The last role Democrat in the Kentucky State Senate has switched from blue to red, and in doing so, added to the supermajority in the upper chamber.

Senator Robin Webb of Carter County, who represents the 18th district, made headlines Friday when she announced she was becoming a Republican.

I sat down with Senator Webb here in our studios today to find out the thinking behind and timing of her decision.

Why make the switch?

Why now?

Well, preface it again to say, you know, for ten years I was in the House representing Cardin, Louis County, which was a Republican registration district.

I was a Republican when I first registered to vote and switched when I went into the mining industry as coal miner and for, for a lot of reasons back then that that fit my ideology.

And, since and I've been, you know, very happy, during my tenure in both chambers and, and been treated very well and the majority and the minority.

Now give me wrong.

But, the timing, the timing immediately was that, you know, I'm technically in cycle for my next race.

I felt like to be transparent and proceed into the interim and the next session with the filing deadline and all that, that I needed to be transparent with my constituents and and do it now.

And and what really, it's been on several things through the years and several shifts and the fact that I've been the only rural, state senator, for a few years now.

And then even before that, there was maybe three at the most there for a while or so.

But it's been, a struggle on some issues for me in the representation of my district as well as my personal beliefs, to, and if you see my I've got a pretty consistent voting record for the last, quarter of century plus, but, and that's not going to change.

You know, I'm still the same issues, same priorities.

But, I've been kind of hard to categorize, I guess, through the years.

And I think that's okay.

So when you say in the statement that you released at the end of last week that the no longer does the Democratic Party represent your values as essentially the Democratic Party left you before you left the Democratic Party.

What is it?

What was the pivot point?

What issue or set of issues made you think?

This is not where I need to be since that's a cliche, not a no.

I think Ronald Reagan rather said that first, but, my history, doesn't fail me.

But just through the years, I'm focused a lot on the budget, which that's what I like to do.

I like policy.

I don't necessarily like politics.

Probably the least partizan person in the room at any given time through the years.

So you watch, and I've stated this in another interview, you know, from, the energy sector.

I'm in the coal industry.

Yeah, I'm a little biased.

That's what I chose to do.

And it's pretty much gone now.

So.

And from coal miner to general counsel, the fourth largest corporation in America that was based in my district, employed a lot of people.

River rail.

We've lost all that steel.

And, and I believe in a diversified portfolio, don't get me wrong.

But that energy policy, I guess, was the beginning for me.

Then you look at maybe agriculture.

You look at the attack on, cattle for I'm a rancher, recreationally use, ex-wives and owning clients and levy clients.

But you look at the the shift in policy and law and agenda, if you will, that's been endorsed, especially at the national level.

But it's trickled down here now, to to make it hard on those of us who produce meat and who utilize animals and own animals, or just a couple of things and go back to the energy sector, you know, that's had an economic development impact on all of Kentucky and West Kentucky, too.

I was talking to somebody from Kentucky today, four generations of coal miners in their family, you know, that's not there anymore.

So, those are just a few things.

And then there's social issues and, you know, I'm a Southern Baptist and, and, and I have tried to display my faith and Michael on my faith, and, and I was a former female athlete.

My daughter played college ball midway.

And it's like, you know, women's sports issues and those kind of things.

And you look at my voting record and you see where I am.

So, those are just a few of the things.

Renee.

Well, and over the weekend, of course, there's been a lot of reaction to your decision, and we've heard everything from, well, she was only a Democrat in name only anyway.

But as has been said by your former Democratic colleagues, the Democrats in the Senate vote with the Republican and 90 something percent of the time, right on the big issues that you just described, the budget, the things that some people would say mattered the most, the cultural issues.

Of course, we know there was going to be some division.

So considering that you do have an independent streak, why does it even matter which party and why choose the Republicans?

Now?

I've tried for several years to be a rural voice to to explain, about the impacts of policy on, on rural America in rural Kentucky, especially the East Kentucky.

I have tried to be a team player in some regard because, you know, that's what, I've always tried to do.

And it's, probably falling on deaf ears.

With Webb switched to the Republican Party, there are now 32 Republicans in the state Senate, and just six Democrats.

And all six of those Democrats represent the Louisville and Lexington areas.

Tomorrow night, Senator Webb answers accusations that she's deceived and betrayed her former Democratic supporters and contributors.

More on that tomorrow night.

In the meantime, Senator Gerald Neal, the Senate minority leader, put out a statement over the weekend about Senator Webb's decision to switch parties, quote, Senator Webb's decision to change parties will not change the course and diligence with which the Democratic caucus has and will continue to operate.

The Democratic caucus remains committed to working to bring Kentucky a brighter future by fully funding public education, protecting workers rights, and fighting for the well-being of Kentucky's families, end quote.