate to receive an endorsement from President Donald Trump, the president's pick to run against Representative Thomas Massie in Kentucky's fourth congressional district also won his Republican primary.

Our Laura Rogers has more from Covington.

>> The winner of the race tonight is not so much Ed Gallrein.

I'll come back to that, but it's the Republicans of Kentucky Congressional District four and their families who I will be a champion for in Washington.

They're the winners.

[APPLAUSE] >> Ed Gallrein took the stage at Wenzel Distillery last night to celebrate his victory in the Republican primary.

The former Navy Seal was recruited by President Trump to run against Congressman Massie, who.

Earlier this week, the president called, quote, the worst congressman in the history of our country.

>> I want to thank President Trump for his support.

[APPLAUSE] His endorsement and his counsel as I navigated this campaign, which is a journey of unto itself and for his courageous leadership of our nation at this critical time.

>> Gallrein kept his acceptance speech short, saying that should voters in the fourth district elect to send him to Washington in November, he would work to advance the president's agenda.

>> But for the same reason I entered as a Navy Seal officer in 1983 because I had the audacity to think I could make a difference, and I did.

I will serve this district, my party and my nation with that same audacity to make a difference for them, their families, our district, our party, and our nation.

God bless America.

Thank y'all.

>> Gallrein win was seen as a major victory for President Trump, and it turned into the most expensive U.S.

House primary race in the nation's history.

According to the Hill, super PACs spent more than $16 million to help defeat the seven term congressman.

>> Why did this?

Why did the race get so expensive?

Because they decided to buy the seat.

[APPLAUSE] And it.

And it got real expensive for him.

>> Throughout the campaign, Congressman Massie reminded voters that he sided with President Trump 90% of the time, but his opposition to a ballooning national debt, entanglement in foreign wars, and his push to release the Epstein vials made him a target for the nation's most powerful Republican.

>> If the legislative branch always votes with the president, we do have a King.

If the legislative branch always vote which votes whichever way the wind is blowing, then we have mob rule.

Yeah, but if the legislative branch and the representatives and the senators that serve with it always follow the Constitution, we have a republic.

>> As for what's next for Massie, he's previously mentioned considering a run for Kentucky governor, but last night his supporters had other ideas.

>> 28, 20, 28, 2028 what.

>> What happens in 2028?

[APPLAUSE] You want?

Oh, you.

Oh, you want me to run for Congress again?

>> Or Kentucky Edition?

I'm Laura Rogers.

>> Well, the sign there says it all.

Gallrein now looks to keep Kentucky's fourth congressional District in Republicans hands.

He will face Democrat Melissa Strange in November's general election.

Strange grew up in northern Kentucky and has a background in business, political science, and economics.

The Cook Political Report, which provides a nonpartisan analysis of elections and campaigns, lists Kentucky's fourth congressional district as solidly Republican, completing the trifecta of Trump endorsed candidates in Kentucky last night was former state Senator Ralph Alvarado.

He defeated current state Representative Ryan Dodson and the Republican primary in Kentucky sixth Congressional District.

>> But I remind everybody, tonight's great.

It's fun to see the numbers.

It's fun to see, you know, check Mark.

But we haven't won anything yet.

All we've won is the opportunity to run again in the fall.

And I think it's very important to know that we put our ideas out there, and I'm very grateful to the people that voted for those ideas tonight and for the things we want to get accomplished for our district and for our country.

But it's just the beginning, and we've got a long way to go yet, and I'm still going to need the help of everybody in this room.

But Democrats are targeting this seat.

And so if we think that this is over, it's not I mean, the odds are still in our favor.

But there's a lot of folks out there that are hurting right now in our district and in our country, people that are seeing the cost of goods that are very high, people that are seeing, you know, the cost of housing, very high health care, which is very high.

And that's something that I can come in and help with.

And I think the president has an idea of what he wants to get done and how he wants to address those things, but he needs allies to help him with that vision and advancing the country and advancing our state.

And I'm really grateful to be able to have that opportunity, hopefully, to help them getting that accomplished.

>> Facing off against Alvarado in the November election, Democrat Zach Dembo, a former federal prosecutor who also served as a policy advisor for Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear Dembo, told a crowd of supporters last night focusing on the issues affecting Kentuckians will be the key to flipping the district from red to blue in November.

>> We should remember, especially in this day and age, that Doctor Alvarado and his supporters are our opponents in this election, but they are not our enemies, and that is how I will conduct this campaign.

[APPLAUSE] Now, that being said, voters are going to be presented with a very clear choice in November.

Everything I'm hearing from his side is about how much he's going to be a rubber stamp for this out-of-control administration.

This administration, by the way, that admitted the other day, they don't think about the economic realities of everyday Americans.

I believe that I believe Doctor Alvarado doesn't think about the economic realities of everyday Americans.

We do.

And that's why we're going to prevail in November.

