delegation arrives in Washington for orientation and to set uptheir offices in Frankfort.

Both parties choose legislative leadership and talk strategy for the 2027 session.

Lack of housing is said to cost Kentucky billionsof dollars and thousands of jobs.

With the midterms over Kentucky's governor's race and other statewide contests come into view.

On this Friday the You're inluck.

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 journaliststonight are McKenna Horsley politics reporter for the Kentucky Lantern Mason Brighton, political reporter for Spectrum News one and Lucas Aulbach for the Courier-Journal.As we hitthe air tonight, we want to start with the obviously, what everybody's talking about, this national ground stop issued today by the Federal Aviation Administration.It certainly is impacting travelers at Kentucky airports aswell.

And you would suspectsome will be landing in Kentucky who didn't expect to be here.

So welcome.

Despite the fact that they to go on.

This has been the talker of theday.

>> Yeah.

Telecommunications outage, I think is the or some kind of telecommunications issue is kind of what the earlier word is.

Again, we don't know a lot of details right now.

What I can confirm or at least have heard is Louisville made it to North Carolina, the football team and Florida's team made it to UK.

So just about 20 minutes or so before I think this outagecame in.

>> call.

>> It was.

Yeah, yeah, they made it.

So anyways.

>> Big Ole mess everywhere you go when it comes to aviation, I think about obviously all of the peoplethat are supposed to be on flights going to wherever they want to be, who are stuck somewhere they don't want to be any longer, perhaps.

But there's also the cargo side of this.

We've got UPS Worldport in Louisville.

They do 300 flights a day.

They've got space there.

So what this will mean in the coming days, perhaps if youordered something online, as well as other thingsthat go through cargo, expect some delays there as well.

>> Yeah.

And the state Aviation Office encouraged airports that if they have sufficient runway length to open up in case a plane did need to land somewhere in Kentucky.

>> Right.

And right now, it's only been this has started.

So obviously, if somebody's watching this over the weekend, there may be some new information available.

It even sounds like tonight, after this show on Friday, it sounds like the Trump administration may have some kind of press conference and briefing.

>> To learn more.

Right.All right.

Now to Kentucky's changing congressional delegation, Democratic Congressman elect Zach Dembo attended orientation this week and started the process of setting up his office structure.

Dimbo, who flipped the sixth district House seat in the Blue Wave, made a video just outside the Capitol talking about his place in history.

>> I'm here in DC at new member orientation, learning how to best serve you all,how to make those campaign promises into reality.

It's such an honor to serve in the seat that Clay occupied, especially as a ninth generation Kentuckian whose mom grew up on asmall tobacco and dairy farm, was the first in her family to go to college.

To walk up these steps andbe on the House floor to represent my home of Central, Kentucky, is the honor of a lifetime.

>> So Lucas Dimbo is there.

We've sought out for national interviews.

He, as he said, is attendingthose orientation meetings.

And there's a learn.

>> There sure is.There sure is.

And he's got you know, he talked about those campaign promises.

He talked about a lot on the campaign trail, pushing back against the tariffs that are impacting bourbon, pushing back against the war in Iran, pushing back against Medicaid cuts.

So he you know, he's got his work cut out for him as far as what he said, he was going to go up there and do.

And now part of it, too, is he's representing this purple ish district.

You know, a lot of Republican voters.

And I there's a question of does he veer into a progressive lane or does he stick more centrist, which is kind of what he campaigned on.

>> And that may be a challenge for him to determine exactly where to go on some issues, that there may be some predominant feelings in his district one way.

And thenthe party and those who invested in his campaign may have other ideas.

>> That's really the line that you end up having totoe when you make promises to a place like Central Kentucky, and then you go to Washington.

have this blue wave that's changed the makeup of Congress, who might have some more left leaning, perhaps, ideas for legislation compared to what the average voter here might be supportive of.

>> So that is that is a challenge.

>> Yes.

And I definitely think that's the questionof what will be happening to Zach Dembo, how progressive hemay be pressuredtobe.

It seems like a lot congressmen and senators that have come in on this super big blue wave that we saw earlier this month are pretty progressive and seem to have a lot of support from their voters on progressive issues.

Dembow has been much more of a moderate on the campaigntrail.

So that probably had some sway here in Central Kentucky.

