How Democratic Messaging Can Win in Deep-Red Kentucky: A Local Approach

I think we can all agree that Kentucky is a pretty deep-red state or at least, it looks that way on paper. Republicans hold supermajorities in both chambers of the legislature, dominate our congressional delegation, and win most of the big-ticket races. And if you’re a Democrat like us in this state, you know how isolating that can be sometimes. But that red wave? It’s not as unstoppable as you might think. In fact, with the right strategy and democratic messaging in Kentucky that speaks to people’s real lives and values, there’s more opportunity here than meets the eye.

As of 2024, Republicans make up just 46.3% of registered voters. Democrats are right behind at 43.3%. That’s a thin margin for a state that gets labeled “deep red” in every national headline. When you look beyond party ID, it’s even more revealing. Voters in Kentucky have rejected Republican-backed policies like anti-abortion measures and school privatization schemes at the ballot box. That tells us, democratic messaging in Kentucky can work. The values are here. The voters are here. We just have to meet them with the right message, at the right time, from the right messengers.

Why Messaging Matters

If there’s one thing Democrats across can take away from the 2024 election, it’s that we have a messaging problem. Too often, we lead with facts and stats while the other side leads with emotion—and it shows. Republicans know how to tap into people’s fears and frustrations with simple, consistent messages that get repeated until they stick. And while we’ve focused on substance, we’ve often struggled to connect on the level that actually moves voters.

Messaging isn’t a nice to have tool in a campaign, it’s how the voter it’s how the voter makes sense of what we stand for. Most people aren’t reading every policy platform or even taking their time to research the candidates. They’re listening to the stories they hear from friends, what pops up on their feeds, and what they feel in their gut. Messaging is how values get translated into action. It’s how someone goes from “I’m frustrated” to “I’m voting for change.” For democratic messaging in Kentucky, that means getting clear, local, and emotionally grounded because if we don’t shape the story, someone else will.

How the Right Messaging Can Change Minds in Deep-Red Kentucky

We get it, Kentucky went big for Trump in 2024, pulling in a massive 64% of the vote. On paper, that makes this place look like it’s a lock for the GOP forever. But here’s what doesn’t always make the headlines, local Democrats still won in a lot of places, and they did it by staying laser-focused on what actually matters to voters here. And by messaging it in a way to make voters care.

So how do you do that?

• Talk About Real, Local Issues: Forget national headlines. Voters connect when you address their daily lives—healthcare, quality schools, and good paying jobs. Make it personal and local.

• Lead with Values, Not Policies: Skip the jargon. Instead of listing policies, tell stories that show why those policies matter. For example, don’t just say “expand access to medicaid”—say “No family should have to choose between paying bills and seeing a doctor.”

• Keep It Simple and Repetitive: The GOP repeats phrases like “limited government” until they stick. Democrats need to do the same with clear, emotionally resonant messages that people can remember and repeat.

• Be Authentic and Relatable: In this age of social media, people can tell when you’re genuine. Speak like a neighbor, not a politician. When voters feel you understand their struggles, they listen.

• Use Emotion to Connect: Facts are important, but feelings move people to act. Focus on hope, fairness, and community—messages that inspire, not just inform.

Your Role: Community-Based Storytelling

You don’t need a megaphone, a fancy campaign office, or a microphone to make a real difference. The power to spread democratic values and change the political conversation starts right where you are. It starts in the everyday places where Kentuckians gather and talk: church potlucks, coffee shops, lunch tables.

Community-based storytelling is exactly what it sounds like—using real, personal stories to connect with people in your own community. It’s not about having the perfect talking points or memorizing policy details. It’s about showing how politics plays out in real life. It’s saying, “My grandma can’t afford her insulin anymore,” or “My neighbor’s kids don’t have a school nurse this year,” and letting those stories speak for themselves.

When you share a story that’s close to home, people listen differently. You’re not preaching—you’re relating. And that creates space for empathy, for curiosity, and often, for minds to open. These stories ground big issues in local experience. They make people care because they make issues real.

And that’s exactly the heart of effective democratic messaging in Kentucky—not national talking points, but local stories that resonate. When messaging starts in real conversations between neighbors, it feels authentic. It doesn’t feel like politics. It feels like life.

If you’re a voter who wants to help, here’s how to start:

• Think about what matters most to your neighbors. Is it the school board cutting programs? The roads never getting fixed? The hospital hours getting shorter?
• Talk about how those issues impact you and your people—not with blame, but with honesty.
• Ask others what they’re experiencing too. These conversations don’t have to be debates. They can be invitations to see things differently.

This is how we as democrats change begin to change minds.

Be Clear, Be Kind, Be Consistent

Look, we know talking politics in Kentucky can feel like a dead end sometimes. You say one thing about schools or healthcare and suddenly you’re “being too political.” But here’s the thing—those conversations still matter. And the way you show up in them? That matters even more.

Messaging isn’t about being loud or clever. It’s about being clear. It’s about saying what you mean in a way that people actually remember—and feel. And the truth is, people don’t change their minds from one conversation or one Facebook post. They change because they keep hearing something that sticks. Something that sounds like real life.

So don’t worry about having the perfect comeback. Just focus on showing up with honesty and heart:

“Kentuckians deserve leaders who show up for our schools and hospitals.”
“Every family deserves the freedom to thrive—no matter their zip code.”

Say it. Say it again. Let it become part of how you talk about what you believe. That’s what democratic messaging in Kentucky needs right now—not noise, but real voices that keep showing up.

What We’re Building at Democracy Matters Kentucky

At Democracy Matters Kentucky, we know that change doesn’t happen by accident—it happens on purpose, with strategy, persistence, and heart. We’re not a business, and we’re not here to just react to headlines. We’re a political action committee with one clear mission: elect more Democrats to the Kentucky General Assembly by making sure our side is finally saying the right things—and saying them well.

We work with candidates across the state to develop democratic messaging in Kentucky that actually resonates. That means helping them speak to the real concerns of real people—not in campaign-speak, but in language that feels personal, urgent, and rooted in Kentucky values. We’re the behind-the-scenes folks helping candidates get clear on how to talk about the issues that every single Kentuckian cares about.

We aim to work alongside candidates across the state to help them speak to the real concerns of real people—not in political jargon, but in language that feels honest, urgent, and rooted in Kentucky values. Our role is to support campaigns in crafting messaging that connects—messaging that makes people feel heard, not talked at.

We’re starting with four core strategies:

• Clarity over noise. Helping candidates simplify what they stand for in a way that’s easy to repeat and hard to ignore.
• Listening, always. We’re building our approach around what Kentuckians are actually saying—not just what polls predict.
• Local stories first. Because people relate to people, not platforms.
• Consistency and care. We’re in this for the long haul, not just for the next election cycle.

We know that Kentucky deserves better conversations, better leadership, and better representation. That’s what we’re working to do. If you want to help us build that future, read our resource about Why Your Vote Matters in State Elections.

The Time Is Now—2026 Starts With All of Us

Kentucky’s red legislature isn’t set in stone. But flipping seats, changing minds, and building a better future won’t happen overnight or in the final weeks of a campaign. It starts now.

Real change is rooted in real conversations. Not just at rallies or in campaign ads, but in everyday places: your group texts, your back porch catch-ups, your grocery store chats. When you speak up, others start to listen. When you share a story, people start to care. And when we all keep showing up with clarity, empathy, and persistence, we create the momentum needed to build a government that truly represents us.

Let’s get started.