Democratic candidate Zach Dembo won the race for Kentucky’s sixth congressional district Tuesday, a race that was expected to be a bellwether for partisan fortunes on Election Day.
Dembo overcame Republican Ralph Alvarado with 91.7% of votes tallied at 10:09 p.m. ET. Multiple media reports called the race for Dembo.
“I am beyond humbled to be elected the next Congressman from Kentucky’s 6th Congressional District,” Dembo wrote on social media. “Now, the work begins.”
The race for Rep. Andy Barr’s seat became increasingly tight without an incumbent in the final weeks leading up to Election Day. Barr decided to run for the U.S. Senate and won his election to replace Sen. Mitch McConnell.
Alvarado touted his career as a doctor throughout the campaign and criticized Dembo for policies to raise taxes. Dembo criticized Alvarado’s partnership with widely unpopular former Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin and the Trump administration’s tariff policies.
Alvarado supported efforts to increase price transparency in healthcare costs and lower insurance premiums. He called for efforts that increase discretion for states using federal funds, including from the Rural Health Transformation Fund including in the One Big Beautiful Bill.
Political analysts across the country maintain that Kentucky’s outcomes could be indicative of partisan wins in other states. Erin Covey, an analyst with The Cook Political Report, said the margin of victory for a Democratic candidate in Kentucky is key to determining partisan makeup.
“That is really going to be, I think, the bellwether for whether or not we’re definitely looking at a big blue wave,” Covey said.
Democrats already flipped a crucial U.S. Senate in North Carolina with Roy Cooper’s win and a U.S. House seat in the 11th congressional district, where Rep. Chuck Edwards, R-N.C., dropped out of the race.