LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 6, 2012) — Republican Andy Barr defeated Democratic incumbent Ben Chandler on Tuesday in the race for U.S. representative in Kentucky’s 6th Congressional District.
Barr lost to Chandler in 2010 by only 648 votes. On Tuesday, Barr got 153,348 votes or 51 percent of the vote, while Chandler got 141,496 or 47 percent. Independent Randolph Vance got about 3 percent of the vote.
Chandler has held the congressional seat since 2004.
Kentucky now has only one Democrat in Kentucky’s congressional delegation, John Yarmuth of Louisville’s 3rd District.
In Chandler’s concession speech Tuesday night, he acknowledged that his affiliation with President Barack Obama had an effect on the race, reports reports Ronnie Ellis of the CNHI News Service.
“I’m afraid the president was just a little too heavy for us in some of the rural counties,” Chandler said. He said he called Barr and congratulated him and promised “a very smooth transition,” Ellis reported.
Barr said when he lost two years ago, he said the people had spoken but he wasn’t sure then exactly what their message was.
“This time the people have spoken, and it’s clear what they said,” he said.
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