Democrat Robin Webb has won a closely-watched special election to replace Republican State Senator Charlie Borders in the northeastern 18th District. With all counties reporting, Webb leads in unofficial returns by 48.1% to 46.6%, or a margin of 282 votes:

Webb’s victory leaves the State Senate with 20 Republicans, 17 Democrats, and one Independent, and it also triggers another special election to fill Webb's now-vacant House seat. In addition to narrowing the Republican advantage, this election was widely seen as a test of the Republican legislative strategy of blocking votes on key Democratic initiatives – particularly a plan to boost state revenues and aid Kentucky’s horseracing industry by allowing video lottery machines at racetracks.

Especially worrisome for Kentucky Republicans is the fact that they lost the 18th District despite its conservative electorate - which gave Obama just over 40% of the two-party vote - and despite major independent expenditures by the national Republican State Leadership Committee. The RSLC financed a series of television ads attacking Webb and tying her to national Democrats, but based on the result yesterday, those attacks were clearly ineffective.

This is the second such district taken by Kentucky Democrats in special elections this year; the other was the 32nd Senate District left vacant by Republican Brett Guthrie.