Kentucky
Kentucky House Democrats change leadership ahead of 2026. Here’s who was elected
Facts About the Kentucky General Assembly
Discover key facts about the Kentucky General Assembly, including its history, structure, and state government functions.
The Kentucky House Democratic Caucus has shaken up its leadership team heading into 2026, with a freshman from Louisville joining the ranks.
State House Minority Leader Pamela Stevenson will remain in the role, party officials announced Nov. 14. Rep. Lindsey Burke, a Lexington legislator in her second term, will serve as caucus chair, while Rep. Josh Watkins, in his first term representing a district in central and western Louisville, was chosen as minority whip.
The elections took place at the caucus’ annual retreat in Berea, according to a release.
Burke served as minority whip in the most recent legislative session. As caucus chair, she replaces Rep. Al Gentry of Louisville — he announced last week he would step down from the post in order to put more time toward a national team he joined working on an initiative involving adaptive golf. Gentry will remain in the House and intends to seek reelection to his seat in 2026.
Stevenson served as minority leader during the 2025 session. The west Louisville Democrat is running in 2026 for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by retiring Sen. Mitch McConnell.
She said Burke will provide “experience, expertise, and a fierce commitment to helping families trying to build a good life” while Watkins “can always be counted on for bringing energy, optimism, and a joy to serving others that lifts everyone around him.”
Democrats are significantly outnumbered in Frankfort, where the GOP holds an 80-20 advantage in the House. The party’s leadership team will help determine legislative priorities during the upcoming 60-day session, with a two-year state budget on the agenda.
Burke listed key concerns as “affordable homes, quality education, accessible health care, and the ability (for families) to put food on the table without constant worry.”
While he’s relatively new to the Capitol, Watkins has been open in his push for state lawmakers to take more action on affordable housing and housing in general. He was first elected in 2024 to replace current state Sen. Keturah Herron, who endorsed him in his run.
“We’re at a crucial moment, and we’re meeting it with determination to make our government and our economy work for every Kentuckian,” Watkins said.
Kentucky’s 2026 legislative session is set to begin on Jan 6.
Reach Lucas Aulbach at laulbach@courier-journal.com.
As we continue to go position group by position group and project what each unit will look like for the 2026 Kentucky Wildcats, we will now look at the safety room. This position is led by two of the most experienced safeties in the conference with Ty Bryant and Florida transfer Jordan Castell. The safety position is heavily relied upon in defensive coordinator Jay Bateman’s scheme. Having experience is paramount for this group, as Coach Bateman will call creative looks for disguised coverages which will create plenty of safety rotations pre-snap and post-snap.
Starters
I think it is safe to assume that the new staff made it a priority to retain Ty Bryant and Willie Rodriguez more than any other returning players on the roster. Bryant was voted second team All-SEC by coaches last season and is one of the best safeties in the conference. He was the team’s leading tackler a year ago with 76 total and led the SEC with four interceptions. Bryant is a do-it-all safety that has a nose for the football and is expected to be the leader of the defense this fall.
Jordan Castell transferred over from the Florida Gators, where he started over 30 games in his career. Castell is a long, rangy safety that knows what it takes to play at an SEC level. He started as a true freshman at Florida and earned freshman All-SEC honors in 2023. Over his three seasons with the Gators, Castell has totaled 169 tackles, 13 pass breakups and three interceptions.
If things go as planned, these two will rarely come off the field this season. Bryant has natural playmaking ability on the back end as a ball hawking safety and is coming off the best season of his career. Castell has ideal length for the position and has shown the ability to make big time plays in this conference. Bryant and Castell form one of the best safety tandems in the SEC and will be a key to the defensive success in 2026.
Backups
- Dyllon Williams
- Jesse Anderson
Dyllon Williams is a 6’2, 191-pound redshirt freshman that got his feet wet last season in limited snaps. Williams only saw action against Eastern Michigan, Florida and Vanderbilt a year ago. Ideally, I don’t expect him to see much of an increase in playing time this season but it will be interesting to see how he progresses when he does get on the field. Coach Bateman does like to throw three safety looks at opposing offenses, but that will likely be manned by the slot corner position group.
Jesse Anderson is a transfer from Pitt that brings some experience to the depth of this room. In three seasons at Pitt, he has received snaps in 23 games as a rotational safety. I wouldn’t expect his role to change, he will be a rotational guy in this group as well and brings much needed experience in a backup role. Anderson is on the smaller side at 6’0, 186-pounds.
Like I previously mentioned, Coach Bateman likes to keep offenses off balance with three safety looks in coverage. However, I expect the slot corners to be heavily involved in those formations, which will be Aaron Gates and Jaden Smith. We will group the slot corners in with the cornerbacks when we preview that position group. Overall, this safety room is a strength of the team although it is hinged on the experienced duo of Bryant and Castell.
13 things more likely to happen than winning the Powerball jackpot
Hoping to win the Powerball jackpot? Here are 13 things more likely to happen than becoming an instant millionaire.
The Kentucky Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at Saturday, May 9, 2026 winning numbers for each game.
Cash Ball
08-15-20-35, Cash Ball: 21
Check Cash Ball payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick 3
Evening: 4-1-5
Midday: 3-6-9
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick 4
Evening: 9-6-4-3
Midday: 5-1-4-5
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Powerball
15-41-46-47-56, Powerball: 22, Power Play: 2
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Powerball Double Play
06-27-58-61-65, Powerball: 14
Millionaire for Life
08-11-17-29-49, Bonus: 02
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Courier Journal digital producer. You can send feedback using this form.
Top headlines of the week, May 8 2026
Here are some stories you may have missed this week in central Ohio.
Authorities said a body recovered May 4 from the Ohio River in northeast Kentucky has been identified as a Columbus man, Dispatch news partner NBC4/WMCH-TV reported.
Lewis County Sheriff Johnny Bivens said the body has been identified as Jason D. Frisbie, 38, of Columbus. Bivens said authorities in Kentucky worked with Ohio officials to identify Frisbie this week.
Bivens said Lewis County took a call around 4:30 p.m. May 4 about a body in the river in Vanceburg, Kentucky, a few miles south of Ohio’s Shawnee State Park. Bivens said responding agencies took the body to the Kentucky State Medical Examiner’s Office.
Lewis County authorities asked for public help identifying the body. On May 9, Bivens confirmed Frisbie’s identity after working with Ohio officials and local responders.
Bivens said the death remains under investigation, and authorities did not offer information about a suspected cause.
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