Sylvia Goodman

Sylvia Goodman

@sylviaruthg.lpm.org

Ky Capitol reporter @kentuckypublicradio.org ~ prev @chronicle.com @wbez.org @chicagotribune.com ~ she/her send tips to sgoodman@lpm.org

13.1K followers476 following683 posts

Sylvia Goodman reposted

Joe Sonka 😐
@joesonka.lpm.org

This is also my annual call to please share with me any political mailers you're receiving in Kentucky! Snap a pic before it hits the trash bin. #kysen #kyga26 #ky06

Joe Sonka 😐@joesonka.lpm.org

Has anybody in Kentucky received a mailer or seen a digital ad from a PAC called Our Heritage Matters? Hit up my DMs if so.

Sylvia Goodman
@sylviaruthg.lpm.org

"Normal families" is an interesting choice of words here. Implication that it's abnormal for men to grocery shop?

McKenna Horsley@mckennahorsley.bsky.social

Alvarado team gives WHAS a statement regarding the grocery shopping answer: "By making an issue out of who does the grocery shopping, Zach Dembo proved he doesn’t understand how normal families divide responsibilities." #ky06 www.whas11.com/article/news...

Sylvia Goodman reposted

Joe Sonka 😐
@joesonka.lpm.org

Current tally of PAC ad spending in Kentucky state legislative races #kyga26: Pro-GOP: $1.5 million Pro-Dem: $26,000

Kentucky Public Radio@kentuckypublicradio.org

Political action committees have spent nearly $900,000 on independent ads to boost Kentucky GOP legislative candidates, while Democrats are mostly left to themselves. #kyga26

lpm.orgPACs help Kentucky GOP legislative candidates dominate ad spendingPolitical action committees have spent nearly $900,000 on independent ads to boost Kentucky GOP legislative candidates, while Democrats are mostly left to themselves.
Sylvia Goodman
@sylviaruthg.lpm.org

It is not every day you see a race steadily move from solid red to toss-up. Some handicappers still have it leaning Republican, but Cooks Political Report now rates KY-06 as a toss-up the night after their debate

lpm.orgDembo, Alvarado debate AI, tax cuts and healthcare in Kentucky race for US HouseRepublican Ralph Alvarado squared off against Democrat Zach Dembo on the debate stage Thursday night as Kentucky’s 6th Congressional district becomes a heated battleground.

Sylvia Goodman reposted

McKenna Horsley
@mckennahorsley.bsky.social

‘Clear political stunt’: Beshear rejects Ball’s nominees for executive ethics commission kentuckylantern.com/2026/10/22/c...

kentuckylantern.com‘Clear political stunt’: Beshear rejects Ball’s nominees for executive ethics commission • Kentucky LanternA day after submitting nominations for an appointment to the Executive Branch Ethics Commission, Republican Auditor Allison Ball says Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear rejected her list. A spokesperson for...
Sylvia Goodman
@sylviaruthg.lpm.org

I have gotten two emails in the last 5 days from Kalshi trying to convince me to embed their odds trackers in my news articles?? I can promise you with 100% confidence I will never do that

Sylvia Goodman reposted

Joe Sonka 😐
@joesonka.lpm.org

The former AppHarvest CEO wants to build a 6.6 gigawatt nuclear power plant in eastern Kentucky...

thenuclearcompany.comTNC October 2026
Joe Sonka 😐@joesonka.lpm.org

This Lexington-based company just registered and hired the biggest lobbying firm in Frankfort. It's the new company of Jonathan Webb, who previously founded AppHarvest - the Kentucky agribusiness startup that took off like a rocket before it exploded.

Sylvia Goodman
@sylviaruthg.lpm.org

Those of us who follow campaign finance know that lost month of spending is critical and it’s when you see that final burst of spending Some people might file before Election Day… but Ky campaigns and PACs can now wait until the day after with no penalty

Kentucky Public Radio@kentuckypublicradio.org

A new Kentucky state law gives candidates more time to file their campaign finance reports, making it more difficult for Kentuckians to know who is spending to get their chosen candidates elected in the final days of their campaigns. #kyga26 From KPR's @sylviaruthg.lpm.org

lpm.orgWho’s spending big in the final days of the Kentucky elections? We may have to wait to find outA new Kentucky state law gives candidates more time to file their campaign finance reports, making it more difficult for Kentuckians to know who is spending to get their chosen candidates elected in t...

Sylvia Goodman reposted

McKenna Horsley
@mckennahorsley.bsky.social

Melissa Strange, the Democratic candidate in #ky04, criticizes KET for airing a forum last night with Republican Ed Gallrein as the only candidate. She said she "was not given the opportunity to participate due to KET’s arbitrary fundraising requirement." x.com/StrangeForKY...

