REJECT BOTH PROPOSED STATE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS, ONE ON ABORTION, THE OTHER ON THE LEGISLATURE'S POWER.

WHAT COMES REPUBLICANS ADD TO THEIR SUPER-MAJORITIES IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE AS SOME KEY DEMOCRATS ARE TOSSED OUT.

U.S.

SENATOR RAND PAUL EASILY WINS A THIRD TERM.

CONGRESSMAN-ELECT M MCGARVEY BECOMES THE ONLY DEMOCRAT IN KENTUCKY'S WASHINGTON DELEGATION.

A WINTERY FEEL GOING INTO THIS VETERANS DAY WEEKEND.

AND "COMMENT" IS NEXT ON KET.

GOOD EVENING.

I'M BILL BRYANT, AND WE WELCOME YOU TO "COMMENT ON KENTUCKY," A LOOK BACK AT AND SOME ANALYSIS OF THE WEEK'S NEWS IN THE COMMONWEALTH.

AND THE GUESTS ON OUR PANEL OF WORKING KENTUCKY JOURNALISTS TONIGHT AR TESSA DUVAL, FRANKFORT BUREAU CHIEF FOR THE LEXINGTON HERALD- DEBORAH YETTER, REPORTER FOR TH AND MARK VANDERHOFF, REPORTER FOR WLKY IN LOUISVILLE.

ALSO TONIGHT, SOME QUESTIONS ARISE ABOUT ELECTIONEERING DURING EARLY VOTING.

AND LONG LINES ON ELECTION DAY.

A LOT TO DISCUSS AS WE BREAK DOWN THE ELECTION R TONIGHT AND CONSIDER THE IMPACT THEY MAY HAVE ON THE FUTURE.

LET'S START WITH AMENDMENT 2.

IT WAS THE TALKER AND COULD HAVE IMMEDIATE IMPACT HERE AT THE TIME COMMONWEALTH.

VOTERS REJECT A CHANGE THAT WOULD HAVE ABORTION IN THE STATE'S CONSTITUTION, THE STATE'S BASIC ILK POLITICAL DOCUMENT.

>> Deborah: TATE.

IT WOULD GUARANTEE THERE IS NO RIGHT TO ABORTION IN THE STATE CONSTITUTION WHICH WOULD HAVE PRECOLLUDED LEGAL CHALLENGES TO TRY TO AS A STATE RIGHT.

SIPS THE SUPREME COURT STRUCK DOWN VERY WADE IN JUNE, ADVOCATES AND OTHERS HAVE BEEN TURNING TO THE STATE COURTS TO TRY TO HAVE IT DECLARED A STATE RIGHT, BUT THE AMENDMENT FAILED ON BY ABOUT 5%, REPRESENTING AROUND 60,000 VOTES, AND SO TO THAT LEAVES THE LITIGANTS FREE TO PROCEED WITH A CASE THAT THEY HOPE WILL RESTORE ABORTION RIGHTS IN KENTUCKY RIGHT NOW IT HAS, OF COURSE, BEEN BANNED.

>> Bill: JUST THE STATE SUPREME COURT, WHEN IT CONSIDERS THE DECISION NEXT WEEK, ALSO CONSIDER THIS VOTE?

>> Deborah: WELL, IT'S GOT TO BE IN THE BACK OF THEIR MINDS.

I KNOW WHEN THIS CAME BEFORE THEM EARLY ON WITH THE ADVOCATES SEEKING EMERGENCY RELIEF TO TRY TO BLOCK THE LAWS THAT CURRENTLY BAN ABORTION, SUPREME COURT DECLINED TO ACT ON IT AT THE TIME, AND SOME OF THE LANGUAGE IN THEIR ORDER INDICATED THAT'S WOULD WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTION TO DECIDE ON THIS, SO ONE COULD INFER THAT THAT'S IN THEIR THOUGHTS.

>> Bill: TESSA, AS YOU LOOK AT THE DECISION FROM ELECTION NIGHT, OBSERVATIONS?

>> Tessa: YEAH, I MEAN, BESIDES OBVIOUS FACT THAT URBAN CENTERS REALLY WENT AGAINST THIS AMENDMENT, SOMETHING THAT I NOTICED WAS COUNTIES WITH COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES ALSO EITHER THAT DON'T NORMALLY GO MORE LIBERAL ON THINGS ACTUALLY WENT AGAINST THIS, SO WARNER COUNTY, ROWAN COUNTY, MADISON, EVEN CALLOWAY WAS NOT OPPOSED TO IT BUT MUCH CLOSER THAN YOU WOULD EXPECT ON SOMETHING LIKE THIS, AND SO I THINK THAT SPEAKS TO THE FACT THAT ABORTION IS AN ISSUE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND FOR YOUNG WOMEN ESPECIALLY, AND THERE'S DEFINITELY POLLING NATIONWIDE TO BACK UP THAT THAT WAS SOMETHING PUSHING A LOT OF PEOPLE TO THE POLLS.

>> Bill: WHAT DID YOU SEE, MARK, AS THE NUMBERS CAME IN THAT NIGHT?

WHAT ARE YOUR OBSERVATIONS?

>> Mark: YOU KNOW, I REALLY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT.

