KENTUCKY (WKYT) – President Donald Trump’s endorsements of several Kentucky candidates have drawn attention to Tuesday’s U.S. Senate and House primary races, with political experts and party officials weighing in on the potential impact on voters.

Trump has been vocal on social media and in interviews about who should represent Kentucky in Washington.

“Something like an endorsement from President Trump or good coverage in partisan media can make the difference,” said Dr. Stephen Voss, a specialist in elections and voting behavior at the University of Kentucky.

Voss said presidential endorsements, especially from Trump, can easily sway a close election. He said the average voter is looking for a shortcut on who to push forward in the primary.

“Party identification drives how a lot of people vote, but in a party primary, that doesn’t help,” Voss said. “Voters in Kentucky that are republican are choosing republican politicians; voters need shortcuts so they can get their homework done, pick a candidate and move on. A Donald Trump endorsement for a lot of voters is the guideline they’d use to determine how to vote.”

Questions still remain surrounding Trump’s decisions to speak against certain candidates who have disagreed with him, including U.S. Representative Thomas Massie. The president endorsed Massie’s opponent, Ed Gallrein.

Kentucky Democratic Party Chair Colmon Elridge called it petty politics.

“Who we send to congress, who’s in the United States Senate — they affect people’s real lives and Donald Trump really is detached from the lives of the Emerican people and people right here in Kentucky,” Elridge said.

Adam Hope with the Republican Party of Kentucky said while the party cannot show favoritism, they support Trump’s decisions.

“Our president is definitely endorsing some candidates he feels like are gonna get the job done and advance his agenda in the best way he sees fit,” Hope said.

Hope said while these endorsements may not necessarily bring more people to the polls, they will get more people’s attention as to why primary races are important.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – Gov. Andy Beshear signed a proclamation on May 5. It officially marks May 11-17 as Period Poverty Awareness Week in Kentucky.

According to a fact sheet from Alliance for Period Supplies, one in five women and girls in Kentucky between the ages of 12 and 44 live below the federal poverty level. Nationwide, two out of five people who get periods struggle to afford period products.

Skylar Davis founded Period Y’all in 2022. Since then, the organization has been fighting to end period poverty in the Commonwealth. Davis said the group has installed free menstrual product pantries in seven Kentucky counties.

That includes Letcher, Madison, Garrard, Jessamine, McCracken, Jefferson, and Washington County.

Davis said recent cost increases have left many with a difficult choice.

“Choosing between period products and feeding their kids,” Davis said.

Davis said many have had to skip work or school because of a lack of resources.

But through her organization’s work, she’s able to make a change.

This week alone, they were able to give out more than 19,000 free period products.

“Anything that we can do to raise awareness about this experience and help alleviate this is monumental,” Davis said.

Emily Yonter, creator of the more than 60,000 member Ladies of Lexington Facebook page, has noticed the problem too.

“We get tons of requests, pretty much daily, of women in the area needing period products,” Yonter said.

That’s why she and other members of the group launched “The Pink Box” last week on West Sixth Street downtown, right across from Coolavin Park.

Yonter said it’s simple to use. Anyone can open the door, take what they need and leave what they can.

“It’s time to start being more direct and be more hands on with the community,” Yonter said.

“We’re just really grateful that the community wanted to help us make it happen and that so many women in ladies of lex donated,” Yonter said.

Both groups rely on the community to keep these pantries stocked and they hope to open more pantries in Kentucky.

Ladies of Lexington is accepting monetary and supply donations. They also are now selling merchandise, and that money will go towards buying period products.

Period Y’all has an Amazon Wishlist and monetary donation link for anybody who’d like to donate.