Since he's been in DC, heshared a photo of the new Blue Dog caucus It's that photo with a lot of new lawmakers on the car that's going viral.

A lot of people aresharing that.

And that tends to be more conservative Democratic caucus.

So that's definitely a sign there.

>> Ben Chandler was part of that, too, who represented the last Democrat to represent the district Mason if you are a freshman Democrat, Dimbo or you're the Republican Ed Gallrein how important is it to choose good advisors?

A good staff, good folks for your office, both in Washington and back home?

>> I can really shape who you end up being in Congress.

The people that have your ear for better or for good, will influenceyour time up there in Washington.

So, you know, along with justkind of learning this brand new job for and Ed Gallrein, they're going to have to be able to filter out who is the, the, the better influence on them as they begin this new career.

>> January 3rd is when they will take office.

Well, Republican Senator elect Andy Barr arrived at the Capitol for meetings this week.

Pictures showed him appearing with senators from both parties as he was walking the aisles and getting to colleagues.

Of course, he is no stranger to Washington, having served several years in the U.S.

House.

Lucas Barr goes to the Senate, a member of the minority, though, to replace Senator Mitch McConnell, who'd been there for 42 years.

So how does he try to get somethings done and provide some obstacles for what the Democrats want to get done?

>> Right.

Well, the thing they say coalitionbuilder.

You know, he's the guy who knows how to get your problems solved.

He's theguy who knows the guy who can help you.

So he's a team player too.

So I would expect him to work with Republicans to do what they can in the minority, to kind of, you know, push back a little bit and have him work himself into the new office.

>> So he has some interesting days ahead.

As Barr assumes this position, which is a higher he has had.

>> He's moved to the higher of the two chambers.

But interestinglyenough, a lot like Dembo and Gallrein, he's kind of back at thebottom of the totem pole.He's a freshman in the U.S.

Senate, so he's got some workto learn there.

But when it comes to seniority, there'sfolks that have been there much longer who can perhaps learn some things.

And shape the next several years for him as well.

>> And really, it shifts for several members of Kentucky's congressional delegation.

Morgan McGarvey the Democrat will go into the majority now, maybe some more influence for him in the Louisvillearea.

>> I want to correct me if I'm wrong.

Didn't he say this is the first time he's ever been in the majority, going back to the state legislature.

So I think he's got to figure it out.

I don't think he's going to be complaining, though.

>> Yeah.

And then several of Kentucky's members now go to the minority, right?

>> Yeah.

And you got Ed Gallrein coming in.

And, you know, he starts his career in the minority.

>> And then you have Hal Rogers, who's been both in the minority and majority back and forth over the years.

So they will they'll have to navigate all of that.

All right.

Wrapping up histime in Washington, Lucas, Congressman Thomas Massie attempted the impeachment this week of the defense secretary, Pete Hegseth.

>> Yeah, he fell short on this one.

Epstein Files Transparency Act, where eventually it was nearly unanimous.

I think some Democrats skipping the vote this time was the issue for him because therewere 11 votes who didn't make it, who probably would have helped him get it over the edge.

But, you know, there was a time when some Republicans indicated they might join with him.

I think Representative Comer at least said he had some reservations about Hegseth or had been hearing them.

So which was an interesting break from Trump or a semi break.

So, you know, I think Democrats have said they might bring it back when they retake Congress or when 2027 reconvenes.

So probably store is not finished.

>> And he has anotherbill.

He's trying to get considered now.

>> Yeah.

The Epstein Files Transparency Act two, I believe.

I think it would allow more transparency victims and their attorneys, if I'm not mistaken, to get more access to unredacted files.

>> All right.

One who isnot going to Washington, but may have benefited from the election,governor Andy Beshear has been chairing the Democratic Governors Association.

And Democrats, of course, did post those big gains.

McKenna Beshear is now suggesting that Democrats have really expanded the map nationwide and that there will be more the elections, including the 2028 presidential race, that he could be interested in.

>> Right?

Yes.

Beshear, who was the head of the DGA, as we were talking about earlier, he pointed to that now 30 governorships across the nation are in Democratic control.

So if elector if when it comes election time, a Democratic nominee on the presidential side can build upon that it would definitely be a very big margin for Democrats in 28 if they can keep it up.

But, you know, I mean, I think a big opportunityis Texas for Democrats because we didn't just see the governorship Senate races there flip Blue, but they had a lot of down ballot races across the state, flippedthere as well.