WE HAD HEARD RUMORS BEFORE THE VOTE THAT THE POLLING WAS NOT LOOKING GOOD FOR AMENDMENT 2, BUT, MAN, IN THIS DAY AND AGE HOW MUCH CAN YOU RELY ON POLLING?

SO IT WAS ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE YOU NEVER REALLY KNEW UNTIL THE END OF THE NIGHT HOW THINGS WERE GOING TO TO GO.

>> Bill: AND YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SUCH VERY STRONG FEELINGS BOTH WAYS ON THIS, AND THEN YOU HAVE SOME IN THE MIDDLE WHO PROBABLY WERE VERY CONFLICTED ON THEIR VOTE.

>> Deborah: AND THAT'S WHAT THE CAMPAIGN CALLED PROTECT KENTUCKY ACCESS, WHICH WAS OPPOSED TO THE AMENDMENT, SAID EARLY ON IN THEIR STRATEGY WAS TO REACH THOSE FOLKS IN THE MIDDLE.

NATIONAL POLLING HAS HONE FOR YEARS THAT-MILE WHILE MOST PEOPLE DON'T ACTUALLY LIKE ABORTION, THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE BELIEVE IT SHOULDN'T BE TOTALLY ELIMINATED.

AND I THINK ONCE ROE V. WADE CAME DOWN IN KENTUCKY AND OTHER STATES FOUND THAT, IN FACT, IT WAS ELIMINATED BEFORE WE HAD THE TRIGGER LAW TO STOP ABORTION ALTOGETHER EXCEPT IN AN EMERGENCY, IT SORT OF CAST THE DEBATE IN DIFFERENT TERMS.

PEOPLE STARTED THINKING ABOUT, WHAT IF.

>> Bill: SO AS WE LOOK AHEAD TO THIS COURT CASE NEXT WEEK ATTORNEY GENERAL DANIEL CAMERON HAS SAID THE RESULT SHOULD NOT SWAY THE COURT AND HAS MADE A FILING TO THAT EFFECT, RIGHT?

>> Mark: YEAH, AND THE DATE THAT HE ISSUED THAT STATEMENT I SPOKE WITH A UofL LAW PROFESSOR TO HEAD, HOW CAN THEY IGNORE IT?

IT'S LIKE THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM.

BUT I ALSO SPOKE WITH ADDIA WUCHNER WHO HEADED UP THE YEA FOR LIFE CAMPAIGN, AND SHE ARGUED THAT JUDGES ARE SUPPOSED TO BE LOOKING AT THE LAW OR IN THIS CASE THE CONSTITUTION, NOT A POPULAR VOTE.

>> Deborah: OF COURSE, KENTUCKY SUPREME COURT JUDGES, LIKE THE OTHER JUDGES, ARE ELECTED.

YOU HAVE TO KEEP THAT IN MIND.

>> Bill: EXACTLY.

AND THERE WAS SOME INTERESTING TRENDS IN THAT THE REPUBLICANS ACTUALLY INCREASED THEIR PRESENCE IN THE LEGISLATURE IN THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE.

THEY PUT THIS AMENDMENT ON THE BALLOT.

AND YET IT GOES DOWN TO DEFEAT.

THAT IS INTERESTING AS WELL, TESSA.

>> Tessa: YEAH, AND THAT IS -- THAT'S SOMETHING THAT DEMOCRATS ARE REALLY TALKING ABOUT, RIGHT?

SO THE DEFEAT OF AMENDMENT 2 IS SOMETHING THAT DEMOCRATS ARE FINDING SOME HOPE IN.

YES, THEY ARE IN A SMALLER SUPER MINORITY THAN EVER BUT THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE RESULTS OF AMENDMENT 2 AND THEY'RE SAYING, OKAY, THESE ARE -- THESE ARE VOTERS WHO AT LEAST ALIGN WITH US ON SOMETHING AND THEY ARE HOPING THAT -- THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO MAYBE MESSAGE THAT.

MAYBE THEY'RE HOPING THAT REPUBLICANS WILL SEE VOTERS WANT OPTIONS ON SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

THEY DON'T WANT THIS TOTAL BAN.

AND THEY'RE HOPING THAT REPUBLICANS WILL KIND OF MODERATE THEIR STANCE IN THE UPCOMING LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

BUT EARLY RESPONSES NOT REALLY INDICATING THAT.

>> Bill: NOW THIS COULD COME BACK, RIGHT?

AND IT WAS NOT AN OVERWHELMING RESULT.

>> Mark: RIGHT.

>> Deborah: AND THE REPUBLICAN-CONTROLLED GOP COULD BRING IT BACK AGAIN.

THERE'S NO RESTRICTION ON THIS MAP I SPOKE THE WHITNEY WESTERFIELD WHO IS A STAUNCH OPPOSER OF ABORTION, AND HIS SPONSOR PAST BILLS.

I ASKED IF LAWMAKERS COULD BRING IT BACK.

HE SAID THEY COULD BUT HE DOESN'T KNOW IF THAT'S A POSSIBILITY.

