The 2026 campaign season in Northern Kentucky won’t just decide who fills Mitch McConnell’s Senate seat or whether Thomas Massie keeps his congressional post — it could also reshape county leadership that has been steady for nearly three decades.
Currently, the big races to watch are the U.S. Senate, U.S. House and Boone, Kenton and Campbell county judges/executive races. The primary election is held on May 19, 2026, and the general election is on Nov. 3, 2026.
Chairman of the Kenton County Republican Party Shane Noem said other than those three races, everything seems pretty much par for the course for 2026.
“I think most Northern Kentuckians are very satisfied with their local government, and a lot of the cities and counties have been lowering taxes or at least not raising them, even with economic uncertainty, and that bodes well for incumbents,” Noem told LINK nky.
Vice Chair of the Campbell County Democratic Party Brandon Long said that in 2026, people can expect to see a united Democratic party that puts up candidates, particularly for board of education and city council races locally and the U.S. House and Senate races.
“I think a lot of people are seeing what’s going on and are feeling the pain of things,” Long said. “I think that we’re going to see a whole new generation of candidates who have lived this struggle, they’re going to rise up, and they’re going to defend the programs that are getting cut.”
U.S. Senate
A U.S. Senator from Kentucky is elected by the statewide vote, not by district or county; therefore, Boone, Kenton and Campbell counties all vote on the same senatorial contest.
Why is this the race to watch? Incumbent Sen. Mitch McConnell, who first took office in 1985, isn’t seeking re-election in 2026, creating an open seat.
Twelve candidates are on the ticket, including former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron.
U.S. House
U.S. Representative Thomas Massie, a Republican, has held the 4th District seat since a special election in 2012.
President Donald Trump has publicly backed Massie’s primary opponent, Ed Gallrein. Gallrein even made an appearance at Trump’s March visit to Northern Kentucky, making this one of the more watched primaries in the state and across the country.
The majority of the voters for the 4th Congressional District live in Boone, Kenton and Campbell counties, but the district also stretches into sections of Eastern Kentucky and much of the suburban counties surrounding Louisville.
Boone, Kenton and Campbell judges/executive races
The judge/executive serves a four-year term and may be re-elected indefinitely.
Judges’/executive primary responsibilities are creating a county budget and administering the budget as approved by the fiscal court, oversight of the funds, appointing county personnel and forming relationships with organizations and industry leaders that support their county.
What to watch: whether incumbents seek re-election or step aside. An open race is more competitive. Two of the three current NKY judges/executives have held their positions since the 1990s.
What to watch: Both Campbell County’s Steve Pendery and Boone County’s Gary Moore are facing challengers.
Current Boone County Commissioner Chet Hand is challenging Gary Moore, who has held his seat since 1998; in Campbell County, Alexandria Mayor Andy Schabell is challenging Steve Pendery, who has been in office since 1999.
Kenton County’s Kris Knochelmann is not facing a challenger this primary election. He has been in the position since 2015.
What are some of the local issues top of mind that candidates might push?
Noem said healthcare and education.
“There’s still a lot of meaningful work to be done,” he said. “I think a lot of our elections are going to be focused on who can right the ship in a big way. And the issues that matter most to Kentuckians are health and education.”
Long said that eliminating the income tax will be a hot-button issue at the state level, but said the biggest issue is struggling working families.
“I think the biggest problem is going to be that working families are going to experience the cuts that have been happening here in Kentucky at the state level, but also federally,” Long said. “The truth is that working families are getting crushed by the policies that right now favor the wealthy few.”
One issue all candidates compete with is voter turnout. So, what can they do to engage voters in 2026?
“I think candidates should focus on the issues people are actually talking about,” Noem said. “Not the ones social media tells them are important. Just because a vocal minority is tweeting about it doesn’t mean it’s what people actually talk about at the dinner table.”
Regarding what Democrats need to do to win NKY, Long said he thinks Democrats have to get back to being the party that speaks about the dignity of work and the struggle of ordinary families.
“Particularly in red spaces that they don’t see Democrats often, people want leaders who understand what it’s like to juggle rent and groceries and health care, and also leaders who have the courage to stand up and speak against the corporate interests,” he said.
