Four Republican candidates took to the debate stage at the Henry Clay in Louisville Tuesday evening. Attorney General Daniel Cameron, Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles, State Auditor Mike Harmon, and Somerset Mayor Alan Keck stood at four separate podiums. Former U.N. Ambassador Kelly Craft declined to participate. Former NKY Attorney Eric Deters said he wasn’t invited. […]
Author Archives: Mark Payne
Mark Payne is the government and politics reporter for LINK nky. Email him at mpayne@linknky.com.
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Posted inFrankfort
First gubernatorial primary attack ad calls Daniel Cameron a ‘teddy bear’
The first attack ad for the 2023 gubernatorial race launched ahead of the first debate on Tuesday. A political action committee called Commonwealth PAC, which supports Republican candidate Kelly Craft, launched the first ad of the campaign season Monday, even though Craft won’t be participating in the first debate Tuesday evening. In the ad, the […]
Posted inFrankfort
House GOP split over whether to ban slot-style ‘gray’ machines
Despite having a supermajority in the Kentucky House, Republicans stalled on whether to pass a bill banning slot-style machines that are common throughout the Commonwealth’s gas stations and bars. House Bill 594 would ban “gray machines” — often referred to by supporters of the machines as “skill games” — throughout the state. The bill’s sponsor, […]
Posted inFrankfort
The Frankfort LINK: House passes bill to ban gender affirming care in kids
With tears in her eyes, northern Kentucky Rep. Kim Banta (R-Ft. Mitchell) said that she’s worked so hard to prevent conversion therapy in the LGBTQ community. Just moments after the House Judiciary Committee passed House Bill 470 — which would ban transition services for youth under 18 — Banta said she felt upset. […]
Posted inNews
Campbell County Republicans to vote on removal of chair, treasurer in April
During a special meeting of the Campbell County Republican Party Thursday night, committee members provided a 30-day notice of a vote to remove Chairman Anna Zinkhon and Treasurer Stephen Cunningham. On Feb. 23, Campbell County Republican Party precinct captain Virgil Manzione emailed all precinct captains for a special meeting to be held on March 2 […]
Posted inFrankfort
House passes bill to ban youth transgender services: ‘I’m really upset for families right now’
With tears in her eyes, northern Kentucky Rep. Kim Banta (R-Ft. Mitchell) said that she’s worked so hard to prevent conversion therapy in the LGBTQ community. Just moments after the House Judiciary Committee passed House Bill 470 — which would ban transition services for youth under 18 — Banta said she felt upset. “I’m really […]
Posted inFrankfort
Bill that cleared Senate committee Thursday ‘ill advised,’ ‘wrong-headed,’ local leaders say
Karen Berg recently lost her son to suicide. The Republican senator from Louisville spoke Thursday about how dangerous a bill aimed at preventing drag shows in public could be for people like her son. “I can tell you from my personal experience of the day I buried my child here in Kentucky, my proud trans […]
Posted inFrankfort
Change to juvenile justice bill would allow detainees access to mental health care
A juvenile justice bill cleared the House floor Tuesday, but only after an amendment added by a Northern Kentucky legislator was included — a key mental health component to the bill that will allow detained juveniles to access care while in custody. Rep. Kim Moser (R-Taylor Mill) added the amendment to House Bill 3, which […]
Posted inFrankfort
The Frankfort LINK: Sports betting revived in the legislature
Legal sports betting was resurrected in Kentucky’s statehouse after a legislator filed a bill on the final day for House bills to be introduced during the 2023 legislative session. Rep. Michael Meredith (R-Oakland) filed the bill, which he said is different from last year’s legislation. The new bill removes online poker and fantasy sports; instead, […]
Posted inFrankfort
State medical examiner office coming to NKY
The state medical examiner’s office plans to open a new office at Northern Kentucky University if the Board of Regents approves the agreement at a mid-March meeting. Speaking at the House Budget Review Subcommittee on Justice, Public Safety, and Judiciary, Justice and Public Safety Cabinet Budget Director Rebecca Norton said that the state’s medical examiner’s […]