>> Bill: DOES IT MAYBE MOVE THE LEGISLATURE IN ANY WAY TO CONSIDER WITH THE RESTRICTIONS THAT ARE THERE NOW, MAYBE BROADENING SOME OF THAT?

>> Deborah: I THINK A LOT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, DEPEND ON WHAT HAPPENS WITH THIS COURT CASE, THIS COURT CHALLENGE.

A JEFFERSON CIRCUIT JUDGE HAS ALSO FOUND IN A PRELIMINARY RULING THAT IN FACT THE STATE CONSTITUTION DOES PROVIDE A RIGHT TO ABORTION THROUGH PRIVACY AND DUE PROCESS AND OTHER PROVISIONS.

SO IF THAT WERE SUSTAINED, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT THE COURTS AS A FACTOR IN THIS, TOO, NO MATTER WHAT LAWS COME UP -- THEY COME UP WITH.

>> Bill: SO NEXT TUESDAY AN IMPORTANT DAY, AN INDICATION THAT THERE WILL BE QUITE A BIT HEARD BY THE COURT ON THAT DAY, RIGHT?

YEAH.

LET'S TALK ABOUT AMENDMENT 1.

THAT WOULD HAVE ALLOWED THE STATE LEGISLATURE TO CALL ITSELF INTO SESSION AND SET THE AGENDA FOR THAT SESSION.

VOTERS SAID THAT THEY WANT THAT POWER, MARK, TO CONTINUE TO BE IN THE HANDS OF THE GOVERNOR.

THERE'S THE RESULT ON THAT ONE AS YOU SEE.

>> Mark: YEAH, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE COUNTIES THAT VOTED THIS DOWN, THEY WERE SOMEWHAT SIMILAR TO THE COUNTIES THAT VOTED DOWN AMENDMENT 2, KIND OF CENTERING AROUND THE SO-CALLED GOLDEN TRIANGLE, KIND OF OUT 64 A LITTLE BIT AND DOWN 65 SOMEWHAT.

IT WAS MOSTLY URBAN AREAS THAT VOTED AGAINST THIS.

AND YOU'VE GOT TO WONDER DID THEY JUST NOT LIKE THE IDEA OF THE LEGISLATURE BEING IN SESSION MORE OFTEN OR DID THEY SEE KIND OF A POWER STRUGGLE BETWEEN A REPUBLICAN DOMINATED LEGISLATURE AND A DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR?

OR DID THEY JUST SEE A REALLY LENGTHY QUESTION AND THINK IT WAS TOO COMPLEX.

[LAUGHTER] >> Bill: AND FEWER VOTED ON THAT ONE THAN VOTED ON THE OTHER AMENDMENT.

IN FACT, MORE PEOPLE VOTED IN U.S. SENATE RACE THAN FOR EITHER AMENDMENT.

AND ABOUT 120,000 MORE PEOPLE WEIGHED IN ON AMENDMENT 2 THAN ON AMENDMENT 1.

SO TO THE POINT THAT YOU THINK THAT MOTIVATED SOME VOTERS TO GO.

>> Kevin: I THINK THAT SINGLE ISSUE DID DRIVE A LOT OF VOTERS TO THE POLL.

WE SAW THAT IN KANSAS WHICH WAS THE FIRST STATE TO REJECT A SIMILAR AMENDMENT AND THAT FAILED BY 18 POINTS IN THAT STATE.

WE HAD A MUCH CLOSER CONTEST HERE BUT IN KANSAS THEY HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE, INDEPENDENT VOTERS WHO CAME OUT JUST TO VOTE ON THAT ISSUE ALONE.

>> Mark: I ALSO HAD M'M PEOPLE TEXT ME ON THE DAY OF THE ELECTION ASKING ME WHAT AMENDMENT 1 ACTUALLY DID.

I THINK THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A BIG PROBLEM.

>> Deborah: IT WAS CONFUSING.

>> Bill: AND TESSA, WILL WAS COVID POLITICS AT PLAY HEREF GOVERNOR DECLARED A STATE OF EMERGENCY EARLY IN THE PANDEMIC AND THE LEGISLATURE LEGISLATORS, AT LEAST THE REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP, DID NOT LIKE THAT AT ALL IN TERMS OF HIM CONTINUING TO HANDLE ALL OF THE POLICY.

>> Tessa: ABSOLUTELY.

THE GOVERNOR HAS THE SOLE POWER TO CALL IN A SPECIAL SESSION SET THE AGENDA FOR IT, SO EARLY IN THE PANDEMIC HE IS MAKING A LOT OF EXECUTIVE ORDERS AND DECISIONS ABOUT HOW COVID POLICY IS GOING TO BE HANDLED AROUND THE STATE.

A LOT OF THAT WAS AT ODDS WITH WHAT THE REPUBLICAN SUPER MAJORITY IN LEGISLATURE WOULD HAVE LIKED TO SEE.

AND THEIR HANDS WERE TIED.

THERE WAS REALLY NO WAY FOR THEM TO COME BACK AND TO TRY TO OVERRULE THE GOVERNOR IN ANY WAY, AND SO I THINK, YEAH, THAT'S DEFINITELY, THAT WAS A BIG SPURRING FACTOR FOR GETTING THAT AMENDMENT OUT THERE.