>> Zach Dembo beat out six other candidates to clinch the Democratic nomination last night, his biggest challenger, former state representative and House leader Cheryl Lynn Stevenson.

In her concession speech, Stevenson praised the way all the Democratic candidates ran their campaigns.

>> Well, I'm disappointed.

I'm also incredibly proud.

[APPLAUSE] I am proud that we built a campaign centered on people not anger, not cruelty, and not division.

I'm proud that we never lost sight of why we got into this race in the first place.

Campaigns are hard.

Anyone willing to step forward and fight for their community deserves respect for doing so.

And I also want to thank the other Democrats who ran in this primary.

At a time when politics can feel toxic and exhausting, our campaigns focused on the real issues facing Kentucky's families because those issues are still with us tonight.

The farmers, hurt by tariffs and economic uncertainty, are still here tonight.

>> Stevenson encouraged her supporters to keep working for change and serving their communities, telling them, quote, public service is not about one night, end quote.

Now, there are other races to talk about in their.

Noteworthy to mention, Mayor Craig Greenburg will face Shameka Parrish Wright, who serves on the Louisville Metro Council, in the November race for mayor in the Derby City.

They were the top two vote getters in the nine person field for mayor.

Mayor Linda Gordon and challenger Rockhill Carter move on to November in Lexington as the two top vote getters, and that mayor's race, state Representative Daniel Grossberg of Louisville, will not return to the Kentucky General Assembly in Frankfort next January.

Grossberg finished third in the 30th Democratic district or district primary.

Yesterday, several women accused Grossberg of sexual misconduct, and Democrats have called on him to resign.

The primary winner is Mitra Saberi, a refugee from Bhutan who ran for Grossberg seat two years ago and lost by just 50 votes.

No Republican filed to run in this district.

It appears Grossberg isn't the only incumbent to lose reelection in the Kentucky General Assembly.

Republican State Representative Kim Banta in Kentucky, 63rd House district in northern Kentucky, was 13 votes shy of political newcomer Cole Cusick.

District 63 covers parts of Boone and Kenton counties in northern Kentucky, and it's even a tighter margin in House district 44, which encompasses the Shively community in Jefferson County.

That's where Democratic state Representative Beverly Chester Burton came up, just five votes shy of Kenya weighed.

The results are unofficial until certified by the State Board of Elections and Kentucky Secretary of State.

A lot to keep our eyes on.

Well, across the state, a number of local races were also on the ballot.

That included elections for coroners, magistrates and county judge executives.

In fact, 18 incumbent judge executives were upset in yesterday's primary.

And you can see on this map the counties where those elected officials lost during KET 2026 primary election coverage.

Just last night, our panelists talked about the issues that may have led to some of those losses.

>> Some of them were long standing judge executives.

Northern Kentucky, you had folks running for their eighth term.

Some hadn't been there very long.

There's local issues.

There's statewide issues, but a lot of change in the courthouse.

>> So were these Knott, these incumbents, were they not Maga enough?

>> I don't I think these races are probably more local kinds of issues, and maybe not so much viewed through the national lens, you know, zoning growth, growth, occupational taxes growth has become a big issue in some of the like Madison County, Reagan Taylor was running for a third term.

Madison has grown a lot.

So there's questions about how the way to do that.

I think in Boone and Campbell, those were issues as well.

On top of the fact that the judges have been there for a while.

So all these are probably a little unique in their rationale.

>> Yeah.

Amy.

>> I was going to hit on the growth.

I think this is something that I think a lot of counties are grappling with, >> Right.

You want to grow.

You want to lure more economic development.

But not.

Not behind my house, right?

Not in my backyard.

And so at the end of the day, who gets blamed for that?

And that really is your true local, local, hyper local issues.

And those are your county judge.

>> Technology and AI.

But we don't.

>> Want data centers.

That's right.

Not in your backyard.

>> I also think there's probably still and in all of these county judge executives, many of which we've known for for years.

But I think at some point you have an electorate who also starts to have a healthy distrust for the establishment.

And I think fresh leadership.

You've been around too long, right?

And I think we're probably going to see that have weighed into some of these.

>> Knocked on my door and he just said to me, the message is simple.

Gary's just been there too long.

Referring to Gary Moore.

>> Right.

>> There's 77 contested races for judge executive in Republican primaries with 213 candidates.

That was the office that was most sort of the county wide office in this election.

>> You can see our entire three hour program last night, including speeches from a number of the candidates online and on demand at ket.org/election.

In other news, UPS changed planes before the deadly Louisville crash last November.

Today is day two of National Transportation Safety Board hearings into that crash that killed 15 people.

Documents revealed yesterday show a different MD 11 plane was supposed to make the trip to Honolulu, but a preflight inspection showed a fuel leak.

So UPS switched to another MD 11, which crashed shortly after takeoff when an engine separated from the left wing because of faulty bearings.

