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Kentucky's 2nd Congressional District election, 2020

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2022
2018
Kentucky's 2nd Congressional District
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Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: January 10, 2020
Primary: June 23, 2020
General: November 3, 2020

Pre-election incumbent:
Brett Guthrie (Republican)
How to vote
Poll times: 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Voting in Kentucky
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Solid Republican
Inside Elections: Solid Republican
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Safe Republican
Ballotpedia analysis
U.S. Senate battlegrounds
U.S. House battlegrounds
Federal and state primary competitiveness
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2020
See also
Kentucky's 2nd Congressional District
U.S. Senate1st2nd3rd4th5th6th
Kentucky elections, 2020
U.S. Congress elections, 2020
U.S. Senate elections, 2020
U.S. House elections, 2020

All U.S. congressional districts, including the 2nd Congressional District of Kentucky, held elections in 2020.

Incumbent Brett Guthrie won election in the general election for U.S. House Kentucky District 2.

Candidate filing deadline Primary election General election
January 10, 2020
June 23, 2020
November 3, 2020


Heading into the election the incumbent was Republican Brett Guthrie, who was first elected in 2008. The race was one of 56 U.S. House rematches from 2018.


Kentucky's 2nd Congressional District is located in west central Kentucky and includes Barren, Boyle, Breckinridge, Bullitt, Butler, Daviess, Edmonson, Garrard, Grayson, Green, Hancock, Hardin, Hart, Larue, Meade, Mercer, Nelson, and Warren counties. Portions of Jessamine, Spencer, and Washington counties also lie within the district.[1]

Post-election analysis

The table below compares the vote totals in the 2020 presidential election and 2020 U.S. House election for this district. The presidential election data was compiled by Daily Kos.

Presidential and congressional election results, Kentucky's 2nd Congressional District, 2020
Race Presidential U.S. House
Democratic candidate Democratic Party 30.6 26.3
Republican candidate Republican Party 67.6 71
Difference 37 44.7

Election procedure changes in 2020

See also: Changes to election dates, procedures, and administration in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

Ballotpedia provided comprehensive coverage of how election dates and procedures changed in 2020. While the majority of changes occurred as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, some changes occurred for other reasons.

Kentucky modified its absentee/mail-in voting procedures for the November 3, 2020, general election as follows:

  • Absentee/mail-in voting: Absentee/mail-in voting eligibility was extended to all voters "concerned with contracting or spreading COVID-19."

For a full timeline about election modifications made in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, click here.

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Candidates and election results

General election

General election for U.S. House Kentucky District 2

Incumbent Brett Guthrie defeated Hank Linderman, Robert Lee Perry, Lewis Carter, and Poet Tribble in the general election for U.S. House Kentucky District 2 on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Brett Guthrie
Brett Guthrie (R)
 
71.0
 
255,735
Image of Hank Linderman
Hank Linderman (D)
 
26.3
 
94,643
Image of Robert Lee Perry
Robert Lee Perry (L) Candidate Connection
 
2.1
 
7,588
Image of Lewis Carter
Lewis Carter (Populist Party) Candidate Connection
 
0.7
 
2,431
Poet Tribble (Unaffiliated) (Write-in)
 
0.0
 
2

Total votes: 360,399
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

The Democratic primary election was canceled. Hank Linderman advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House Kentucky District 2.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Kentucky District 2

Incumbent Brett Guthrie defeated Kathleen Free in the Republican primary for U.S. House Kentucky District 2 on June 23, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Brett Guthrie
Brett Guthrie
 
88.6
 
65,313
Kathleen Free
 
11.4
 
8,380

Total votes: 73,693
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Libertarian convention

Libertarian convention for U.S. House Kentucky District 2

Robert Lee Perry advanced from the Libertarian convention for U.S. House Kentucky District 2 on March 7, 2020.

Candidate
Image of Robert Lee Perry
Robert Lee Perry (L) Candidate Connection

Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Pivot Counties

See also: Pivot Counties by state

One of 120 Kentucky counties—0.83 percent—is a pivot county. Pivot counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 pivot counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008
County Trump margin of victory in 2016 Obama margin of victory in 2012 Obama margin of victory in 2008
Elliott County, Kentucky 44.13% 2.50% 25.17%

In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won Kentucky with 62.5 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 32.7 percent. In presidential elections between 1792 and 2016, Kentucky voted Democratic 45.6 percent of the time and Republican 26.3 percent of the time. In the five presidential elections between 2000 and 2016, Kentucky voted Republican all five times.[2]

Presidential results by legislative district

The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Kentucky. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[3][4]

In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 18 out of 100 state House districts in Kentucky with an average margin of victory of 24.5 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 18 out of 100 state House districts in Kentucky with an average margin of victory of 25 points. Clinton won one district controlled by a Republican heading into the 2018 elections.
In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 82 out of 100 state House districts in Kentucky with an average margin of victory of 32.8 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 82 out of 100 state House districts in Kentucky with an average margin of victory of 42 points. Trump won 20 districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections.