>> Bill: SO WHILE THE LEGISLATURE DID NOT GET MORE POWER TO CALL NFHS ITSELF IN, IT DID BECOME MORE REPUBLICAN-OF THE 100 SEATS IN THE HOUSE NOW THERE WILL BE 80 REPUBLICANS IN THE SENATE OF THE 38 MEMBERS 31 WILL BE REPUBLICAN, ONLY 7 DEMOCRATS NOW AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE HAAS HOUSE AND THEN THERE'S THE SENATE BALANCE.

ONLY 7 DEMOCRATS IN THE STATE SENATE.

TESSA, THE SUPER-MAJORITIES THAT WERE ABLE TO OVERRIDE VIRTUALLY ALL OF THE GOVERNOR'S VETOES AND EMPOWER THE LEGISLATURE TO IGNORE MANY OF THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSALS ARE EVEN BIGGER NOW.

>> Tessa: YEAH, AND I THINK WE WILL SEE MORE OF THAT.

I MEAN, JUST A COUPLE WEEK AGO THE GOVERNOR HAD A PRESS CONFERENCE TALKING ABOUT PRIORITIES FOR EDUCATION WITH TEACHER RAISES, THINGS LIKE THAT, AND, YEAH, I DON'T THINK HE'S GOING TO GET ANYWHERE WITH MORE REPUBLICANS IN THE SUPERMAJORITY.

SO, YEAH, THAT'S GOING TO BE ALSO A CHALLENGE.

FOR DEMOCRATS I THINK THEY'RE LOOKING AT ANOTHER SESSION WHERE THEIR BILLS AREN'T GOING TO GET HERD.

>> Bill: DEMOCRATS ALMOST ALL HAVE TO FILL THE LEADERSHIP SPOTS.

THEY'RE SPREAD THIN, RIGHT?

>> Deborah: I CAUCUS OF TWO IN THE SENATE AND SEVEN IN THE HOUSE.

>> Bill: WHAT HAPPENED WITH THAT?

DO THE DEMOCRATS GO BACK MOO THE LOCKER ROOM AND TRY TO CONSIDER A WAY FORWARD?

WHAT WILL THEY BE THINKING ABOUT IN THE LEGISLATIVE RACES?

>> Mark: I THINK A LOT OF THEM ARE GOING TO WAIT AND SEE HOW NEXT YEARS' GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION GOES AND THEN IF ANDY BESHEAR IS RE-ELECTED AS GOVERNOR, THAT IS GOING TO FREE HIM UP TO CAMPAIGN ON BEHALF OF MORE DEMOCRATS TO BE MORE ACTIVELY INVOLVED AND THEY CAN COME BACK IN THE NEXT ELECTION.

IF HE GETS ELECTED I THINK YOU'LL SEE HIM MUCH MORE AC DEVIL INVOLVED IN OTHER DEMOCRATS' CAMPAIGNS, WHEREAS, YOU KNOW, THIS ELECTION YOU DIDN'T SEE HIM INVOLVED AT ALL.

>> Bill: DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVE PATTI MINTER ARE BOWLING GREEN AND THE HOUSE LOST.

THAT MEANS THERE IS NO DEMOCRAT REPRESENTING ANY PART OF THE CENTRAL TIME ZONE AT THIS POINT.

>> Mark: SHE HAD WON HER PREVIOUS TWO ELECTIONS WITH SUCH COMFORTABLE MESSENGERS TOO.

THAT SHOWS THE POWER OF RECONFLICT DISTRICTING.

>> Tessa: AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF DEMOCRATS ARE PUTTING WEIGH ON.

THEY'RE SAYING WITH REDISTRICTING, YOU KNOW, PATTI MINTER, HAD THAT REDISTRICTING NOT HAPPENED THE WAY DID IT, SHE KEEPS THAT SEAT.

SOME DEMOCRATS ARE SAYING THAT ALL OF THE LOSSES ARE ATTRIBUTED TO REDISTRICTING.

I THINK THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO WOULD TAKE ISSUE WITH THAT.

BUT WHERE THE DEMOCRATS GO NEXT IS THEY HAVE TO -- AFTER TALKING TO A LOT OF DEMOCRATS THIS WEEK, THEY HAVE TO MESSAGE THEMSELVES.

LIKE THEY CAN'T JUST BE THE OPPOSITION PARTY.

THEY CAN'T JUST WHINE WILL REDISTRICTING.

THEY'VE GOT TO PROACTIVELY BE FOR SOMETHING.

AND SO I THINK THEY'LL BE SPENDING SOME TIME IN WEEKS AND MONTHS AHEAD TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY DO.

>> Bill: IN EASTERN KENTUCKY DEMOCRAT ANGIE HATTON LOST HER SEAT EVEN THOUGH SHE CARRIED HER HOME DOWNTOWN OF LETCHER.

SHE HAD BEEN SEEN AS A LAWMAKER WITH POTENTIALLY A FUTURE AND MAYBE EVEN A POSSIBLE STATE RIDE WIDE RUN, NOT TO SAY THAT SHE MIGHT NOT STILL DO THAT, BUT AT THIS MOUNT ANGIE HATTON WILL BE LEAVING FRANKFORT.

