LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – On the latest edition of Kentucky Newsmakers, WKYT’s Bill Bryant talks with candidate for Kentucky’s Sixth Congressional District Erin Petrey and Visit Lex President Mary Quinn Ramer.

Erin Petrey is one of several candidates running for the Democratic nomination for Kentucky’s sixth House District. She discusses what she would do in Congress

Later, Mary Quinn Ramer discusses the state of tourism in Lexington.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Louisiana voters will participate in a revamped and stripped-down state primary Saturday and decide the political fate of an embattled Republican U.S. senator targeted for defeat by President Donald Trump.

Sen. Bill Cassidy is running for a third term but first must overcome a Republican primary field that includes state Treasurer John Fleming and U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow, who was endorsed by Trump in January.

WATCH: Amy Walter and Jasmine Wright on Trump’s control of GOP lawmakers

The primary is the president’s latest opportunity to exact retribution from his perceived political enemies, including fellow Republicans he considers disloyal. Cassidy has been near the top of that list since his vote more than five years ago to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial following the insurrection by his supporters at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Trump was acquitted.

Louisiana is not among the states Democrats are targeting in their effort to retake the U.S. Senate. A Cassidy defeat in the primary would likely result in a Senate GOP caucus even more unified behind Trump and further demonstrate the strength of the president’s grip on the party.

Voters will also decide primary contests for state Supreme Court, Public Service Commission and state school board, along with five proposed state constitutional amendments.

Louisiana’s primaries for U.S. House were postponed after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the state’s current congressional map, which includes a majority Black district that favors Democrats. U.S. House races will still appear on ballots, but any votes cast in those contests will not be counted.

WATCH: Louisiana’s redistricting rush ignites debate over race and representation

In another key departure from previous Louisiana primaries, contenders in Saturday’s contests will run in separate party primaries, rather than in one jungle primary in which all candidates appear on the same ballot. State lawmakers adopted the new system for certain offices in 2024, but the law didn’t go into effect until 2026.

U.S. House races were originally slated to use the new primary system under the 2024 law, but state Republicans on Thursday adopted legislation to reinstate the jungle primary for U.S. House races, citing a compressed schedule after the Supreme Court decision. Just as in previous cycles, the jungle primary will be held on Nov. 3 alongside the general election.

East Baton Rouge Parish, home to Baton Rouge, and Jefferson and Orleans Parishes in the New Orleans area are the most populous in the state, but St. Tammany Parish, north of New Orleans along the Mississippi border, contributed the most votes in the 2016 and 2024 Republican presidential primaries.

Caddo Parish in the northwest, home to Shreveport, and Lafayette Parish also tend to play a bigger role in Republican primaries than in Democratic ones.

Trump narrowly won a four-way primary in 2016, powered in part by a large margin in Jefferson Parish and overcoming losses in East Baton Rouge and Caddo Parishes to Texas U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz. He swept the state eight years later in the 2024 primary against former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, who had dropped out of the race by the time of the primary but was still posting stronger-than-expected showings in other states.

Cassidy’s previous victories in 2014 and 2020 were under the old primary system, in which his main opposition on the ballot came from Democrats.

Here are some of the key facts about the election and data points the AP Decision Team will monitor as the votes are tallied:

When do polls close?

Polls close at 8 p.m. local time (CT), which is 9 p.m. ET.

What’s on the ballot?

The Associated Press will provide vote results and declare winners in contested primaries for U.S. Senate, state Supreme Court, state Public Service Commission and state school board, as well as five statewide ballot measures.

Who gets to vote?

Registered party members may vote only in their own party’s primary. In other words, Democrats can’t vote in the Republican primary or vice versa. Independent or unaffiliated voters may participate in either primary. Voters registered with other parties may only vote on nonpartisan contests.

How many voters are there?

As of May 1, there were about 3 million registered voters in Louisiana. Registered Democrats and Republicans numbered about 1.1 million each, with registered Democrats at a slight advantage. About 813,000 voters were not registered with any party. The remainder were registered with other parties.

How many people actually vote?

Louisiana’s new primary system is closer in format to the 2024 presidential primaries than to previous state primaries. About 192,000 votes were cast in the Republican primary and about 167,000 in the Democratic contest. Each primary represented about 6% of registered voters.

How much of the vote is cast early or by absentee ballot?

About 41% of the Republican primary vote and about 45% of the Democratic primary vote in 2024 was cast before primary day.

As of Thursday, about 255,000 ballots had already been cast in Saturday’s election, about 44% from Democrats and about 41% from Republicans.

When are early and absentee votes released?

Results from early and absentee voting are usually released by each parish in the first vote update, as separate totals from in-person Election Day vote results.

How long does vote-counting usually take?

In the 2024 general election, the AP first reported results at 9:32 p.m. ET, or 32 minutes after polls closed. The last vote update of the night was at 11:56 p.m. ET, with more than 99% of total votes counted.

When will the AP declare a winner?

