Major campaigning occurred in Kentucky during the 2020 cycle with the race between incumbent Senator Mitch McConnell (R) and Amy McGrath (D) at times entering close margins. Democratic political campaign organizations spent about $90 million in an attempt to unseat the then-Majority Leader. McConnell ultimately prevailed in the 2020 election, but the race for his seat was indicative of the importance of Senate races nationwide as both parties vied for the majority.
Over 2 million ballots were cast in Kentucky in the 2020 election, putting overall state turnout at about 65%. The state swung heavily for incumbent Donald J. Trump, who won its 8 electoral votes with 62.1% of the popular vote. Kentucky has consistently voted for Republican presidential candidates since 2000.
Kentucky has a bicameral legislature with 40 senators and 125 representatives. Republicans have held the majority in both chambers since 2017, but prior to that year Democrats had held the majority in the House for well over 2 decades. Governor Andy Bershear (D) is eligible for re-election in 2022.