>> Deborah: RIGHT, AND SHE WAS IN HOUSE LEADERSHIP, TOO, AND WAS A PRETTY OUTSPOKEN VOICE FOR THE DEMOCRATS WHEN SHE WAS THERE.

HE'S NOT LOSS FOR THE PARTY.

>> Bill: AND THEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE SENATE, HOW CAN SEVEN DEMOCRATS HAVE MUCH LEGISLATION?

WHAT DO THEY DO OVER THERE, YOU KNOW, AS THE 31 REPUBLICANS RULE THE ROOST?

>> Mark: I THINK THEY NEED TO FOLLOW THE MODEL THAT MORGAN McGARVEY SET, AND THAT IS BUILD RELATIONSHIPS AND CHOOSE YOUR BATTLES WISELY.

YOU LOOK AT SENATOR McGARVEY.

HE HAD A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH MAJORITY LEADER DAMON THAYER.

AND IF YOU WATCHED HIM SOMETIMES, THEY ALMOST PLAYED A GOOD COP, BAD COP ROUTINE WHERE CERTAIN DEMOCRATS DIDN'T SPEAK OUT ON CERTAIN ISSUES AND CERTAIN DEMOCRATS DID SPEAK OUT ON CERTAIN ISSUES, AND THAT WAY IF THE ONES WHO SPOKE OUT CAUGHT A LOT OF FIRE, IT STILL FREED UP THE ONES WHO DIDN'T TO WORK BEHIND THE SCENES ON GETTING BUMS ADVANCED AND GETTING OTHER PRIORITIES MOVED ALONG.

>> Bill: AND THEN IF SOMETHING WAS POPULAR ENOUGH, IT PASSED LIKE SENATOR DAVID YATES PORCH PIRATING BILL GOT THROUGH LAST YEAR.

WE'RE ABOUT TO HIT THAT SEASON ONCE AGAIN.

SO YOU MENTIONED SENATE MINORITY LEADER MORGAN McGARVEY WON'T BE THERE.

WE'LL TALK ABOUT HIS RACE FOR CONGRESS' WIN THERE.

ANY SENSE OF WHO THE MINORITY LEADER WILL BE IN THE HOUSE OR THE SENATE?

>> Mark: WELL, THE SENIOR MEMBER I BELIEVE WOULD BE SENATOR GERALD NEAL BUT I DON'T THINK HE'S INTERESTED.

HE'S BEEN THERE.

HE'S DONE THAT.

I'VE HEARD TALK ABOUT REGGIE THOMAS BEING THE NEXT NATURAL CHOICE.

AND IF SENATOR THOMAS DECIDES NOT TO, I CAN SEE SOMEBODY LYING DAVID YATES STEPPING UP.

SENATOR ITS YATES WAS THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOUISVILLE METRO COUNCIL, SO HE'S HAD SOME EXPERIENCE LEADING A CAUCUS.

>> Bill: SOME DEMOCRATS SAID, AS WE'VE NOTED HERE, THAT THE REPUBLICANS BY DESIGN DISTRICTED THEM OUT, SO TO SPEAK.

FRANKLIN JUDGE THOMAS WINGATE UPHELD THE REPUBLICAN DRAWN DISTRICTS THIS WEEK BUT ESSENTIALLY SAID, YES, IT'S GERRYMANDERING BUT, NO, IT'S NOT UNCONSTITUTIONAL, RIGHT?

ESSENTIALLY WAS HIS ORDER?

>> Mark: EVERYBODY DOES THAT.

LET'S BE PONCE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE MAPS THAT THE DEMOCRATS DREW, THEY WERE PRETTY FUNKY TOO.

>> Beth: DETERMINATION THAT'S HAD THEM THROWN OUT IN THE PAST.

MAYBE THE COURTS ARE TIRED OF DEALING WITH IT.

>> Tessa: SOMETHING THE GOVERNOR SAID AT THINKS WEEKLY PRESS CONFERENCE THAT SOME STATES HAVE MOVED TOWARDS MORE NON-PAR PARTISAN REDIRECTING COUNCILS AND HE WOULD BE IN SUPPORT EVER OF SEEING KENTUCKY DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

HE SAID WRONG IS WRONG.

>> Deborah: I'D SAY THAT'S A COLD DAY IN YOU KNOW WHERE.

>> Bill: IN WASHINGTON RAHM SENATOR RAND PAUL WON IN THE SENATE.

HE DEFEATED DEMOCRATIC CHALLENGER CHARLES BOOKER.

HE SAID HIS EFFORTS TO IMPROVE KENTUCKY WILL CONTINUE.

>> OUR VICTORY IS THAT PEOPLE HAVE STOOD UP ACROSS KENTUCKY THAT HAD GIVEN UP.

PEOPLE THAT ONCE THOUGHT THAT THEIR VOICE DIDN'T MATTER ARE NOW LIFTING THEIR VOICES AND ORGANIZING AND RUNNING FOR OFFICE.

WE ARE CHANGE, AND THAT'S THE WIN.

.

>> LET US REMEMBER THAT TONIGHT IS REALLY A VICTORY FOR EVERYONE WHO HOLDS DEAR AND CHERISHES THEIR GOD-GIVEN LIQUOR, THE LIBERTY THAT MAKES AMERICA THAT SIGNING BEACON OF HOPE TO THE ENTIRE WORLD.