So it will be interesting tosee if they can keep that momentum there in as well.

But if California and Texas both go to Democrats with those electoral votes, it's pretty easy path to the presidency.

>> I think that's something Beshearcan build on, too, as the DGA chair.

You know, he was going to these states campaigning.

He was making friends out there.

You would presume he was making inroads with people.

And when you're running a 50 state campaign like he may have indicated he's interested in, it's good to have allies >> Do anythingon a timetable for Beshear.

>> Not.

>> For a decision.

We'll say.

>> You know, I think probably earlier suits him better to get his name out there right now.

Democrats are essentially running a victory lap after the midterms.

Perhaps it makes the most sense for him toto capitalize onthat now.

So people remember his name, remember his position with the Governor's then when it comes time to go to the ballot box.

Check the last name that starts with B.

>> And he repeatedly said that it would be after his term is up as DGA chair.

So I don't.

>> Know, next month.

>> Okay.

You know that.

So we'll be watching now with the midterms in the rear view mirror.

Now Kentucky's off year statewide elections are coming into view.

And we have all heard that James Comer, the congressman of the first district, is likely to run on the Republican side for governor.

And obviously, some have made someefforts to clear the field.

For him.

Anybody hearing a timetable on on his decision?

>> Well, Representative Guthrie said the day before Election Day, hethought he'd be coming at the end of that week, and we're a week from that date now.

So we're kind of all waiting with bated breath.

But filing deadline is first week January.

SoI think, you know, sometime could be next week, could be next month.

>> And on the Democratic side, Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman continues extensive travels across the state.

In fact, her state vehicle apparently struck a deer or was struck by a deer driven by a state trooper on their way back from Bowling Green.

One of the many trips that she's made recently.

So that's a different hazard out she certainly is going around the state a lot.

>> Yes.

And, you know, this is a time, I think, when people are tuned into elections right after last week or last earlier this month.

So people are already thinking ahead to 27, looking at donors, possible donors, how to get votes and things like that.

And we're really not even that far from the primary.

It's in May.

So only really a fewmonths to sway things in a candidate's favor.

>> I point out the filing deadline is early January, so it's weeks.

>> Away if you want in the race.

You got to.

>> I mean, we're getting close.

Mason you.

>> Know, with the every day we get closer and closer.

And, you know, I thinkthat that's when you really see the folks who might give us a lastminute surprise jump in sometimes even on that filing deadline date itself could throw another wrench in this off year election.

>> And in that Democratic primary, former long term lawmaker Rocky Adkins, who was governor Beshear's senior adviser, also out there campaigninghard, appearing everywhere, almost seems like any event, you you go, you see him and raising lots of money so that we're watching Rocky Adkins moves as well.

>> Lots of money.

It's a big number.

So yeah, he is like you said, he's at all these events.

Coleman you see her out and about too.

So yeah they are both hot on the campaign trail.

And now they can kind of move on from supporting these 2026 midterm candidates likethey've been doing whilejuggling their own campaigns and really zero in on the governor's race.

So that primary is, you know, expect that one to >> Anybody here?

Go ahead.

>> McKayla Adkins was at demos election night watch party, which became a victory party, but spoke to reporters before those results even came in spoke very favorably of Dembo.

So that's an interesting dynamic there.

>> Because Beshear campaigned extensively for Dembo.

>> That'strue.

Yes.

And Beshear also came out with Dembo later that night after the results were Coleman, I think, was at the Louisville Democratic Watch party that evening.

>> All right.Anybody hearing anything about running mates?

I know they're not requiredto do that anymore, but it might be of a potential political advantage to a candidate or two to name someone.

>> Yeah.

And it's an interesting conversation.

You know,comer has such assuming he jumps in.

Comer has such a wide field of, you know, networking among Republicansjust from his 20 plus years.

So it's who he goes with.

He has a lot of options there.

JacquelineColeman has been on the campaign trail a bunch with AfL-CIO President Dustin Reinstatler.

Nothing official there.His name has been thrownaround.

And then Rocky is an interesting conversation too, because, you know, does he try to find someone who's kind of a demographic contrast to him?

You know, maybe someone city where he did not perform well in 2019, or someone who can help easeconcerns about some of his older anti-abortion stances, which he'swalked back some he's pro exceptions now, but he's he's got an interesting choice himself and how that can define the ticket.

