Kentucky — 1980 U.S. Senate election
Recent presidential results
Akashicstate1980 Senate electionKentucky · U.S. SenateFordD+30.2
How it voted
Share of the 1980 vote
| Wendell H. Ford ✓Democrat | 65.1% | 720,891 |
|---|---|---|
| Mary Louise FoustRepublican | 34.9% | 386,029 |
1980Senate margin
D+60R+60
120 counties, each filled by 1980 D-vs-R margin. Hover any county for its result.
County-level results (120 counties) — table
| County | Winner | Margin |
|---|---|---|
| ADAIR, KY | Republican | R+4.0 |
| ALLEN, KY | Democratic | D+0.4 |
| ANDERSON, KY | Democratic | D+39.3 |
| BALLARD, KY | Democratic | D+67.5 |
| BARREN, KY | Democratic | D+24.8 |
| BATH, KY | Democratic | D+44.2 |
| BELL, KY | Democratic | D+27.8 |
| BOONE, KY | Democratic | D+19.2 |
| BOURBON, KY | Democratic | D+52.3 |
| BOYD, KY | Democratic | D+36.3 |
| BOYLE, KY | Democratic | D+42.8 |
| BRACKEN, KY | Democratic | D+49.2 |
| BREATHITT, KY | Democratic | D+65.2 |
| BRECKINRIDGE, KY | Democratic | D+31.8 |
| BULLITT, KY | Democratic | D+26.1 |
| BUTLER, KY | Republican | R+23.7 |
| CALDWELL, KY | Democratic | D+42.7 |
| CALLOWAY, KY | Democratic | D+51.5 |
| CAMPBELL, KY | Democratic | D+17.5 |
| CARLISLE, KY | Democratic | D+64.1 |
| CARROLL, KY | Democratic | D+60.6 |
| CARTER, KY | Democratic | D+25.9 |
| CASEY, KY | Republican | R+28.9 |
| CHRISTIAN, KY | Democratic | D+38.9 |
| CLARK, KY | Democratic | D+53.8 |
| CLAY, KY | Republican | R+2.4 |
| CLINTON, KY | Republican | R+38.9 |
| CRITTENDEN, KY | Democratic | D+20.8 |
| CUMBERLAND, KY | Republican | R+28.9 |
| DAVIESS, KY | Democratic | D+58.4 |
| EDMONSON, KY | Republican | R+22.8 |
| ELLIOTT, KY | Democratic | D+62.4 |
| ESTILL, KY | Democratic | D+6.1 |
| FAYETTE, KY | Democratic | D+34.4 |
| FLEMING, KY | Democratic | D+27.3 |
| FLOYD, KY | Democratic | D+65.8 |
| FRANKLIN, KY | Democratic | D+67.3 |
| FULTON, KY | Democratic | D+57.7 |
| GALLATIN, KY | Democratic | D+49.6 |
| GARRARD, KY | Democratic | D+2.3 |
| GRANT, KY | Democratic | D+39.1 |
| GRAVES, KY | Democratic | D+54.7 |
| GRAYSON, KY | Republican | R+3.7 |
| GREEN, KY | Republican | R+1.4 |
| GREENUP, KY | Democratic | D+32.4 |
| HANCOCK, KY | Democratic | D+39.2 |
| HARDIN, KY | Democratic | D+33.2 |
| HARLAN, KY | Democratic | D+43.2 |
| HARRISON, KY | Democratic | D+57.9 |
| HART, KY | Democratic | D+20.9 |
| HENDERSON, KY | Democratic | D+56.4 |
| HENRY, KY | Democratic | D+53.6 |
| HICKMAN, KY | Democratic | D+56.5 |
| HOPKINS, KY | Democratic | D+56.4 |
| JACKSON, KY | Republican | R+40.0 |
| JEFFERSON, KY | Democratic | D+22.9 |
| JESSAMINE, KY | Democratic | D+26.2 |
| JOHNSON, KY | Democratic | D+19.4 |
| KENTON, KY | Democratic | D+18.7 |
| KNOTT, KY | Democratic | D+74.2 |
| KNOX, KY | Democratic | D+14.1 |
| LARUE, KY | Democratic | D+35.4 |
| LAUREL, KY | Democratic | D+0.4 |
| LAWRENCE, KY | Democratic | D+23.8 |