THANK YOU.

>> Bill: SO PAUL IS RE-ELECTED.

HE GOES BACK TO WASH AND APPARENTLY IS EAGER TO GET THERE.

MARK, TO WHAT ACCIDENT EVER STEN COULD WE SEE EARLY ON THE BOOKER CAMPAIGN WAS NOT MOUNTING THE KIND OF EFFORT THAT HE DID IN 2020 WHEN HE RAN IN THAT DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY.

IT WAS DESCRIBED AS HE CAUGHT FIRE IN A BOTTLE DURING THAT CAMPAIGN AND ALMOST CON THAT PRIMARY.

>> Meteorologist: YOU COULD SEE IT EARLY ON IN THE FUNDRAISING NUMBERS.

HE ENDED UP RAISING $6 MILLION.

BY CONTRAST, AMY McGRATH RAISED $96 MILLION.

AND I DON'T THINK IT WAS ALL CHARLES BOOKER'S FAULT.

I MEAN, AMY McGRATH WAS RUNNING AGAINST MITCH McCONNELL WHO IN 2020 WAS THE MOST POWERFUL REPUBLICAN.

EVERY DEMOCRAT IN THE NATION WANTED TO GET HIM OUT OF THE SENATE, AND THANK YOU THEY BOARD A LOT OF MONEY INTO THAT RACE, MORE TO GET MITCH McCONNELL OUT THAN THEY DID NECESSARILY TO GET AMY McGRATH IN, AND I JUST DON'T THINK THERE WAS, NUMBER ONE, THERE WASN'T THAT SAME SENSE OF URGENCY WITH GETTING RAND PAUL, BUT NUMBER TWO, I THINK A LOT OF DEMOCRATS SAW, WOW WE GAVE AMY McGRATH 90-SOMETHING MILLION DOLLARS AND SHE COULDN'T DO THE JOB.

WHAT MAKES BOOKER COULD DO THE JOB WITH RAND PAUL.

>> Bill: BOOKER CAMPAIGNED IN PERSON, A LOT OF TV ADS AS WELL.

I THINK HE HAD 12 DIFFERENT MESSAGES OUT THERE.

>> Mark: HE HAD FAR MORE TELEVISION ADVERTISING THAN BOOKER DID.

BOOKER HAD A BUS THAT HE WENT ON TOUR WITH.

RAND PAUL WA SOOLING AROUND ON A PRIVATE JET.

>> Bill: SENATOR MITCH McCONNELL IS LOOKING AT IT MUCH BROADER MAP AND STILL IS AS THE COUNT GOES ON.

McCONNELL LOOKS TO SEE IF HE MIGHT BECOME THE MAJORITY LEADER AGAIN.

THERE ARE REPORTS THAT FLORIDA SENATOR RICK SCOTT WAS EAGER TO CHALLENGE McCONNELL FOR THE TOP SPOT BUT APPARENTLY HAS DECIDED AGAINST THAT, BUT THERE'S JUST A LOT IN LIMBO IN THE U.S. SENATE.

>> Deborah: HE FAILS TO DELIVER THE MAJORITY THAT McCONNELL WAS WAITING FOR.

>> Bill: SO WE WAIT FOR THAT, AND WE'LL KNOW MORE ABOUT THE McCONNELL RACE BY SITUATION BY THIS TIME NEXT WEEK.

IN THE U.S. HOUSE RACES INCUMBENT REPUBLICANS HAL ROGERS WESTERN BRETT GUTHRIE CLAIMS COMER, ANDY BARR, THOMAS MASSIE ALL WINNING RE-ELECTION, THE REPUBLICANS AND MORGAN McGARVEY BECOMES THE ONLY DEMOCRAT IN THE KENTUCKY DELEGATION.

HE WILL REPRESENT LOUISVILLE.

>> Mark: YEAH, HE TAKES OVER FROM DEMOCRAT JOHN YARMOUTH.

THOSE WILL BE BIG SHOES TO FILL.

I THINK SOME PEOPLE SAW A FEW YEARS AGO WHEN ANN NORTHROP HAD THAT SEAT AND THEY HOPED THAT STUART RAY MIGHT COME CLOSE BUT HE NEVER REALLY HAD ANY TRACTION AND DID NOT -- DIDN'T COME CLOSE TO TAKING THAT SEAT FROM McGARVEY.

>> Bill: AND AGAIN WITH McGARVEY, THE ABSENCE FROM FRANKFORT, BECAUSE OF HIS PRESENCE IN WASHINGTON, WILL BE SOMETHING TO WATCH IN THE WEEKS AHEAD.

>> Tessa: YEAH, ABSOLUTELY IT.

WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THAT PLAYS IN THE LEGISLATURE.

>> Bill: JAMES COMER, IF THE REPUBLICANS TAKE THE HOUSE AS IT APPEARS THEY WILL, BECOMESY PRESIDENT OF THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.

THAT WILL BE MORE POWER FOR HIM.