>> The other open office in Frankfort next yearwill be Secretary of state, because Michael Adams is term limited, the headed for a crowded primary.

We were trying to countthose up here just before air time.

>> Right.

Looks like we're up.

I think 2 to 4 people according to state election filings, some bignames there.

One of those being the formerauditor Mike.

Mike Harmon, who's thrown his hat in the ring.

Other folks of those four have started to raise some serious dollars.

So wow, this is going interesting one to succeed Michael Adams.

>> And Lucas, you had an interesting mention inyour reporting.

>> I talked to a state representative,NickWilson, a couple of months ago, and he said that he was focused on his own reelection at the time he was runningunopposed.So that helps.

But he he had been encouraged bysome people to look into running for Secretary of state.

He hasn't made anything official it's something he said he's considering.

So it's an interesting field already with Brad Holsclaw, the son of longtime Jefferson County Clerk Bobbie Holsclaw, and then Jack Whitfield, who has raised a bunch of money, has aPAC behind him and has some ties in D.C.

hewas a clerk for Comer's House Oversight Committee, and his father in law is senator elect in Alabama, Barry Moore.

So he's it's they're solid candidates, you know, and everybody knowsMike Harmon.

He's beenaround for a while.

So that'll be a fun race.

>> It will.

We'll see what happens.

All right.

There's one race from Election day.

McKenna that is still not settled.

And that's for the mayor of Morehead.There may be more than that.

I think there are.

But right now the former mayor, Jim Tom Trent, leads a write in challenger Edna Shack by just one vote.

So what's happening there?

>> Yes, I think there may be some kind of legal battle that might be brewing out there.

It sounds like another recount.

Or now, after the recanvass, a recount is on the way that comesout of the candidate's pocket to be paid for.

So we'll see what happens.

We saw a lot of close races, though, this year around the state in Ashland, I think a seat on the city council there was by it was broken by a coin toss because the candidates tied.

So one candidate, she said she askedher son.

What do I pick?

And he said, heads.

And that got her the seat.

Even after a recount.

Recanvass there.

So it's definitely interesting.

>> Automatic recount in Louisville in one race, right?

>> Yeah.

One of the state House races there in far eastern Jefferson County.

The margin between Democratic challenger, 100 votes, that's less than half a percentage point between the two state law from a few years ago was Past triggers an automatic recount.

So nobody has to ask for thatto happen.

That will happen on Monday.

Talk to the clerk.

This week.

Goes back to the old adage,you know, every votecounts.

And these examples really exemplify that.

>> Well.

The run up to the legislative session is underway.

Andthis week, leaders were chosen in both chambers by both parties.

I think with the exception of the Democrats in theSenate.

But the new House majority whip for the 2027 session will be State Representative JoshBray.

He talked about his new role.

>> Threw myhat in the ring at the end of the day.

And you know, the caucus, you have to be elected by the caucus and received a majority of those votes.

And here we been really fortunate over the past, you know, out of the six years I've been in the General Assembly, I've spent three as the vice chair of appropriations and revenue.

Wright I've spent a lot of times, a lot of time withour members to get their priorities through the budgeting process, to get to know them,get to know their district, been very fortunatein that role.

And this is kind of an extension of that.

>> Bray replaces the the whip, right?

>> Yes, yes.

Nemes lost reelection.

>> And so he's also the one Berea Past the data center bill in the House last year.

It did not make it through the Senate.

So he's he speaks on that issue somewhat eloquently.

I had him on our program and and interviewed him about that.

>> Imagine data centers will be atalking point in 2027, too.

I don't think they're anywhere.So but yeah, no, the some interesting election results, especially losing Nemes, who was a very influential Republican in the House, and Senator Julie Raque Adams, there were some significant Louisville losses.

>> And that that could matter, right?

When it comes totrying to get projects.

>> It very wellcould between Nemes and Julie Raque Adams over in the Senate, these are people that had a lot of influence, especially when it comes a freshman legislators from the minority party in those seats.

Now, time will tell if that impacts how much impact and influence that will have on the dollars, particularly that one time spending that comes out of the reserve trust fund that Louisville gets.

>> Robert Stivers will continue to be Senate president.

They essentiallyreelected their slate.

>> Yes.

There was no change in leadership Stivers said that in this new term, he will continue to intend to bring the same commitment to these next two years that he'sbrought in the past.

