Larry Belcher

The leadership of the state House Democratic Caucus say they are targeting Republican-held districts in western Kentucky this year to boost their majority in the lower chamber. In a lengthy and thorough phone briefing on their prospects for Tuesday's general election, House Speaker Jody Richards (D-Bowling Green) and Caucus Director Jonathan Hurst said they expect to hold what they have and gain slightly.

Richards and Hurst told reporters that they felt the eight Democratic incumbents facing opposition could hold their seats.

"I feel very good about all of them winning re-election," said Richards.

Hurst said protecting these incumbents was "priority number one" for the caucus, and said the prospect for that "looks pretty solid and pretty strong."

Hurst added that the Caucus thought it had added all the "Democratic-performing" districts possible in Louisville, Lexington, and eastern Kentucky, so the group was eyeing pick-ups in areas that typically elect Republicans.

"Our battlefield is in western Kentucky," said Hurst. "In order for us to expand our majority, we have to now go into Republican districts in western Kentucky and try to get them to switch their votes from the top of the ticket to the bottom."

State Rep. Larry Belcher (D-Sheperdsville) died last night in an auto accident near Smith's Grove, according to the Louisville Courier-Journal.

Belcher's pick-up truck reportedly struck the back of a tractor trailer that was stopped on Interstate 65 in south central Kentucky. He died at the scene of the accident.

Belcher had served as a member of the state House for a total of six years, including a stint from 1998 to 2002, and from 2006 to present. He lost a bid to win a state Senate seat in 2002.

Before his service in Frankfort, Belcher was a long-time teacher and principal. In Frankfort, Belcher was vice chair of the House Education committee.

Belcher was married with two children.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of my friend Larry Belcher,” said Governor Steve Beshear (D-Lexington) in a release last night. “He loved his home and his state and he represented them both with great pride and commitment.”

DENVER – Several Republican-held state House districts were named by state House speaker Jody Richards (D-Bowling Green) as targets for Democratic campaign efforts during an interview with PolitickerKY.com today.

Richards said campaigns for the legislature were on his mind as he met with fellow Kentuckians as a delegate at the Democratic National Convention in Denver.

"I talk about house races because that is my interest - that is my main focus. That is my responsibility," said Richards.

The races pointed to by the speaker include Travis Calhoun’s (D-Hopkinsville) run to unseat state Rep. Myron Dossett (R-Pembroke) in the 9th District, Mike Weaver’s (D-Elizabethtown) campaign to knock off Rep. Tim Moore (R-Elizabethtown) in the 26th, Merrick Krey’s (D-Erlanger) effort against state rep. Adam Koenig (R-Erlanger) in the 69th, David Sparrow (D-Danville) and his race against Rep. Mike Harmon (R-Junction City)in the 54th, and Charlene Rabold’s (D-Bowling Green) bid counter to Rep. Jim DeCesare (R-Rockfield) in the 21st.

The losing Democratic challengers in 2006 in each of those districts all finished within 6 points of the Republican winners, with some losing margins sitting at less than 2 percent.

“We feel really good about where we are,” said Richards, who noted some other Republican-held districts were also under consideration.