>> Deborah: I THINK OPPONENTS HAD POWER ON BOTH SIDES SHOULD THEY REGAIN THE MAJORITY TO LAUNCH INVESTIGATES INVESTIGATIONS FOR THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION.

>> Bill: LOUISVILLE ELECTED DEMOCRAT CRAIG GREENBERG OVER REPUBLICAN BILL DID YOU EVER.

THE MAP APPEARED TO BE VERY BLUE NEAR DOWNTOWN AND VERY RED IN THE SUBURBS.

>> Mark: I THINK THIS ELECTION GOES BACK TO SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT ALL NIGHT.

PEOPLE VOTING ONE WAY FOR ONE CANDIDATE, ANOTHER WAY ON ANOTHER ISSUE.

GREENBERG HAD A FIVE POINT MARGIN ON THIS.

NOW, THAT'S COMPARED TO HAL HEINER WHO GOT WITHIN 2-1/2 POINT ALL THOSE YEARS AGO WHEN FISCHER FIRST WON THE MAYOR.

YOU'VE GOT TO ALSO CONSIDER THAT CHARLES BOOKER HAD 20,000 MORE VOTES THAN CRAIG GREENBERG DID, SO CLEARLY A LOT OF DEMOCRATS PULLED THE LEVER FOR CHARLES BOOKER BUT THEN THEY ALSO CHECKED THE BOX FOR BILL DID YOU DIERU IF.

THAT'S NOT EXACTLY A LANDSLIDE MANDATE.

>> Bill:Y EXCITE BEING FAR OUTSPENT LINDA GORTON WAS REELECTED MAYOR OF LEXINGTON.

DAN WU THE FIRST ASIAN VICE MAYOR ELECTED AND IT WILL BE THE MOST DIVERSE CITY COUNCIL IN ELECTRICS.

THERE WERE COMPLAINTS.

THE LEGISLATIVE PANEL HEARD DEMOCRAT WILL LONG LINES AND ELECTIONEERING, ESPECIALLY, TESSA, DURING THAT EARLY VOTING THAT WAS GOING ON.

APPARENTLY THE RULES WERE NOT CHANGED TO COVER THE EARLY VOTING DAYS WITH ELECTIONEERING.

>> Tessa: RIGHT.

SO THIS WAS THE FIRST GENERAL ELECTION WITH THIS EXPANDED EARLY VOTING IN KENTUCKY, SO THERE ARE SOME THINGS TO STILL WORK OUT.

WE KNOW IT WAS POPULAR WITH VOTERS.

A LOT OF PEOPLE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF IT.

BUT THAT ALSO MEANT YOU KNOW THERE WERE -- THERE WERE HICCUPS, AND WE SAW THAT ON ELECTION DAY AS WELL WHERE THERE WERE LONG LINES BECAUSE THERE WERE FEWER POLLING PLACES IN SOME COUNTIES, SO THESE ARE JUST THINGS THAT COUNTY BY COUNTY THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WORK ON.

>> Bill: THAT CONSOLIDATION OF POLLING PLACES IS SOMETHING THAT SECRETARY OF STATE WAS A LITTLE FRUSTRATED WITH, APPARENTLY.

>> Mark: HE CAME OUT AND CLEARLY SAID WE NEED MORE POLLING LOCATIONS.

HE DIDN'T NECESSARILY SAY MORE DAYS, JUST MORE POLLING LOCATIONS.

>> Tessa: HE'S SAID I CAN'T GO OUT THERE AND ADVOCATE FOR MORE DAYS AT THIS POINT UNTIL PEOPLE USE IT.

IT WASN'T AS WELL USED IN PRIMARY.

SO YOU CAN'T SAY WE NEED 67 DAYS IF THREE IS NOT PROFOUNDLY POPULAR AT THAT POINT.

>> Bill: DEBBIE, FRANKLIN CIRCUIT JUDGE PHILLIP SHEPHERD WAS RELEAKED AFTER SOME REPUBLICANS SAID HE WAS TOO BIPARTISAN.

SHEPHERD WINS.

>> Deborah: THAT WAS A VERY POPULAR RACE.

THE MOST COSTLY JUDGESHIP RACE IN KENTUCKY WITH ABOUT $1 MILLION POURED INTO IT BUT SHEPHERD WON 67% OF THE VOTE.

FRANKLIN CIRCUIT GETS A LOT OF THE BIG CASES, CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTIONS AND CHALLENGES TO STATE LAWS AND SO FORTH, SO I THINK REPUBLICANS NOT HAPPY WITH SOME OF HIS RULINGS IN RECENT YEARS AND HAD HOPED PUT SOMEBODY ELSE IN.

>> Bill: AND STATE REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPH FISCHER WAS DEFEATED IN HIS BID.

HE WAS RUNNING FORE A SUPREME COURT SEAT, AND INTERESTINGLY THAT WAS TIED TO THE ABORTION ISSUE SOME.

HE WAS SOMEWHAT OPEN, MORE THAN SOMEWHAT, HE WAS OPENLY PARTISAN DURING THAT ELECTION IN A NON-PARTISAN RACE.

>> Tessa: THAT'S A GENERIC ELEPHANT.

>> Deborah: IT WAS INTERESTING.

