The 2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Kentucky were held on November 8, 2016, to elect the six U.S. representatives from the state of Kentucky, one from each of the state's six congressional districts. The elections coincided with the 2016 presidential election, as well as other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate and various state and local elections. The primaries were held on May 17.

Overview

By district
Results of the 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Kentucky by district:

District 1

Incumbent Republican Ed Whitfield, who had represented the district since 1995, did not run for re-election for a 12th term. He was re-elected with 73% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of R+18.

Republican primary
Republicans James Comer, the Agriculture Commissioner of Kentucky, and Michael Pape, Witfield's district director, ran for the Republican Party nomination. Other potential Republican candidates included former Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky nominee Robbie Rudolph, businessman Todd P'Pool, George W. Bush administration official J. Scott Jennings, and Whitfield's chief of staff Cory Hicks. State Senator Max Wise also was considered a potential candidate, but he endorsed Comer. In the May 17th primary, Comer won with 61% of the vote and went on to face Democrat Sam Gaskins in the general election.

Candidates

Nominee
 James Comer, former Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner and candidate for governor in 2015

Eliminated in primary
 Jason Batts, Hickman County Attorney
 Michael Pape, district director for Congressman Ed Whitfield
 Miles A. Caughey Jr.

Declined
 Ed Whitfield, incumbent U.S. Representative (endorsed Pape) 
 Max Wise, state senator (endorsed Comer)
 Todd P'Pool, former Hopkins County Attorney and nominee for attorney general in 2011
 Cory Hicks, former chief of staff to Congressman Ed Whitfield
 J. Scott Jennings, former White House aide
 Robbie Rudolph, businessman, former secretary of Executive Cabinet, former State Secretary of Finance and nominee for lieutenant governor in 2007

Results

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee
 Sam Gaskins, construction worker

Withdrawn
Tom Osborne, attorney

Declined
 John Tilley, Secretary of the Kentucky Department of Justice and Public Safety and former state representative
 Dorsey Ridley, state senator
 Gerald Watkins, state representative
 Brandi Harless, vice chair of the Kentucky Democratic Party and co-founder and CEO of Personal Medicine Plus
 David Ramey, chair of the Calloway County Democratic Party

Special election
Whitfield resigned on September 6, 2016. A special election was held on November 8, concurrently with the regularly-scheduled election.

Candidates

Republican Nominee
 James Comer, former Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner and candidate for governor in 2015

Democratic Nominee
 Sam Gaskins, construction worker

General election

Results

District 2

Incumbent Republican Brett Guthrie, who had represented the district since 2009, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 69% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of R+16.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee
Brett Guthrie, incumbent U.S. Representative

Democratic primary
No Democrats filed to run.

General election

Results

District 3

Incumbent Democrat John Yarmuth, who had represented the district since 2007, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 64% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of D+4.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee
John Yarmuth, incumbent U.S. Representative

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee
 Harold Bratcher, business owner

Eliminated in primary
 Everett Corley, real estate agent
 Robert DeVore Jr., navy veteran

Results

General election

Results

District 4

Incumbent Republican Thomas Massie, who had represented the district since 2013, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 68% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of R+16.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee
Thomas Massie, incumbent U.S. Representative

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee
Calvin Sidle, former candidate for Pikeville City Commissioner

General election

Endorsements

Results

District 5

Incumbent Republican Hal Rogers, who had represented the district since 1981, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 78% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of R+25.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee
 Hal Rogers, incumbent U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary
 John Burk, Jr., insurance industry worker

Results

Democratic primary
No Democrats filed to run.

General election

Results

District 6

Incumbent Republican Andy Barr, who had represented the district since 2013, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 60% of the vote in 2014. The district had a PVI of R+9.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee
 Andy Barr, incumbent U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary
 Roger Brill

Results

Democratic primary
Matt Jones, host and founder of Kentucky Sports Radio, considered challenging Representative Barr, but announced on November 23, 2015, that he would not do so. Rev. Nancy Jo Kemper, a graduate of Yale Divinity School and former executive director of the Kentucky Council of Churches, announced she would run for the Democratic nomination on January 21, 2016. 

Geoff Young, candidate for governor in Kentucky in 2014, and Michael Coblenz, a candidate for Kentucky state house in 2010 competed with Kemper for the chance to challenge Barr in the general election. Michael Coblenz later withdrew, leaving Rev. Kemper and Young as the only Democratic candidates.

Candidates

Nominee
 Nancy Jo Kemper, former executive director of the Kentucky Council of Churches

Eliminated in primary
 Geoff Young, perennial candidate

Withdrawn
Michael Coblenz, attorney and former Air Force B-52 navigator

Declined
Matt Jones, host and founder of Kentucky Sports Radio

Endorsements

Results

General election

Results

References

External links
U.S. House elections in Kentucky, 2016 at Ballotpedia
Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets

Kentucky
2016
United States House