District analysis

See also: The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index
See also: FiveThirtyEight's elasticity scores

The 2017 Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was R+19, meaning that in the previous two presidential elections, this district's results were 19 percentage points more Republican than the national average. This made Kentucky's 2nd Congressional District the 43rd most Republican nationally.[5]

FiveThirtyEight's September 2018 elasticity score for states and congressional districts measured "how sensitive it is to changes in the national political environment." This district's elasticity score was 0.91. This means that for every 1 point the national political mood moved toward a party, the district was expected to move 0.91 points toward that party.[6]

Race ratings

See also: Race rating definitions and methods

Ballotpedia provides race ratings from four outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and DDHQ/The Hill. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:

  • Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
  • Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
  • Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.[7]
  • Toss-up ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.

Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.[8][9][10]

Race ratings: Kentucky's 2nd Congressional District election, 2020
Race trackerRace ratings
November 3, 2020October 27, 2020October 20, 2020October 13, 2020
The Cook Political ReportSolid RepublicanSolid RepublicanSolid RepublicanSolid Republican
Inside Elections with Nathan L. GonzalesSolid RepublicanSolid RepublicanSolid RepublicanSolid Republican
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal BallSafe RepublicanSafe RepublicanSafe RepublicanSafe Republican
Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every week throughout the election season.

Candidate ballot access

The table below details filing requirements for 2nd Congressional District candidates in Kentucky in the 2020 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Kentucky, click here.

Filing requirements, 2020
State Office Party Signatures required Signature formula Filing fee Filing fee formula Filing deadline Source
Kentucky 2nd Congressional District All parties 2 Fixed number $500.00 Fixed number 1/28/2020 Source
Kentucky 2nd Congressional District Unaffiliated 400 Fixed number $500.00 Fixed number 6/2/2020 Source

District election history

2018

See also: Kentucky's 2nd Congressional District election, 2018

General election

General election for U.S. House Kentucky District 2

Incumbent Brett Guthrie defeated Hank Linderman and Thomas Loecken in the general election for U.S. House Kentucky District 2 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Brett Guthrie
Brett Guthrie (R)
 
66.7
 
171,700
Image of Hank Linderman
Hank Linderman (D) Candidate Connection
 
31.1
 
79,964
Thomas Loecken (Independent)
 
2.2
 
5,681

Total votes: 257,345
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Kentucky District 2

Hank Linderman defeated Brian Pedigo, Rane Eir Olivia Sessions, and Grant Short in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Kentucky District 2 on May 22, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Hank Linderman
Hank Linderman Candidate Connection
 
30.0
 
14,517
Image of Brian Pedigo
Brian Pedigo
 
28.7
 
13,866
Image of Rane Eir Olivia Sessions
Rane Eir Olivia Sessions
 
21.7
 
10,501
Image of Grant Short
Grant Short
 
19.6
 
9,470

Total votes: 48,354
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Kentucky District 2

Incumbent Brett Guthrie advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House Kentucky District 2 on May 22, 2018.

Candidate
Image of Brett Guthrie
Brett Guthrie

Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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2016

See also: Kentucky's 2nd Congressional District election, 2016

Heading into the election, Ballotpedia rated this race as safely Republican. Incumbent Brett Guthrie (R) won re-election to his fifth term in 2016. He faced no general election challenger and was unopposed in the primary as well. The primary elections took place on May 17, 2016. The general election took place on November 8, 2016.[11][12]

U.S. House, Kentucky District 2 General Election, 2016
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngBrett Guthrie Incumbent 100% 251,825
Total Votes 251,825
Source: Kentucky Secretary of State

2014

See also: Kentucky's 2nd Congressional District elections, 2014

The 2nd Congressional District of Kentucky held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 4, 2014. Brett Guthrie (R) defeated Ron Leach (D) in the general election.

U.S. House, Kentucky District 2 General Election, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngBrett Guthrie Incumbent 69.2% 156,936
     Democratic Ron Leach 30.8% 69,898
Total Votes 226,834
Source: Kentucky Secretary of State

See also

External links

Footnotes


Senators
Representatives
District 1
District 2
District 3
District 4
District 5
District 6
Andy Barr (R)
Republican Party (7)
Democratic Party (1)