If the democrat wins in a special state senate election Tuesday, republicans would be down to a one vote majority.
Though the vacancy was created when Governor Steve Beshear appointed republican Senator Dan Kelly to a judgeship, Beshear says politics played no role in his decision.
“Obviously, if when there is an election, we can elect somebody who favors some kind of expanded gaming, I’m all for that because I’m for that issue. But there's no nefarious plot or conspiracy going on. It's simply the process that we and every other state engages in. It's called elections,” said Beshear.
Supporters of expanded gaming are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to back democrat Jodie Haydon in Tuesday's 14th district election.
Republican Jimmy Higdon has voted against gambling measures as a state representative but now backs letting voters decide on a constitutional amendment.