Sylvia Goodman reposted

Nick Miroff
@nickmiroff.bsky.social

NEW: ICE is trying to deport a mother of 4 while her husband is at Fort Benning in Army basic training. When she went to pick up the family's military IDs, Navy personnel turned her over to ICE. She's been in the US since age six. With @nancyayoussef.bsky.social www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...

theatlantic.comHe Joined the Military. They Reported His Wife to ICE.When a soldier’s wife went to pick up her military ID at a base in Texas, ICE officers showed up.

Sylvia Goodman reposted

Joe Sonka 😐
@joesonka.lpm.org

Oh wow.... GOP congressional candidate Ralph Alvarado, in a very tight race, is skipping the Trump rally in Kentucky tomorrow, saying he has a commitments to speak at a few events in his district that day. #ky06

Joe Sonka 😐@joesonka.lpm.org

Gov. Andy Beshear asked about Trump coming to northern Kentucky for a rally on Saturday: "The fact that in the weeks leading up to this midterm election, the president is coming to a state he won by 31 points, that he believes he needs to, suggests to me that Republicans are in big trouble."

Sylvia Goodman reposted

Joe Sonka 😐
@joesonka.lpm.org

New DCCC internal poll (caveats!) has Trump's approvals at 34/53 in Kentucky's #ky06 district, which he won by 15 percentage points just two years ago. They have Democrat Zach Dembo up 46-40 in the R15+ district. Background:

lpm.orgElection 2026: Ralph Alvarado, Zach Dembo face off in Kentucky's 6th districtFormer GOP state Sen. Ralph Alvarado is facing off against former federal prosecutor Democrat Zach Dembo for the Lexington-area Congressional district. What you need to know.

Sylvia Goodman reposted

Kentucky Public Radio
@kentuckypublicradio.org

Ten months after 1,500 workers in Hardin County lost their jobs at Ford’s electric vehicle battery plant, hiring has begun at the automaker’s next venture: building battery energy storage systems for data centers, utilities, and other industrial customers.

wkyufm.orgFord updates community on its second act in Hardin CountyTen months after 1,500 workers in Hardin County lost their jobs at Ford’s electric vehicle battery plant, hiring has begun at the automaker’s next venture. A new spinoff, Ford Energy, is re-purposing ...

Sylvia Goodman reposted

Joe Sonka 😐
@joesonka.lpm.org

Some #kyga26 number-crunching from my latest 👇 - PAC ads for KYGA GOP candidates: $900K - PAC ads for Dem candidates: $5K - Beshear PAC ad spending on non-KYGA Dems: $750K - Beshear PAC ad spending on KYGA Dems: $0

Kentucky Public Radio@kentuckypublicradio.org

Political action committees have spent nearly $900,000 on independent ads to boost Kentucky GOP legislative candidates, while Democrats are mostly left to themselves. #kyga26

lpm.orgPACs help Kentucky GOP legislative candidates dominate ad spendingPolitical action committees have spent nearly $900,000 on independent ads to boost Kentucky GOP legislative candidates, while Democrats are mostly left to themselves.
Sylvia Goodman
@sylviaruthg.lpm.org

As someone who has to vote in like 16 divisions, I will definitely be making use of it. It's also reminding me that we've gotten an awful lot of uncontested judicial races too...

Sylvia Goodman reposted

Kentucky Public Radio
@kentuckypublicradio.org

USA Today’s parent company filed a lawsuit against OpenAI in New York federal court Thursday for allegedly using reporting from its 19 publications, including the Louisville Courier Journal, without permission. From @joesonka.lpm.org & @sylviaruthg.lpm.org

lpm.orgUSA Today network, including Courier Journal, sue OpenAIUSA Today’s parent company filed a lawsuit against OpenAI in New York federal court Thursday for allegedly using reporting from its 19 publications, including Louisville’s Courier Journal, without per...

Sylvia Goodman reposted

Kentucky Public Radio
@kentuckypublicradio.org

UPDATE: A state official now says the inmate appears to have died by suicide, though autopsy results are still pending.

Kentucky Public Radio@kentuckypublicradio.org

A death row inmate housed at the Kentucky State Penitentiary died last week, 29 years to the day since he was sentenced to face the death penalty for the murder of Helen Madden in Hazard. From @hannahsaad.bsky.social at @wkmsfm.bsky.social

wkms.orgInmate on death row at Kentucky State Penitentiary in Eddyville died in custody last weekA death row inmate housed at the Kentucky State Penitentiary died last week, according to a spokesperson for the state’s Justice & Public Safety Cabinet.

