Latest news with #RobinWebb
The Hill
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Long-time Kentucky Democrat switching parties
FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56) — A long-time member of the Kentucky General Assembly said she's switching political parties. State Senator Robin Webb of Grayson in Carter County is now a registered has served in the legislature since 1999 and has been in the Senate since 2009 — all as a Democrat. But she told FOX 56 News on Friday that she's been considering changing parties for the last couple of years. 'I just want people to know where I stand. I know who I am — that's not changing. I'm not changing my priorities. I'm not changing my advocacy positions. And my votes will remain the same on subject matter. I think everyone knows that,' Webb said. 'We've got to think of the people of Kentucky. Sometimes we get into this, you know, 'I'm on this team' or 'that team,' and I understand that — that's our system, and I respect that. But at the end of the day, we've got to do what's right,' state Sen. Gerald Neal, a Democrat, said. This marks the largest-ever Republican supermajority in the Senate — 32 of the Senate's 38 members are Republicans.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Kentucky Senator who served as Democrat for 27 years defects to Republican Party in stunning move
A longtime state lawmaker who has served as a Democrat for the past 27 years announced on Friday that she is switching parties, joining Republican supermajorities in the latest setback for Democrats trying to rebuild support across rural Kentucky. State Senator Robin Webb, who was first elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives in 1998, revealed she will join the ranks of GOP lawmakers who control the flow of legislation in the state. The defection leaves Kentucky Democrats even more isolated in rural America. Webb was one of the last rural Democrats in Kentucky's legislature, and her defection means her former party will be instead tethered to urban and suburban districts in a state with large stretches of rural territory controlled by the GOP. Webb felt increasingly disconnected from the Democratic Party and could no longer stomach its 'lurch to the left.' 'It has become untenable and counterproductive to the best interests of my constituents for me to remain a Democrat,' Webb said. 'I will continue to be a fearless advocate for rural Kentucky and for the residents of eastern Kentucky who have been so good to me and my family.' The departure of Webb, who represents a four-county district, is more than symbolic: it underscores the near-total GOP takeover of Kentucky's rural political map. Democrats, already reduced to urban and suburban strongholds, now find themselves with virtually no foothold in the state's sprawling countryside. Kentucky Democratic Party Chair Colmon Elridge said that Webb chose to align with a political party attempting to fund tax breaks for the wealthy 'off the backs of vulnerable' people. It was a barbed reference to the multitrillion-dollar tax breaks package passed recently by US House Republicans. To make up for some of the lost tax revenue, Republicans focused on changes to Medicaid and the food stamps program. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates 8.6 million fewer people would have health care coverage and 3 million fewer people a month would have SNAP food stamps benefits with the proposed changes. 'If those are her priorities, then we agree: she isn't a Democrat,' Elridge said. Webb stressed that her core values have not changed. 'The only difference today is the letter next to my name,' she said. Webb has compiled a personal and professional resume deeply ingrained in Kentucky culture. She's a hunter, a horse enthusiast, and a former coal miner who changed career paths to become an attorney. Webb first joined the Kentucky House in 1999, when Democrats controlled the chamber. She spent a decade as a state representative before joining the GOP-led Senate in 2009. Republicans seized total control of the legislature in the 2016 election, when they rode Donald Trump's coattails to win the Kentucky House. Republicans padded their legislative numbers in subsequent elections, giving them their overwhelming majorities. Republicans attained that dominance by winning in rural districts previously held by Democrats, but Webb's district had remained a blue dot on the map until Friday. Her party switch leaves Democrats mostly devoid of a rural presence in the legislature. One exception is Democratic state Rep. Ashley Tackett Laferty, who represents an Appalachian district. The state's two-term governor, Democrat Andy Beshear, won a number of rural counties and shrank GOP margins in others in his 2023 reelection. His popularity was built on the state's robust economic growth during his tenure and his handling of disasters, from tornadoes and floods to the COVID-19 pandemic. Kentucky Democrats are trying to spark a rural comeback with a grassroots strategy, evidenced by the state party's ongoing 'listening tour' with stops in culturally conservative towns across the state. State Republican Party Chairman Robert Benvenuti said Webb's party switch reflects a broader political trend. In 2022, the GOP overtook the Democratic Party in statewide voter registration. 'Like countless other Kentuckians, she has recognized that the policies and objectives of today´s Democratic Party are simply not what they once were, and do not align with the vast majority of Kentuckians,' he said. Lawmakers will begin their 2026 session in early January, but Beshear has said he will likely call lawmakers back for a special session sometime this year to take up storm-relief funding. Parts of southeastern Kentucky were devastated by deadly tornadoes earlier this month, while other parts of the Bluegrass State were inundated by flooding in April.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Long-time Kentucky Democrat switching parties
FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56) — A long-time member of the Kentucky General Assembly said she's switching political parties. State Senator Robin Webb of Grayson in Carter County is now a registered has served in the legislature since 1999 and has been in the Senate since 2009 — all as a Democrat. Kentucky leaders deny not upholding federal immigration laws Long-time Kentucky Democrat switching parties ACLU of Kentucky dismisses lawsuit challenging Kentucky abortion laws But she told FOX 56 News on Friday that she's been considering changing parties for the last couple of years. 'I just want people to know where I stand. I know who I am — that's not changing. I'm not changing my priorities. I'm not changing my advocacy positions. And my votes will remain the same on subject matter. I think everyone knows that,' Sen. Robin Webb said. 'We've got to think of the people of Kentucky. Sometimes we get into this, you know, 'I'm on this team' or 'that team,' and I understand that — that's our system, and I respect that. But at the end of the day, we've got to do what's right,' Sen. Gerald Neal said. Kentucky's most misspelled word, according to study Drug overdoses see major decline: How Kentucky measures up UFO sightings in Kentucky: A look back on past 30 years This marks the largest-ever Republican supermajority in the Senate—32 of the Senate's 38 members are Republicans. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
New York Post
3 days ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Kentucky Senate Democrat switches parties to GOP in major blow to liberal Gov Andy Beshear
Kentucky state Democratic Sen. Robin Webb, who represents Kentucky's rural 18th Senate district, is switching her party affiliation to Republican after she says the Democrat Party 'left me.' 'First and foremost, I'm a mother, a rancher and a lawyer with deep personal and professional roots in Kentucky's coal country,' Webb explained. 'As the Democratic Party continues its lurch to the left and its hyperfocus on policies that hurt workforce and economic development in my region, I no longer feel it represents my values. Advertisement Webb was originally elected to the Kentucky State House after defeating Republican Ramona Gee in 1998. This comes as a major blow to Kentucky Democrats, who have historically held a stronghold in rural regions of the state largely due to union workers and the coal industry. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear told a local Louisville news outlet that he 'would consider' a run as the Democratic nominee for president in 2028, and the newly elected Democratic governor and potential presidential candidate now faces an additional challenge to mobilize his state's party ahead of the 2026 midterms. 3 Democratic state Sen. Robin Webb speaks against a Republican tax proposal on Monday, April 2, 2018, in Frankfort, Ky. AP Advertisement 3 Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear speaks during the Semafor World Economy Summit 2025 at Conrad Washington on April 23, 2025 in Washington, DC. Getty Images 'Like countless other Kentuckians, [Webb] has recognized that the policies and objectives of today's Democratic Party are simply not what they once were, and do not align with the vast majority of Kentuckians,' Republican Party of Kentucky Chairman Robert Benvenuti said. 'I always respected that [Webb] approached issues in a very thoughtful and commonsense manner, and that she never failed to keenly focus on what was best for her constituents,' Benvenuti added. 'It is my pleasure to welcome Sen. Robin Webb to the Republican Party.' Despite Beshear serving in the governor's office, the attorney general's office, secretary of state and both chambers of the state legislature have a Republican majority. Advertisement 3 Webb was originally elected to the Kentucky State House after defeating Republican Ramona Gee in 1998. Kentucky General Assembly The Kentucky Democrat Party responded to Webb's party switch, saying 'she isn't a Democrat.' 'Senator Webb has chosen to join a political party that is currently working around the clock to take health care away from over a million Kentuckians, wipe out our rural hospitals, take food off the table of Kentucky families and take resources away from our public schools,' Kentucky Democratic Party Chair Colmon Elridge told Fox News Digital. 'If those are her priorities, then we agree: she isn't a Democrat.' Advertisement 'While it's cliché, it's true: I didn't leave the party — the party left me,' Webb said. Fox News Digital reached out to Gov. Beshear's office but did not receive a response.
Mint
3 days ago
- Politics
- Mint
Kentucky Senator Robin Webb switches to Republican Party, says Democrats 'no longer represent' her values
State Senator Robin Webb, a long-time lawmaker from Kentucky's 18th Senate district, has announced she is leaving the Democratic Party to join the Republicans. The decision marks a significant political shift in one of the state's key rural districts. Webb, who first entered politics by winning a State House seat in 1998, said her decision was shaped by a disconnect between her values and the direction of the Democratic Party. In a statement, Webb said, "First and foremost, I'm a mother, a rancher and a lawyer with deep personal and professional roots in Kentucky's coal country. As the Democratic Party continues its lurch to the left and its hyperfocus on policies that hurt workforce and economic development in my region, I no longer feel it represents my values." She added, 'While it's cliché, it's true: I didn't leave the party — the party left me.' Her defection comes as a blow to the Democratic Party in Kentucky, which has historically relied on support from working-class voters in rural and coal-producing areas. Democratic Party officials were quick to respond. Party Chair Colmon Elridge criticised the move, saying, 'Senator Webb has chosen to join a political party that is currently working around the clock to take health care away from over a million Kentuckians, wipe out our rural hospitals, take food off the table of Kentucky families and take resources away from our public schools. If those are her priorities, then we agree: she isn't a Democrat." Meanwhile, Republicans welcomed Webb with open arms. Republican state chairman Robert Benvenuti praised her decision, noting her practical approach to lawmaking and deep commitment to her constituents. The switch could have broader implications as Governor Andy Beshear, a Democrat recently re-elected, considers a potential presidential run in 2028. Webb's departure signals further challenges for the party as it prepares for the 2026 midterm elections.
