Kentucky State Sen. Robin Webb has switched her party from Democrat to Republican. It is a tough hit for the Democratic Party in the state, as Webb is from a rural area of Kentucky, which has been a stronghold for the blue party because of its union ties and coal-mining industry.
“First and foremost, I’m a mother, a rancher, and a lawyer with
deep personal and professional roots in Kentucky’s coal country,” the former Democrat said. “As the Democratic Party continues its lurch to the left and its hyperfocus on policies that hurt the workforce and economic development in my region, I no longer feel it represents my values.”
“It has become untenable and counterproductive to the best interests of my constituents for me to remain a Democrat,” she said. “While it’s cliché, it’s true: I didn’t leave the party — the party left me.”
Robert Benvenuti, Chairman of the Republican Party of Kentucky, celebrated the news.
“Like countless other Kentuckians, [Webb] has recognized that the policies and objectives of today’s Democratic Party are simply not what they once were, and do not align with the vast majority of Kentuckians,” he said.
“I always respected that [Webb] approached issues in a very thoughtful and commonsense manner, and that she never failed to keenly focus on what was best for her constituents,” he said. “It is my pleasure to welcome Sen. Robin Webb to the Republican Party.”
But the state’s Democratic Party lashed out at Webb, saying that she is “not a Democrat,” which may not be the burn they think it is.
“Senator Webb has chosen to join a political party that is currently working around the clock to take health care away from over a million Kentuckians, wipe out our rural hospitals, take food off the table of Kentucky families, and take resources away from our public schools,” Kentucky Democratic Party Chair Colmon Elridge said to Fox News Digital. “If those are her priorities, then we agree: she isn’t a Democrat.”
Virginia, a state near Kentucky, made election news after voters approved a congressional redistricting map that is now facing an immediate legal challenge because a judge blocked certification of the results just one day after the referendum passed.
The ruling has thrown the state’s midterm election plans into uncertainty as both parties brace for a prolonged court fight.
Tazewell County Circuit Court Judge Jack Hurley issued an order Wednesday preventing state officials from certifying Tuesday’s vote, citing multiple legal concerns.
He said state lawmakers failed to follow proper procedures in placing the
referendum on the ballot and described the language presented to voters as “flagrantly misleading,” he wrote, CNN reported.
Hurley’s ruling also bars election officials from implementing the newly approved congressional districts. That means no changes can be made to district boundaries unless a higher court intervenes and overturns his decision.
The referendum had been seen as a major victory for Democrats, who are seeking to gain ground in the U.S. House in the upcoming midterm elections. The approved map would give Democrats an advantage in 10 of Virginia’s 11 congressional districts, significantly reshaping the political landscape in the state.
The legal battle was already underway before voters cast their ballots. The Virginia Supreme Court had previously stepped in to pause an earlier ruling from Hurley, allowing the referendum to proceed while the justices considered the broader legal questions, the court said.
That case is still pending, leaving the fate of the newly approved map uncertain. The high court is now expected to play a decisive role in determining whether the referendum results can stand.
State election officials are now reviewing the impact of the court order on the certification process. “We are aware of the ruling and are in the process of reviewing its impact on the State Board Certification,” said Andrea Gaines, a spokesperson for the Virginia Department of Elections.
Opponents of the map have argued that the process used to bring the referendum forward was flawed and that voters were not given a clear understanding of its implications. Those concerns were echoed in Hurley’s ruling, which focused heavily on procedural issues and the wording of the ballot question.
For now, Virginia’s congressional map remains in limbo as the legal process moves forward.
With the midterm elections approaching, the timeline for a final resolution could have significant consequences for candidates, campaigns, and control of Congress.
