Results for Our District
Grant County
Scott County
Kenton County
As Did Kentucky, Florida Legislature Should Bet On Live Racing
The Florida State Legislature is facing a crossroads similar to what we in Kentucky's General Assembly faced in early 2021. At stake, as it was in Kentucky, is the future of the labor-intensive horseracing and breeding industry in that state. With strong support from horsemen whose livelihoods were at risk, Kentucky lawmakers passed legislation that allowed the racing industry to invest in itself by protecting tracks' ability to conduct and benefit from another parimutuel product known as historical horse racing (HHR). Today, Kentucky has the strongest racing circuit in America, with tracks creating hundreds of new jobs and billions of dollars in economic investment. By contrast, passage of Florida's HB 105 would permit Gulfstream Park to sever the legislatively mandated connection between its gaming license and conducting live horse racing.
Leaving KY Senate, Damon Thayer says he acted ‘based on what I thought was right’ • Kentucky Lantern
GOP floor leader did not seek reelection but is keeping his political options open, especially if McConnell decision sets off ‘domino effect’ FRANKFORT — Outgoing Republican Senate Floor Leader Damon Thayer said that when he moved to Kentucky more than three decades ago, he “never would have dreamt” he would be elected to the seat, nor serve as his party’s floor leader for 12 years. However, now is the right time to move forward with other pursuits, Thayer said in a recent interview with the Kentucky Lantern.
Ky. handle explodes as gaming funds fuel marketing efforts
The horse capital of the world was never the handle capital of America. Kentucky still isn’t, but to quote former Turfway Park announcer Mike Battaglia, it's "gaining ground." From 2007 to 2023, Kentucky ranked last among the big four states in American Thoroughbred racing by total handle. That changed in a big way last year when Kentucky passed not only California in total handle but also Florida to rank second overall behind New York. Of course, this was not an overnight change. Kentucky is the only one of the big four that handled less than $1 billion in a calendar year this century, and it happened seven times in the eight-year stretch 2010-2017.
Get to Know
Damon Thayer
Senator Damon Thayer is the 3rd Republican ever to serve as Kentucky Senate Majority Floor Leader. He is the lead speaker during Senate floor debates, guiding bills through the legislative process.
Meet Damon On the IssuesState Senate
Majority Update
We continue to build on the momentum created by the Republican Majority. Important legislation has been passed to ensure the safety of our schools, provide pension relief for quasi-governmental entities and regional universities, and we continued to defend the unborn. Though we have a new governor, rest assured that the priorities of the Legislature remain the same. We will continue to champion responsible policies and work toward the betterment of the Commonwealth. The laws passed in 2020 will contribute to the well-being of our state for years to come.
Meet Damon On the Issues