FRANKFORT, Ky. -- Some 45 incumbent lawmakers are running unopposed in both the spring primary and fall general elections this year.
University of Louisville political scientist Laurie Rhodebeck says the lack of competition in this year's races causes her to question whether potentially strong candidates want nothing to do with the chaos of Frankfort politics.
Out of 119 legislative seats up for election this year, only 36 will be on primary election ballots May 22. Twenty-eight are House seats and eight are Senate seats.
In all, 40 state representatives and five senators are running unopposed. That's not unusual in Kentucky. In some election years, the number of incumbent lawmakers without challengers is even higher.