HE WAS THE -- HE TOUTED HIMSELF AS THE CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN IN A JUDICIAL RACE THAT'S TECHNICALLY NON-PARTISAN.

BUT ALSO PROMOTED HIS RIGHT-TO-LIFE ENDORSEMENTS AND GOT SOME OUTSIDE ATTENTION FOR THAT.

HE ALSO IS THE AUTHOR OF TRIGGER LAW AND THE CONSTITUTIONAL -- WHICH BANS ABORTION, AND THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT WHICH JUST GOT VOTED DOWN ON ABORTION.

BUT NONETHELESS KELLERER WON BY 10 POINTS, THE INCUMBENT AND CARRIED ALL THREE COUNTIES IN NORTHERN KENTUCKY WHERE THEY BOTH LIVE.

>> Bill: EP DEBBIE IT'S WITH MIXED EMOTIONS THAT WE LET YOU MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT TONIGHT, THAT AFTER SO MANY GREATLY GREAT APPEARANCES ON THIS PROGRAM OVER THE YEARS AND THE MANY TIMES YOU HAVE COMEOVER IN THE RAIN AND SNOW GOING BACK THE TO AL SMITH DAYS ON THIS PROGRAM, YOU HAVE BEEN A WONDERFUL CONTRIBUTOR.

WE HAVE ADMIRED YOUR WORK.

BUT YOU'VE DECIDED IT'S TIME TO MOVE ON.

>> Deborah: I HAVE.

TODAY WAS MY LAST DAY OF WORK TO CURRENT JOURNAL AFTER 38 YEARS.

I'VE DECIDED TO RETIRE AND PROBABLY JUST TAKE SOME TIME OFF FOR RIGHT NOW.

BUT IT'S BEEN A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH ALL OF THESE OTHER GREAT JOURNALISTS AROUND THE STATE AND IT'S BEEN A PRIVILEGE TO DO THE REPORTING I HAVE.

>> Bill: AND YOU WOULD SAY THE NEWS SPAYS NOBLE CAREER.

>> Deborah: I THINK IT'S MORE THAN A CAREER.

I THINK IT'S A VOCATION FOR A LOT OF US WHO ARE REALLY DEDICATED TO US.

IT MEANS A LOT TO US.

WE CARE WHAT WE WRITE ABOUT AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO US.

>> Bill: HOW DO YOU FEEL TONIGHT, KNOWING THAT YOU'RE WRAPPING UP ALL THESE YEARS?

>> Deborah: YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW.

IT WAS ANOTHER WORK DAY FOR ME TODAY SO I GUESS IT WILL SINK IN WHEN NEXT WEEK ROLLS AROUND.

>> Bill: TESSA, YOU WANTED A SELFIE WITH DEP DEB.

>> Tessa: SHE'S THE QUEENCH KENTUCKY MEDIA.

HOW CAN I NOT?

DEBBY, YOU'VE MADE KENTUCKY BETTER THROUGH YOUR WORK, AND I KNOW I SPEAK FOR A LOT OF WOMEN IN JOURNALISM IN THE STATE WHEN I SAY YOU'VE BEEN SUCH AN INSPIRATION AND I THINK WE ALL WANT TO BE YOU WHEN WE GROW UP.

>> Bill: MARK, DO YOU HAVE A THOUGHT?

>> Mark: I WORKED AT THE COURIER-JOURNAL FOR WHILE, AND DEBBY WAS A GIANT FIGURE THERE IN THAT NUMERAL AND SOMEBODY THAT WE ALL LOOKED UP TO AND THERE'S NOT A LOT OF REPORTERS THAT HAS THE SOURCE LIST SHE DOES WHEN IT COMES TO COVERING FAMILY SERVICES AND HEALTH CARE AND SOCIAL SERVICES, THOSE RELATED ISSUES.

>> Bill: AND A MEMBER OF THE KENTUCKY JOURNALISM HALL OF FAME.

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR WONDERFUL, MARVELOUS CAREER, DEBBY, AND THANKS FOR BEING HERE AS MANY AS TIMES AS YOU HAVE.

WILDFIRES THAT BURNED BURNED IN PARTS OF THE STATE NOW LARGELY UNDER CONTROL.

THE THE RAIN, THE FALLING TEMPERATURES, SAN JOSE SNOWFLAKES ARE HELPING WITH THAT.

THE FIRST STATUE OF A WOMAN TO RESIDE IN THE KENTUCKY CAPITOL UNVEILED THURSDAY, THAT 7-FOOT TALL STA STATUE IS OFNETY DEPP WHO WAS A PIONEER OF PUBLIC EDUCATION IN THE STATE AND THE FIRST WOMAN TO HOLD OFFICE IN BARREN COUNTY WHERE SHE SERVED AS SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT.

IS ON VETERANS DAY WE'RE VERY MINDFUL OF THOSE WHO SERVED THIS COUNTRY AND SACRIFICED FOR OUR FREEDOM AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS OURSELVES.

THAT INCLUDES AT THE BALLOT BOX, AS PEOPLE DID THIS WEEK, AND THE DISCUSSIONS OF THE ISSUES THAT CON ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH.

THAT'S "COMMENT."

HAVE A GOOD WEEK AHEAD.