Tagged: 2012 Elections

A published report says three agencies are investigating allegations that a former state official pressured workers to contribute to the re-election campaign of Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear. The Courier-Journal reports the FBI, the state attorney general's office and the Kentucky Executive Branch Ethics Commission have interviewed current or former employees of the Department of Juvenile Justice about calls made in 2010 by former deputy secretary Charles Geveden.

Kentucky Democrats successfully defended their control of the state House -- but they're now stranded on a political island. It appears that Republicans will take control of the Arkansas House of Representatives, leaving Kentucky as the only southern state with a Democratic-controlled House.

A longtime member of the Kentucky Senate and a political newcomer running for the state House aren't conceding after Tuesday's election results showed them trailing their opponents by slim margins. Democratic Sen. Joey Pendleton of Hopkinsville said Wednesday he will request a recanvass of votes. He trailed Republican challenger Whitney Westerfield by 297 votes out of 36,617 cast.

Anti-gambling forces were heartened by an election that ousted a handful of legislative incumbents who had voted for failed casino and slots bills in recent years.