A bench of eight Democratic hopefuls has been trimmed down to seven, with the decision by Louisville veteran and former CIA officer Joel Willett not to enter the contest.
Willett told the Lexington Herald-Leader drumming up enough financial support proved challenging and the national mood suggests the Kentucky race isn't competitive. Had he filed his paperwork, Willett would have joined Amy McGrath, Charles Booker, Pamela Stevenson, Dale Romans, Joshua Blanton, Logan Forsythe, and Vincent Thompson.
The GOP candidates who made their campaigns official number a dozen —- including Congressman Andy Barr, former Attorney General Daniel Cameron, and businessman Nate Morris. Rounding out the list are: Anissa Catlett, James Duncan, Michael Farris, Valerie Frederick, Michael Holiday, Jimmy Leon, Nick Shelley, George Washington, and Donald Wenzel.
The deadline to file paperwork for the primary was last Friday.