Sylvia Goodman reposted

Kentucky Public Radio
@kentuckypublicradio.org

Former GOP state Sen. Ralph Alvarado is facing off against former federal prosecutor Democrat Zach Dembo for the Lexington-area Congressional district, which Trump won by 15 points in 2024. #ky06 KPR's @sylviaruthg.lpm.org breaks down the competitive race:

lpm.orgElection 2026: Ralph Alvarado, Zach Dembo face off in Kentucky's 6th districtFormer GOP state Sen. Ralph Alvarado is facing off against former federal prosecutor Democrat Zach Dembo for the Lexington-area Congressional district. What you need to know.
Sylvia Goodman
@sylviaruthg.lpm.org

Interesting tidbit in Kentucky: last month's voter registration numbers are out and both Democrat and Other registrations were higher than Republicans' (Other has been outpacing both parties for some times, but Dems have been pretty steadily losing voters)

Sylvia Goodman reposted

Joe Sonka 😐
@joesonka.lpm.org

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear's PAC just reported spending another $250K on ads in this R+15 congressional race. They've now spending $500K, with a Trump PAC spending > $1 million. #ky06

Kentucky Public Radio@kentuckypublicradio.org

Sabato’s Crystal Ball, an election forecaster out of the University of Virginia, has moved Kentucky’s Sixth Congressional District race from "safe Republican" to “likely Republican” to “leans Republican” over the past three months, despite Trump winning #ky06 by 15 points in 2024.

lpm.orgPolitical forecaster moves open Kentucky House seat rating toward DemocratsSabato’s Crystal Ball, an election predictor out of the University of Virginia, moved Kentucky’s Sixth Congressional District from a “likely Republican” win to “leans Republican.”
Sylvia Goodman
@sylviaruthg.lpm.org

Interesting tidbit in Kentucky: last month's voter registration numbers are out and both Democrat and Other registrations were higher than Republicans' (Other has been outpacing both parties for some times, but Dems have been pretty steadily losing voters)

Sylvia Goodman
@sylviaruthg.lpm.org

Compare to, say, a year ago. In Sept 2025, Dem registration fell by 3,354 voters. Meanwhile Republicans gained 4,636 and Other added 2,372 that month Can't say this is a trend or anything, but certainly something to keep an eye on leading up to the midterms and beyond

Sylvia Goodman
@sylviaruthg.lpm.org

Another great piece from @joesonka.lpm.org as our nonpartisan judicial races grow increasingly partisan "... Beshear’s super PAC [has stepped] up its support and more than a dozen Republican state lawmakers [contributed] to VanMeter, including several in leadership positions."

Kentucky Public Radio@kentuckypublicradio.org

Concerns about partisan political influence in Kentucky’s judicial elections are growing, as Gov. Andy Beshear and GOP lawmakers are taking sides in a high-profile Court of Appeals race.

lpm.orgKentucky Court of Appeals race becoming another partisan judicial battlegroundConcerns about partisan political influence in Kentucky’s judicial elections are growing, as Gov. Andy Beshear and GOP lawmakers are taking sides in a Court of Appeals race.

Sylvia Goodman reposted

Joe Sonka 😐
@joesonka.lpm.org

My latest 👇 We’re not quite Wisconsin yet, but this appears to be the new normal for Kentucky’s big nonpartisan judicial races. #kyga26 #kyga27

Kentucky Public Radio@kentuckypublicradio.org

Concerns about partisan political influence in Kentucky’s judicial elections are growing, as Gov. Andy Beshear and GOP lawmakers are taking sides in a high-profile Court of Appeals race.

lpm.orgKentucky Court of Appeals race becoming another partisan judicial battlegroundConcerns about partisan political influence in Kentucky’s judicial elections are growing, as Gov. Andy Beshear and GOP lawmakers are taking sides in a Court of Appeals race.

Sylvia Goodman reposted

Kentucky Public Radio
@kentuckypublicradio.org

At a Frankfort listening session, Kentuckians from across the state described their frustrations with data center developments in their communities and begged lawmakers to act sooner rather than later. #kyga26 #kyga27 From KPR's @sylviaruthg.lpm.org

lpm.org‘Kentuckians are watching:’ Lawmakers hear pleas to act on data centersKentuckians from across the state described their frustrations with data center developments in their communities and begged lawmakers to act sooner rather than later.
Sylvia Goodman
@sylviaruthg.lpm.org

Here in Frankfort for the first legislator listening session on data centers. We have 9 lawmakers here today (all Dems except for Rep. Grossl). We’ve got a pretty full house here today People came from all over the state (ex. Madison, Pike, Carroll, Mercer, Jefferson, etc)

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Sylvia Goodman
@sylviaruthg.lpm.org

I'm also hearing a lot of people who say they want these decisions brought directly to voters rather than leaving it to local officials. A speaker from Breckinridge Co: "Our land is worth more than their data, and we, the people of this commonwealth, have the right to vote no on data centers."

