1984 United States Senate election in Kentucky

Candidates • Walter Dee Huddleston, incumbent U.S. Senator Results Huddleston was unopposed in the Democratic Party's primary. Governor John Y. Brown Jr. filed to run in March 1984, but withdrew for health reasons a few weeks later. ==Republican primary==

Candidates • Mitch McConnell, Jefferson County Executive • Roger Harker • Tommy Klein, perennial candidate • Thurman Jerome Hamlin, perennial candidate Results ==General election==

Candidates • Walter Dee Huddleston (D), incumbent U.S. Senator • Mitch McConnell (R), Jefferson County Executive • Dave Welters (SW) Fundraising Campaign Huddleston led in polling up until 2 months to election day against McConnell by as much as 40 points. McConnell attacked Huddleston for missed votes to make paid speeches in Congress, using television advertisements of bloodhounds trying to track down the Democratic Senator. Huddleston's 94% voting record was largely ignored. McConnell hired Roger Ailes for his campaign, a move he later called "one of the smartest moves I've ever made." Kentucky was a Democratic-leaning state up until McConnell's victory in 1984, though Ronald Reagan also carried the state. McConnell would serve with Democrat Wendell Ford until 1999, and served with Republicans thereafter. He later would become Senate Majority Leader. Results == See also ==