The NTSB also released new video yesterday that showed the moment the engine separated.

And as we told you yesterday, the hearing also focused on previous problems involving the bearings on other planes and why those problems weren't reported.

The NTSB says it took a year or so for it to make to release a final report on the crash that happened November 4th.

The board says it will take that long to examine everything.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and anxiety disorders are the most common mental health issue in the U.S.

and even worldwide.

But how do you know the difference between anxiety and just being stressed out?

Well, our Kristy Dutton spoke with a psychologist about how to recognize the difference and when to reach out for help.

More about this important topic in tonight's Medical News.

>> Doctor Katie Hopkins from Norton Children's is here.

We're talking about anxiety.

So a lot of people say they feel anxiety.

But what's the difference between feeling stress and feeling anxiety that might need attention?

>> Yeah.

So I actually think it's really important that we differentiate between what is an anxious feeling and what's an anxiety disorder, what is stress and what's an anxiety disorder.

So as a clinician, when we diagnose an anxiety disorder, we're looking at does the does a child or an adult's emotions be that anxiety, worry, stress get in the way of their daily functioning for a long period of time.

When we talk about a long period of time, we're talking about months.

So where anxiety is really making their world smaller and getting in the way of them going to work, going to school, eating, sleeping, just really spending time with friends, really foundational issues.

That's when we call it a disorder.

>> Okay.

So like a worry that you can't shake off a very long term worry.

Okay.

What about kids?

Because experts say that kids are feeling anxious more and more now.

They're seeing a lot.

And I'm sure you work with kids.

You see a lot of this too.

Do you know why that's happening?

>> I think that there's a lot of factors, certainly in society.

There's a lot of things happening in the world, and kids are more and more exposed to the things that are happening.

You know, by watching the news alongside their parents or maybe they're on social media, they're experiencing the stress of their parents.

Anxiety is very contagious.

So if their parents are stressed and anxious, their kids are going to pick up on that.

But it's also because we know that kids worlds are actually getting smaller instead of bigger.

Part of a child's healthy development is about getting them continually exposed to new experiences.

And as kids spend more time at home, less time socializing with friends, more time on screens, less time experiencing real life out in the real world that absolutely contributes to anxiety.

>> What are some specific examples?

Maybe the top sign or top few signs that we should pay attention to and think, well, maybe we need to seek out some help?

>> Certainly.

So, you know, it's not unusual that I'll have a parent bring their their child in to see me because their child is avoiding doing activities that their parent was doing when they were their age.

So they're like, you know, my child is afraid of learning how to ride a bike.

And they're ten.

And by the time I was ten, I was riding a bike independently in my neighborhood.

And they won't even get on a bike or my child is not wanting to go over to a friend's house.

And this is a friend that I know very well, and I know their parents and they don't want to go over because they don't want to be away from me, or my child won't get out of the car in the morning to go to school because they're worried about what's going to happen at school.

Those are all things that when you when you anticipate that it could be something that a child their age or that when you were a child, you were able to do without fear, that could be a good indication that maybe they're experiencing a level of anxiety that's really getting in the way.

>> If somebody is feeling that anxiety right now or somebody comes to you, they're feeling that feeling.

Is there an exercise or something that can be done right at that moment to regain control?

>> Yes.

If you aren't getting if you aren't well fed, if you aren't getting enough nutrition, if you are sleep deprived, it doesn't matter how many deep breathing exercises you do or how great your cognitive behavioral therapist is, you're not going to be able to cope with the basic stressors that come your way, and they're going to feel much more catastrophic because you're just depleted.

So making sure that you're getting plenty of rest, but certainly exercising relaxation exercises, those kind of things are really important for in the moment control of your emotions.

But you got to get out there.

You got to expose yourself to the things that you're afraid of doing or that you're worried about, and surround yourself with support.

Parents can support their child and saying, I know you're worried about this, but I feel confident that you can handle it.

>> Okay, that's great advice.

Well, Doctor Hopkins, thank you so much for sharing this with us and for being here today.

>> You're welcome.

Thanks for having me.

>> Growing older doesn't mean you have to slow down.

>> And here we can really demonstrate how vibrant our aging community is.

We're not getting older.

We're not giving up everything.

>> We had to a mind matter.

Summit in Lexington with experts helping Kentuckians support lifelong brain health and an emphasis on people older than 55.

Much more on that on Kentucky edition tomorrow night.

Thursday.

We call it practice Friday around here.

630 eastern.

530 central is when you can see that story and much more where we inform, connect and inspire.

We hope that you'll connect with us all the ways you see on your screen.

Visit our website to see programing on demand.

Look for us on the PBS app that you can download on your smart devices.

Send us a story idea to the email address on your screen and the social media channels.

We're always there.

I'm Renee Shaw, thanks for watching.

Have a great night and I'll see you tomorrow.