Sylvia Goodman
@sylviaruthg.lpm.org

Also of course calls for a data center moratorium. Mostly hearing calls for a 3-year ban. A gentleman from Mason Co: "The first is a true impartial study to make sure these projects are feasible, do actually provide the jobs, the tax benefit, whatever else they say."

Sylvia Goodman
@sylviaruthg.lpm.org

Here in Frankfort for the first legislator listening session on data centers. We have 9 lawmakers here today (all Dems except for Rep. Grossl). We’ve got a pretty full house here today People came from all over the state (ex. Madison, Pike, Carroll, Mercer, Jefferson, etc)

Sylvia Goodman
@sylviaruthg.lpm.org

I'm hearing a few through lines already here this morning. A lot of frustration over the lack of transparency, a feeling that county officials have been conspiring with data center developers behind their backs I wrote about some of those concerns, esp in Carroll Co

lpm.orgNeighbors to Kentucky hyperscale data centers demand transparencyAs data center proposals spring up in communities across Kentucky, residents want more answers about their would-be neighbors from developers and their own public officials.

Sylvia Goodman reposted

Joe Sonka 😐
@joesonka.lpm.org

No Going Back, the Trump PAC, just reported to the FEC another huge ad buy in this R+15 district in Kentucky. They’ve now spent over $1M on ads to hold onto a seat that Republicans won by 27 points (!) just two years ago. #ky06

Kentucky Public Radio@kentuckypublicradio.org

Sabato’s Crystal Ball, an election forecaster out of the University of Virginia, has moved Kentucky’s Sixth Congressional District race from "safe Republican" to “likely Republican” to “leans Republican” over the past three months, despite Trump winning #ky06 by 15 points in 2024.

lpm.orgPolitical forecaster moves open Kentucky House seat rating toward DemocratsSabato’s Crystal Ball, an election predictor out of the University of Virginia, moved Kentucky’s Sixth Congressional District from a “likely Republican” win to “leans Republican.”
Sylvia Goodman
@sylviaruthg.lpm.org

The story this fine morning >>

lpm.orgPolitical forecaster moves open Kentucky House seat rating toward DemocratsSabato’s Crystal Ball, an election predictor out of the University of Virginia, moved Kentucky’s Sixth Congressional District from a “likely Republican” win to “leans Republican.”
Sylvia Goodman@sylviaruthg.lpm.org

It is pretty wild for this district to now be classified as “lean Republican.” It may be Kentucky’s most purple district but even so it still went for Trump by 15 points and Barr held it very comfortably until going for the Senate seat. But this is shaping up to be a close election…

Sylvia Goodman
@sylviaruthg.lpm.org

It is pretty wild for this district to now be classified as “lean Republican.” It may be Kentucky’s most purple district but even so it still went for Trump by 15 points and Barr held it very comfortably until going for the Senate seat. But this is shaping up to be a close election…

Joe Sonka 😐@joesonka.lpm.org

UVA Center for Politics just moved Kentucky’s R+15 congressional district to Lean Republican. Back in July it was Safe Republican, it’s shifted towards Democrats twice now. #ky06

Sylvia Goodman reposted

Kentucky Public Radio
@kentuckypublicradio.org

After community members denounced a lack of transparency from public officials in a Carroll County data center project, some people are now pursuing ethics complaints against those who approved it, citing their ties to the electric utility that would power it. From @sylviaruthg.lpm.org

lpm.orgFrustration over Kentucky data center has found another target — ethics complaintsAfter community members denounce a lack of transparency from public officials in a Carroll County data center project, some people are pursuing ethics complaints against those who approved it.

Sylvia Goodman reposted

Kentucky Public Radio
@kentuckypublicradio.org

Local newspapers are shutting down and shedding reporters across the country. @andrewhenderson.bsky.social spoke with @aacquisto.bsky.social, one of 13 journalists recently laid off at the Lexington Herald-Leader by hedge fund-owned McClatchy.

lpm.orgKentucky newspaper layoffs have a reporter asking: Can local journalism be saved?Newspapers are shutting down and shedding reporters across the country, especially in Central Appalachia. Andrew Henderson sat down with a Lexington Herald-Leader reporter who was recently laid off al...