By Angela Hatton
Madisonville, KY – Incumbent 6th District Kentucky State Senator Jerry Rhoads will keep his seat. Democrat Rhoads beat Republican challenger Jack Whitfield with 53 percent of the vote. Rhoads calls the race difficult in a year which saw a wave of anti-incumbent sentiment.
"And we worked very hard to get our message across and to run on our record, and we did so in a positive manner. We talked about the issues. We talked about my plans for the district. And we ran an upbeat positive campaign."
Whitfield says his campaign raised focus on bringing more industry into Muhlenberg, Ohio, and Hopkins counties. Rhoads says he'll continue to support the area's coal industry. This will be Rhoads' third term in the state senate.
Republican challenger Jack Whitfield lost out to incumbent Democrat Jerry Rhoads in the race for Kentucky's 6th District Senate seat. Whitfield, a Hopkins County businessman, was a political newcomer. Preliminary totals show he took 47 percent of the vote against his more experienced opponent. Whitfield says he's proud of the campaign.
"And hopefully this will focus some attention on the sixth district and the need to increase our employment base. Y'know to bring in to really work together regardless of party or even county, to work together to bring some new industry into the area."
Rhoads says his focus on issues is what won him the race. In his third term, Rhoads plans to work to keep strong the coal industry in Muhlenberg, Ohio, and Hopkins counties.
