Kentucky Democratic Senator Switches To GOP: ‘Party Left Me’
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear’s job just got harder.
The Democrat has long been seen as his party’s rising star in a deep-red state, winning the governorship twice despite overwhelming Republican strength in federal elections. Some Democrats even floated him as a possible 2028 presidential candidate. But his state’s political landscape continues to shift to the right—most recently with the defection of one of his own.
State Sen. Robin Webb, a longtime Democrat from Kentucky’s coal country, has officially switched to the Republican Party. Her decision underscores the widening gulf between national Democrats and working-class communities in rural America.
“First and foremost, I’m a mother, a rancher and a lawyer with deep personal and professional roots in Kentucky’s coal country,” Webb said, according to Fox News. “As the Democratic Party continues its lurch to the left and its hyperfocus on policies that hurt workforce and economic development in my region, I no longer feel it represents my values.
“It has become untenable and counterproductive to the best interests of my constituents for me to remain a Democrat,” she continued. “While it’s cliché, it’s true: I didn’t leave the party — the party left me.”
A Major Blow to Kentucky Democrats
For decades, Democrats relied on rural Kentucky voters tied to unions and coal mining. Webb’s switch highlights how far the party has fallen in regions once considered its strongholds. Meanwhile, Republicans are only growing stronger under President Donald Trump, who has dominated Kentucky in every presidential race since 2016—winning 64.47% of the vote in 2024.
Republican leaders welcomed Webb with open arms. Robert Benvenuti, Chairman of the Republican Party of Kentucky, praised her record of putting people first.
“Like countless other Kentuckians, [Webb] has recognized that the policies and objectives of today’s Democratic Party are simply not what they once were, and do not align with the vast majority of Kentuckians,” Benvenuti said. “I always respected that [Webb] approached issues in a very thoughtful and commonsense manner, and that she never failed to keenly focus on what was best for her constituents. It is my pleasure to welcome Sen. Robin Webb to the Republican Party.”
Democrats Lash Out
Kentucky Democrats, unable to hide their frustration, issued a bitter statement attacking Webb.
“Senator Webb has chosen to join a political party that is currently working around the clock to take health care away from over a million Kentuckians, wipe out our rural hospitals, take food off the table of Kentucky families and take resources away from our public schools,” Kentucky Democratic Party Chair Colmon Elridge told Fox News Digital. “If those are her priorities, then we agree: she isn’t a Democrat.”
Beshear Eyes Higher Ambitions
Meanwhile, Gov. Beshear has signaled interest in pursuing the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028.
“If you’d asked me a couple years ago if this is something I’d consider, I probably wouldn’t have. But I don’t want to leave a broken country to my kids. And so, if I’m somebody that can bring this nation together, hopefully find some common ground, it’s something I’ll consider,” he told The Daily Beast.
Beshear has tried to brand himself as a moderate voice, even launching a podcast to pitch unity. In his first episode, he complained about partisan divides: “Far too much of what we see out there tries to put us in a box. It tries to make everything D or R, red or blue, left or right, and we know the world’s so much more complicated than that.”
But Webb’s departure illustrates the central problem for Democrats in red states: their national party is leaving behind the very voters they once depended on.