| LEE, KY | Democratic | D+3.1 |
| LESLIE, KY | Republican | R+26.6 |
| LETCHER, KY | Democratic | D+38.0 |
| LEWIS, KY | Republican | R+4.8 |
| LINCOLN, KY | Democratic | D+24.0 |
| LIVINGSTON, KY | Democratic | D+52.3 |
| LOGAN, KY | Democratic | D+40.8 |
| LYON, KY | Democratic | D+53.1 |
| MADISON, KY | Democratic | D+30.0 |
| MAGOFFIN, KY | Democratic | D+30.9 |
| MARION, KY | Democratic | D+57.7 |
| MARSHALL, KY | Democratic | D+52.6 |
| MARTIN, KY | Democratic | D+1.8 |
| MASON, KY | Democratic | D+35.9 |
| MCCRACKEN, KY | Democratic | D+51.0 |
| MCCREARY, KY | Republican | R+20.9 |
| MCLEAN, KY | Democratic | D+50.5 |
| MEADE, KY | Democratic | D+46.6 |
| MENIFEE, KY | Democratic | D+49.0 |
| MERCER, KY | Democratic | D+33.8 |
| METCALFE, KY | Democratic | D+13.8 |
| MONROE, KY | Republican | R+34.0 |
| MONTGOMERY, KY | Democratic | D+52.6 |
| MORGAN, KY | Democratic | D+52.6 |
| MUHLENBERG, KY | Democratic | D+41.2 |
| NELSON, KY | Democratic | D+56.5 |
| NICHOLAS, KY | Democratic | D+51.1 |
| OHIO, KY | Democratic | D+16.3 |
| OLDHAM, KY | Democratic | D+15.9 |
| OWEN, KY | Democratic | D+62.1 |
| OWSLEY, KY | Republican | R+19.5 |
| PENDLETON, KY | Democratic | D+16.7 |
| PERRY, KY | Democratic | D+35.7 |
| PIKE, KY | Democratic | D+34.5 |
| POWELL, KY | Democratic | D+34.0 |
| PULASKI, KY | Democratic | D+6.6 |
| ROBERTSON, KY | Democratic | D+41.5 |
| ROCKCASTLE, KY | Republican | R+22.9 |
| ROWAN, KY | Democratic | D+29.3 |
| RUSSELL, KY | Republican | R+8.7 |
| SCOTT, KY | Democratic | D+46.5 |
| SHELBY, KY | Democratic | D+41.1 |
| SIMPSON, KY | Democratic | D+50.2 |
| SPENCER, KY | Democratic | D+46.2 |
| TAYLOR, KY | Democratic | D+27.5 |
| TODD, KY | Democratic | D+39.7 |
| TRIGG, KY | Democratic | D+49.8 |
| TRIMBLE, KY | Democratic | D+57.1 |
| UNION, KY | Democratic | D+64.1 |
| WARREN, KY | Democratic | D+25.6 |
| WASHINGTON, KY | Democratic | D+28.5 |
| WAYNE, KY | Republican | R+1.7 |
| WEBSTER, KY | Democratic | D+65.2 |
| WHITLEY, KY | Republican | R+0.5 |
| WOLFE, KY | Democratic | D+52.9 |
| WOODFORD, KY | Democratic | D+44.5 |
presidential baselinePresident 1980R+1.5Senate 1980D+30.3vs. baselineD+31.7
Kentucky's 1980 Senate race ran 31.7 points more Democratic than the presidential race on the same ballot.
Kentucky's Senate margins
Every comparable D–R contest in our store, 1978–2022
| Year | Margin (D minus R) |
|---|---|
| 1978 | +24.1% |
| 1980 | +30.3% |
| 1984 | −0.4% |
| 1986 | +48.8% |
| 1990 | −4.4% |
| 1992 | +27.1% |
| 1996 | −12.6% |
| 1998 | −0.6% |
| 2002 | −29.4% |
| 2004 | −1.3% |
| 2008 | −5.9% |
| 2010 | −11.5% |
| 2014 | −15.5% |
| 2016 | −14.5% |
| 2020 | −19.5% |
| 2022 | −23.6% |
Same ballot, 1980KY
Source. MIT Election Data + Science Lab — 1980 US Senate returns, party-classified by literal ballot party · county returns aggregated from precinct-level results. Real returns — nothing estimated.