Dawne Perkins

Our second stop in Kentucky. We were told that Kentucky is all about horse racing, so we went to Keeneland Racecourse and visited some of the horses. They sell for insane prices. It’s a sport we didn’t know anything about, but after talking to the people who showed us around and hearing how crazy it gets on race days, we decided we have to come back for a race here.🐎

@maxwellwise This is hilarious…

Awesome to play at Rupp Arena during KY Night at the Southern Legislative Conference! Who did this?! ☠️

It just gets crazier by the day with him… 😂

Carry on Patriots.

Our governor has put out a statement requesting an update on the health of Senator Mitch McConnell As someone who has rolled through the valley of the shadow of death myself, I feel the need to speak up. I spent nearly a year in the hospital and rehab. My family was told the very first day of my illness, 10 years ago, that I might not live through the night. I was on a ventilator for seven months and a feeding tube for eight. At the time I was the CEO or managing member of multiple companies with a large number of direct employees and dozens of subcontractors. For two full years after my illness began, I physically rolled into our company offices only four days. A very small number of our leadership team had direct communication with me. I was still present, just not physically. And the companies continued to operate successfully without me being there in person. A strong leader assemble a strong team, gives them the tools to succeed and let them do it. Less micromanage and a more encouragement, please, governor.  Leadership and contribution don’t require a person to be standing at a podium every day. People can fight their way back and still matter. What I find repugnant and low-class is using another man’s health struggles as a political tool to advance your own presidential ambitions. That’s beneath the office you hold. If I were Senator McConnell, I’d pick up the phone and call you. I’d say:  “Andy, this is Mitch. The rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated. You can now report back to your poll takers and campaign staff that I’m still around to be a thorn in your side.” That would be a classic McConnell move and justified. @WKYT @LEX18News @WDRBNews @FOX56News @heraldleader @ScottJenningsKY

Happy 4th of July from the Commonwealth of Kentucky! 🇺🇸 Honored to walk in today’s Independence Day parade along with @barrforsenate, @AlvaradoForKY, and the @FayetteKYGOP! #Freedom250 #4thJuly #IndependenceDay

Lexington’s Fourth of July Parade and 250 years later, George Washington is still leading the way! 🇺🇸 Proud to support @AlvaradoForKY—a conservative leader who will always put Kentucky families first. God bless Kentucky & the USA ❤️🤍💙 #LexingtonKY #4thofJuly #AmericaFirst

Spotted in the wild.

@AlvaradoForKY 💯

@maxwellwise @jackson_wise3 @RepJamesComer Congratulations, @jackson_wise3! Wishing you a great summer on Capitol Hill with @RepJamesComer. 🇺🇸

Life comes full circle…30 years ago this summer my parents dropped me off in Washington. DC for a summer Congressional internship. 30 years later I am dropping off @jackson_wise3 for his summer Congressional internship with @RepJamesComer. Go do big things son & enjoy the experience!

We are now one hour into the Fayette County Public schools close session on the superintendent no movement or no word from the back

The Kentucky General Assembly's 2026 Interim Period officially began today. Over the next six months, Kentucky senators and representatives will meet in committee, hear from stakeholders and subject-matter experts, examine issues facing the commonwealth and begin shaping policy proposals for consideration during the 2027 Regular Session. Interim committee meetings provide lawmakers with an opportunity to hear testimony from state agencies, industry leaders, advocacy organizations and members of the public while evaluating issues that may shape future legislation. The 2027 Regular Session is scheduled to begin Tuesday, Jan. 5. As an odd-numbered-year session, lawmakers will have 30 legislative days to consider legislation. The first Interim Joint Committee meetings are scheduled for tomorrow, June 2, with the Interim Joint Committee on Education meeting at 11 a.m., co-chaired by Sen. Steve West, followed by the Interim Joint Committee on Transportation at 1 p.m., co-chaired by Sen. Jimmy Higdon. Additional committee meetings are scheduled throughout the week, covering a broad range of topics including education, transportation, economic development, state government, public safety, health care and other issues important to Kentucky families and communities. Throughout the interim, Senate members will serve as co-chairs of the General Assembly's Interim Joint Committees. Senate co-chairs include: Sen. Jason Howell, Agriculture Sen. Chris McDaniel, Appropriations and Revenue Sen. Jared Carpenter, Banking and Insurance Sen. Phillip Wheeler, Economic Development and Workforce Investment Sen. Steve West, Education Sen. Danny Carroll, Families and Children Sen. Steve Meredith, Health Services Sen. Brandon Storm, Judiciary Sen. Julie Raque Adams, Licensing, Occupations and Administrative Regulations Sen. Mike Nemes, Local Government Sen. Brandon Smith, Natural Resources and Energy Sen. Mike Nemes, State Government Sen. Phillip Wheeler, Tourism, Small Business and Information Technology Sen. Jimmy Higdon, Transportation Sen. Matt Deneen, Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection To view materials such as information sheets, handouts and PowerPoint presentations compiled for lawmakers to review at committee meetings, click on the "Meeting Materials" tab on the right side of each committee's page on the legislative website, which is linked below. Meeting agendas are also posted on each committee page. In addition to Interim Joint Committees, several statutory committees and oversight bodies will continue meeting throughout the interim. Unlike Interim Joint Committees, these entities meet year-round and provide ongoing legislative oversight in key policy areas. Statutory committee and board co-chairs include: Sen. Steve West, Administrative Regulation Review Subcommittee Sen. Gary Boswell, Capital Planning Advisory Board Sen. Shelley Funke Frommeyer, Capital Projects and Bond Oversight Committee Sen. Amanda Mays Bledsoe, Commission on Race and Access to Opportunity Sen. Matt Deneen, Education Assessment and Accountability Review Subcommittee Sen. Donald Douglas, Government Contract Review Committee Sen. Gex Williams, Information Technology Oversight Committee Sen. Brandon Storm, Juvenile Justice Oversight Council Sen. Greg Elkins, Legislative Oversight and Investigations Committee Sen. Julie Raque Adams, Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Board Sen. Jimmy Higdon, Public Pension Oversight Board Sen. Jason Howell, Tobacco Settlement Agreement Fund Oversight Committee The interim period provides lawmakers an opportunity to take a deeper dive into policy issues, conduct oversight of state government, engage with Kentuckians and stakeholders and prepare legislation for future sessions. Constituents, stakeholders and members of the media can follow committee activity throughout the interim by attending meetings in Frankfort or watching live online through KET and the General Assembly's YouTube channel. Archived video of committee meetings is also available on both platforms. Links to livestreams and archived meetings are below. To share feedback on an issue with lawmakers, call the General Assembly's Message Line at 1-800-372-7181. Kentuckians with hearing loss can use Kentucky Relay by dialing 7-1-1. 📅 A link to the full 2026 Interim Calendar is in the thread below.