>> House Democrats are still a distinct minority, but they'll have seven moreseats and Lindsey Burke will lead the Democrats there.

>> Yes.

So she will become the floor leader.

That's after Pamela Stephenson, the floor leader.

She ran for Senate.So she did not run for this seat again.

So Burke moves up.

Joshua Watkins is now the caucus chair.

And Erica Hancock is joining leadership for the Democrats as the whip.

>> This week, the Kentucky chapterof the League of Women Voters published a transparency report on thestate legislature, andthey highlighted whatthey consider to be a couple of areas of improvement.

stillhave some complaints.

>> Yes.

So they did note this year they found some some improvements.

They've been tracking legislative transparency since about 23.

But they said this past session had less surprise meetings, down from 47 in 20 4 to 28 this year.

They also found that most meetings were held at scheduled times, Moore legislative journals, whichis all of the records and votes and things like that.

More of those were published this year.

But they still had concerns about fast tracking bills, which is when legislation moves through being introduced to getting a floor vote very quickly.

They said about 20% of all bills that became law in both the House and Senate had some kind of fast tracking.

>> Theyhad complaints about shale bills as well.

>> Those.That's kind of a through says it will do 1 to 2 things.

And then somehow later on it does 50 to 60 different things.

One of the big transparency areas, particularly this year, now that lawmakers are in a temporary capital capital, much of the budgetary talks at the very end of session where really things get sorted out, didn't happen in front of areas that the public could watch.

They big part of that is just space, a function of space, not a lot of room in this temporary building to get that all done.

>> There's a study by the Kentucky Chamber ofCommerce and the Kentucky Home that shows how much the state's housing shortage is really costing.

And it says lack of housing has cost $3.7 billion and nearly 33,000 jobs over the last 17 years.

feeling the chamber wants a lot of attention on this.

>> Yeah.

And you've heard other lawmakers talk about this, too, really on both sides of the aisle, how changes are needed in housing.

I think the chamber kind of wants to cut back on some building red tape, reduce barriers for things like parking limits, building mixed use spaces.

You know, some of these commercial and residential combos.

about this before.

You know, it's something that we've talked about, they'vetalked about in the legislature in the past.

So it's another one that I think you can expect some action on here in about a month and a half.

>> Kentucky homeownership has fallen from over 60% to under 58% overthe last generation or so, as Kentucky's measles cases have continued to climb.

Governor Beshear sent a letter to President Trump asking him to remove Robert F Kennedy Jr as Services Secretary.

The governor expressed his frustration this week.

>> Under RFK Jr.

Our nation has experienced a series of dangerous and preventable foodborne illnesses.

There have been spikes in infectious diseases.

I mean,we're losing people to measles, something that had been eradicated from the United States with one of the most effective and most tested and used vaccines in human history.

We have more cases of measles this year in Kentucky than thelast 35 years combined.

>> All right.Some tough talk from the governor toward the administration.

>> Yes.

At that note about how many cases the state has that he just mentioned, Kentucky, as of Thursday, had about more than 200 cases.

So definitely a spike here in Kentucky.

>> Mason the Mid City Mall in Louisville is going to become themid city market Louisville.

A big project there.

>> Demolition should start by January.

The Publix and the library and other retail space will open by 2028.

Big change to that part of the Highlands in Louisville.

>> And then the MuhammadAli Center getting a new look.

And they havehired some folks to guide thatalong.

>> Still pretty fresh.

They're waiting on some details about what that's allgoing to shape out to look like, but it's going to look amazing.

>> All right.

Well, despite coal productionticking up slightly, the number of coal mining jobs in Kentucky continues to shrink.

W e KU reported there are now fewer than 3000 coal jobs statewide.

It represents a 14% drop since the summer of 2025.

Eastern Kentucky saw the biggest drop at more than 20% over the year, leaving just over 1800 coal jobs in the region.

The Capital Plaza Hotel in undergoing a major renovation, Franklin Devco LLC redoing the 163 room hotel that has long served lawmakers, tourists and others visiting the state capitol.

The plan calls for a grand ballroom, other meeting space and two restaurants.

They plan to stay open and then have it all redone in 2027.

They had their bigtree lighting in Frankfortthis week aswell.

By the way, that's common Kentucky.

Have a good week ahead.