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Democrats Flip a Legislative Seat In Kentucky

February 20, 2018 at 7:59 pm ET By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Linda Belcher (D) won the special election in Kentucky’s House District 49, a seat that Donald Trump carried by a stunning 72% to 23% margin in the 2016 presidential election, the Louisville Courier-Journal reports.

The seat was vacated after Rep. Dan Johnson (R) died by suicide two days after a story was published saying he had been accused of molesting a 17-year-old girl.

Filed Under: State House Tagged With: Dan Johnson

Kentucky Lawmaker Kills Himself

December 13, 2017 at 9:52 pm ET By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Kentucky state Rep. Dan Johnson (R), who was under investigation for alleged sexual molestation of a teenage girl, died of a “probable suicide,” WDRB reports.

He left what appears to be a suicide note on Facebook.

Filed Under: State House Tagged With: Dan Johnson

Lawmaker Won’t Resign Over Sexual Assault Allegations

December 12, 2017 at 3:07 pm ET By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Although leaders from both political parties called on him to resign, Kentucky Rep. Dan Johnson (R) said that an allegation he sexually assaulted a teenage girl four years ago “absolutely has no merit,” WLKY reports.

Johnson is accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl at a New Year’s Eve party while he was acting as her preacher.

The alleged victim detailed her story to Louisiana Public Media.

Filed Under: State House Tagged With: Dan Johnson

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About Political Wire

Taegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites. He also runs Political Job Hunt, Electoral Vote Map and the Political Dictionary.

Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.

Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country.

Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.

Goddard is the owner of Goddard Media LLC.

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