Republican Party of Kentucky

Emergence and relevancy Cassius Marcellus Clay and John Gregg Fee organized the Republicans in Madison County, Kentucky. Clay was selected as Kentucky's member of the Republican National Committee. After the times of the Solid South, Kentucky has a unique Republican history. Although it is a traditionally Democratic Southern state, the Republican Party of Kentucky became more relevant in Kentucky political affairs around the 1940s and 1950s. Although candidates in presidential and congressional races began to fare well and see success in elections around this time, it did not translate to much success on the state and local levels. Despite receiving measurable numbers of votes and being competitive in elections, many of the candidates for gubernatorial and legislative races consistently failed to get elected into office. Struggles Despite becoming consistently competitive in state elections, the party's strength in the 1970s and 1980s was comparable to that of the 1930s and 1940s. Between the time of the emergence of the Republican Party of Kentucky and the 1980s, the only Republican governor elected to office was Louie B. Nunn in 1967. This is considered one of the few high points for the party. Problems within the party organization contributed greatly to these struggles. Part of it is due to the turnover at the state party chairman position throughout the 1970s, which hindered any consistency and progress within the party organization. While in the 1980s, however, much of the difficulties for the party came from trying to get good candidates to run for office. ==Party organization==

The Republican Party of Kentucky is organized hierarchically with three levels of authority. The top authority comes from the registered Republicans in Kentucky when the State Convention is in session. However, since the convention is often out of session, there are two lower levels of main authority. The Republican State Central Committee (RSCC) has full control of party operations when State Convention is not in session, while the executive committee within the RSCC controls operations when the RSCC is not in session. Republican State Central Committee The Republican Party of Kentucky's main authority when not assembled in State Convention is the Republican State Central Committee. The RSCC is responsible for a number of activities and operations involving the party on the state and local levels and is required to meet twice per year through established rules. Some of the operations include controlling of funds, creating committees, and promoting campaigns on all levels. The RSCC meets within twenty days of the Republican State Convention to elect certain officers, while some other officers in turn are appointed by the elected officers. For example, the State Chairman is elected by the RSCC, who in turn appoints a Treasurer of his or her choosing. Executive committee While the RSCC is not in session, the responsibilities for party organization are delegated to the executive committee, which consists of 56 members and is required through established rules to meet four times a year. Most of the power in the executive committee resides in six high-ranking members, which are the State Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, National Committeewoman, and National Committeeman. Current officers • Robert J. Benvenuti III, State Chairman • DeAnna Brangers, Vice Chairman • Karen Kelly, Secretary • Cathy Bell, Treasurer • KC Crosbie, National Committeewoman • John T. McCarthy III, National Committeeman ==Current elected officials==

The Kentucky Republican Party controls five of the seven statewide offices and holds supermajorities in both chambers of the Kentucky General Assembly. Republicans also hold both of the state's U.S. Senate seats and five of the six U.S. House seats. Members of U.S. Congress U.S. Senate Republicans have controlled both of Kentucky's seats in the U.S. Senate since 1998: File:Mitch McConnell portrait 2016.jpg|Senior U.S. Senator File:Rand Paul, official portrait, 112th Congress alternate (cropped).jpg|Junior U.S. Senator U.S. House of Representatives Out of the 6 seats Kentucky is apportioned in the U.S. House of Representatives, 5 are held by Republicans: Statewide office Republicans control five of the seven elected statewide offices: Kentucky General Assembly The Republican Party of Kentucky has held a supermajority in both chambers of the Kentucky General Assembly since 2017. They currently hold 32 of the 38 seats in the Kentucky Senate as well as 80 out of 100 seats in the Kentucky House of Representatives. Kentucky Senate Republicans have maintained a majority in the Kentucky Senate since 1999, and a supermajority since 2013. Kentucky House Republicans have maintained both a majority and supermajority in the Kentucky House since 2017. It was the last legislative chamber in the American south with a Democratic majority. ==Electoral history==