The AP does not make projections and will declare a winner only when it’s determined there is no scenario that would allow a trailing candidate to close the gap. If a race has not been called, the AP will continue to cover any newsworthy developments, such as candidate concessions or declarations of victory. In doing so, the AP will make clear that it has not yet declared a winner and explain why.

How do recounts work?

There are no automatic recounts in Louisiana, but a candidate may request and pay for a recount of absentee and early votes. The AP may declare a winner in a race that is subject to a recount if it can determine the lead is too large for a recount or legal challenge to change the outcome.

Are we there yet?

As of Saturday, there will be 42 days until the June 27 primary runoff if needed, 171 days until Nov. 3 general election and the rescheduled U.S. House jungle primaries and 210 days until the Dec. 12 runoff.

— Robert Yoon, Associated Press

Returning to Maryland for the first time since her 2025 George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan (G2) triumph, Margie’s Intention  snapped a nearly yearlong winless streak by capturing the $123,750 Allaire DuPont Distaff Stakes at Laurel Park May 15.

Despite being winless in four starts since that 2025 victory, the 4-year-old daughter of Honor A.P. consistently delivered respectable performances. She hit the board in every outing, highlighted by a third-place finish in last year’s Alabama Stakes (G1) behind champion 3-year-old filly Nitrogen  and 2025 Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Good Cheer .

Breaking under Irad Ortiz Jr., Margie’s Intention settled comfortably, tracking the pace set by Low Country Magic , through moderate fractions of :24.70, :49.07, and 1:13.60. 

“I let her find her stride, take a little hold of her,” Ortiz said. “When it was time to let her do her thing, she did it easy.”

Coming into the far turn, Margie’s Intention started to make her move on the outside and wore down a stubborn Low Country Magic to win by 2 3/4 lengths. Late Nite Call  was third.

Ortiz was confident throughout that he was going to catch the leader.

“She gave me a good feeling every step of the way,” Ortiz said. “I was biding time. When I let her do her thing, she jumped in the bridle and did it easy.”

Margie’s Intention’s final time for the 1 1/8-mile race was 1:52.26. She paid $3.20 to win.

Delta Squad Racing and Michael Dubb purchased Margie’s Intention for $1.3 million at last year’s Fasig-Tipton November Sale. This was the first win for her new owners: Delta Squad Racing, Michael Dubb, and Madaket Stables.

Margie’s Intention was bred in Louisiana by Coteau Grove Farms. She is out of the Into Mischief   mare Playful Dancer.

Video: Allaire DuPont Distaff S. (BT)

Russell Gets Third Win of Day With Coach Mazzula in Hilltop Stakes

Trainer Brittany Russell secured her third win of the day when Coach Mazzula  went to the lead early and held on late in the $125,000 Hilltop Stakes. 

The filly by Authentic  , owned by Madaket Stables, achieved her first stakes success in the Hilltop. Coach Mazzula came into the race off a confidence-boosting, 2 1/4-length win in an allowance race at Laurel. 

Ridden by Jevian Toledo, the 3-year-old led the field through fractions of :24.15, :48.89, and 1:12.37. She looked clear coming down the stretch, but Ultimate Love  was putting in a strong late run under John Velazquez to miss the win by a head.

“I was praying for the line there,” Russell said. “She ran just how I thought she would. She was comfortable early, and she kicked on, and it was just a matter of her holding them off late.

“When I was looking at the form and talking to Toledo in the paddock, I said, ‘I like this filly today. Maybe with what’s in here and the speed, she could maybe have her way.’” 

Russell, who trains local hero Taj Mahal , entered in Saturday’s Preakness Stakes (G1), said the wins have certainly fueled the connections.

“It gets everybody’s blood pumping,” she said. “It feels good. It’s good for the team. It gets everybody in the right mindset.”

Coach Mazzula’s final time for the 1-mile turf race was 1:35.52. She paid $11.20 to win.

Video: Hilltop S. (BT)

Miller’s Homebred Sunna Takes The Very One Stakes

Leverett Miller’s homebred Sunna  secured her first stakes victory in the $100,000 The Very One Stakes, leading from gate to wire in the 5 1/2-furlong test over the turf. 

Miller is most recently known for breeding Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner and Kentucky Derby (G1) participant, So Happy .

After setting a quick pace of :22.59 and :45.26, Sunna accelerated away from the field in the stretch under Luis Saez. However, the race turned into a thriller late, as Sominium and Saturday Flirt  closed rapidly under Jose Ortiz and Irad Ortiz Jr. Sunna crossed the wire 1 length in front of Saturday Flirt. Sominium was third. The final time for the race was 1:01.84.

“When the Charlestown horse (Julee’s Legacy), who was going to be the real speed, was scratched, I told Luis that if you break good, which she always breaks good, just go,” said trainer Kent Sweezy. 

Saez, who was aboard the Dominus filly for the first time, said he was confident the whole way.

“She controlled the race. When she came to the top of the stretch, I had a ton of horse,” Saez said. 

Sunna paid $4.80 to win.

Video: The Very One S. (BT)