Top Democrats have their eyes on Kentucky this week.
The Democratic National Committee is launching its first National Voter Registration Week of Action to register new voters in the Bluegrass State over the next few days. The DNC has also unveiled its “Organizing and Political Playbook” ahead of midterm elections this year.
The events will include voter registration blitzes at the University of Kentucky and Morehead State University and aim to close the party’s voter registration gaps in the state.
The DNC said in a press release that the efforts build on efforts of Chair Ken Martin to modernize the party’s approach to organizing.
“At the DNC, our motto is when you organize everywhere, we can win anywhere, including in Kentucky. We’re putting that belief into action as we invest in on-the-ground organizing that prioritizes listening to Kentucky voters and earning their support,” Martin said in the press release. “Democrats have won tough races up and down the ballot through aggressive, innovative organizing and clear communication — and we’re thrilled to continue building on that momentum with this new playbook as we level up our organizing in Kentucky to meet the moment, starting with our upcoming Voter Registration Week of Action.”
Martin told Kentucky Democrats last summer at their annual statewide dinner that the DNC must not give up on “red states” or rural America.
Republicans overtook Democrats in the state’s number of registered voters in 2022.
In Kentucky, Gov. Andy Beshear and Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman have been the only Democrats elected statewide since 2019. All but one of the eight Kentuckians in the U.S. Congress are Republicans, and the GOP holds a supermajority in both chambers of the state legislature.
As part of the week of action, the DNC will be holding its first voter registration drive on Morehead State’s campus, a DNC official said. Though most registered voters in the area surrounding the campus, Rowan County, are Democrats, the county voted for President Donald Trump in the last three presidential elections. The DNC will hold more weeks of action throughout the 2026 election cycle.
The new playbook encourages party staffers and organizers to connect on a personal level with their neighbors in order to bring them into the Democrats’ fold.
This year, Kentucky has several races on the ballot, including seats in the U.S. Senate, U.S. House and state legislature.