The DNC didn’t need to pay for a report, I would’ve told them what their problems are for free— Graham Platner, Mamdani, and AOC just to name a few.

KENTUCKY’S READING AND MATH GAINS SHOW EDUCATION REFORMS ARE PRODUCING RESULTS National report ranks Kentucky among the nation’s top-performing states for academic growth as literacy, numeracy and school leadership reforms continue statewide Senate Education Chair Steve West, R-Paris, says Kentucky’s national recognition for reading and mathematics growth reflects years of focused work by educators, school leaders and lawmakers to strengthen classroom instruction and improve student outcomes statewide. A new Education Scorecard report produced by researchers at Harvard University, Stanford University and Dartmouth College ranked Kentucky fifth nationally in reading growth and eighth nationally in mathematics growth between 2022 and 2025. The report also recognized several Kentucky school districts for exceptional academic progress, while Marion County Schools was highlighted nationally as a case study for evidence-based instruction, literacy training, instructional coaching and efforts to strengthen direct student-to-teacher engagement in the classroom. “This recognition belongs to Kentucky teachers, principals, students and families who stayed committed to the hard work of improving classroom outcomes,” West said. “Kentucky made a decision several years ago to refocus on foundational learning, support educators and invest in proven instructional practices. We are now seeing measurable results from that work.” The report specifically linked reading improvement in states, including Kentucky, to comprehensive science-of-reading reforms and evidence-based literacy instruction initiatives. Researchers also identified growing concerns nationally surrounding classroom distractions, social media use and declining student engagement. During the 2025 Legislative Session, Kentucky lawmakers approved legislation restricting student cellphone use during instructional time to help schools maintain more focused classroom learning environments. During the 2022 Legislative Session, West championed the Read to Succeed Act to strengthen early literacy instruction across Kentucky schools through teacher training, literacy intervention and evidence-based reading practices. During the 2024 Legislative Session, lawmakers adopted a similar approach to mathematics instruction through House Bill 162, championed by Rep. James Tipton, R-Taylorsville, which established early intervention systems and additional student supports focused on foundational math skills. In recent years, the General Assembly has paired those reforms with significant education investments, including $22 million for the Read to Succeed program, more than $10 million for the Mathematics Achievement Fund and additional funding to support school leadership development and classroom instruction statewide. The legislature also increased SEEK funding for the seventh consecutive biennium. West said Kentucky’s recent education reforms have focused not only on improving student achievement, but also on strengthening instructional leadership and giving schools greater flexibility to support innovative classroom strategies. During the 2026 Legislative Session, lawmakers approved Senate Bill 4 to establish a statewide leadership development framework for school principals and Senate Bill 263 to expand flexibility for schools pursuing innovative instructional models while maintaining accountability standards. “Strong schools depend on strong classroom instruction and strong leadership,” West said. “The goal has never been a quick fix or a political talking point. The goal has been to help more Kentucky students learn to read proficiently, build strong math skills and graduate prepared for future success. This recognition shows Kentucky is making meaningful progress.” The scorecard findings are based on assessment data from roughly 35 million students nationwide and are part of a broader national research effort examining long-term academic trends and student performance.

Congratulations to @AlvaradoForKY on your Republican primary victory! Republicans in Lexington and across the 6th District are fired up, united, and ready to send you to Washington as Central Kentucky’s next Congressman.

God bless @DanielCameronKY. Daniel ran a great race and made me a better candidate. Daniel is a man of faith, family, and he will always be my friend. Davis and I want to thank both Daniel and Makenze Cameron for their years of service to the Commonwealth we all love.

Makenze and I want to thank all of those who worked tirelessly to support our campaign. Although it did not end the way we wanted, we’ve been blessed throughout the journey. We will never forget the kindness of people all across this Commonwealth who gave of time, talent, and treasure to aid in our effort. And, again, I congratulate my good friend, Andy Barr, on becoming the Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate. He carries the torch for the party into the fall, and I look forward to casting my vote for him in November. He is a good man, with a good heart, and I know he will represent us well in the U.S. Senate. May God bless him, his family, and his team in the campaign to come. As for the Camerons, we look forward to more days filled with laughter, more nights at home together, and time enjoying life’s special moments. We will rest in the Lord. He has good plans.

“Excessive wasteful spending” in public schools appears to be a pandemic… 👀

Congratulations to President Trump endorsed Hal Rodgers, the Dean of the House of Representatives, on his victory! Hal has been the biggest champion for Southeastern Kentucky and will continue standing up for KY-05 every day.

Congratulations to President Trump endorsed @JamesComer on his resounding win. KY-01 is in good hands!