I will admit to some serious election fatigue. It is virtually incomprehensible to me that more than 10% of the electorate could vote for the Communist from California, but then I think back to an early Political Science class at the University of Kentucky, back in the days of quill pens and inkwells, in which the now late Professor Malcolm Jewell pointed out something very basic: in any at all competitive race, both the Republican and Democratic candidates are each guaranteed 40% of the vote; the fight is only over the 20% in the middle.

Here in the Bluegrass State, there is no real contest: Donald Trump carried Kentucky in both 2016 and 2020, by landslide margins, and will do so again. In my small, rural county, I’ve seen several campaign signs for our 45^th, and hopefully 47^th, President, and not a single one for Kamala Harris Emhoff. I expect the Vice President to carry Jefferson and Fayette counties — Louisville and Lexington — and Mr Trump to carry the other 118.

I voted last Friday, and for a state which was primarily Democratic, albeit moderate, Southern Democratic, 15 years ago, there has been a remarkable change. Republicans control the General Assembly by huge margins, 80-20 in the House and 31-7 in the Senate, and while there could be a couple of changes at the margin, the GOP will retain its very heavy majorities. My own state Representative, Bill Wesley, 91^st District, drew a just-as-conservative Republican primary challenger, but is unopposed in the general election; no Democrat bothered to run. Other than the presidential and 6^th district congressional race, all of the offices on the ballot were unopposed. Wayne Gretzky once said that you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take, and as far most election campaigns in Kentucky, the Democrats aren’t even trying to take a shot. Sort of like the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, they just plain quit.

I’ve already voted, but if you haven’t, hie the hence to the polling station, and cast your ballot for Donald Trump and the down ballot Republicans!