Kentucky

Kentucky (ⁱ/kənˈtʌki/, kən-TU-kee), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state located in the east south-central region of the United States. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth (the others being Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts). Originally a part of Virginia, in 1792 Kentucky became the 15th state to join the Union. Kentucky is the 37th most extensive and the 26th most populous of the 50 United States.

Kentucky is known as the "Bluegrass State", a nickname based on the bluegrass found in many of its pastures due to the fertile soil. One of the major regions in Kentucky is the Bluegrass Region in central Kentucky which houses two of its major cities, Louisville and Lexington. It is a land with diverse environments and abundant resources, including the world's longest cave system, Mammoth Cave National Park, the greatest length of navigable waterways and streams in the contiguous United States, and the two largest man-made lakes east of the Mississippi River.

Republican Party

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Republican Party of Kentucky

The Republican Party of Kentucky is the affiliate of the Republican Party in Kentucky and follows its nationally established platform. Headquarters for the party have been established in Frankfort, Kentucky. The Republican Party of Kentucky gained relevancy in the political realm of Kentucky around the 1940s. Since this emergence, the party did poorly in state office elections until 2015, but saw consistent success on the national scale and in the Kentucky General Assembly. The party is organized into two main committees who hold the most authority in decision making within the party. In the 2015 Kentucky elections, the party captured the offices of Governor, Lt. Governor, Treasurer and Auditor, thus gaining the majority of the state executive offices for the first time in modern history.

History

Emergence and relevancy

After the times of the Solid South, Kentucky has a unique Republican history. Although it is a traditionally Democratic State, the Republican Party of Kentucky became more relevant in Kentucky political affairs around the 1940s and 1950s. Although candidates in presidential and congressional races began to fare well and see success in elections around this time, it did not translate to much success on the state and local levels. Despite receiving measurable amounts of votes and being competitive in elections, many of the candidates for gubernatorial and legislative races consistently failed to get elected into office.

Mitch McConnell

Addison Mitchell "Mitch" McConnell, Jr. (born February 20, 1942) is the senior United States Senator from Kentucky. A member of the Republican Party, he has been the Majority Leader of the Senate since January 3, 2015. He is the 15th Senate Republican Leader and the second Kentuckian to lead his party in the Senate. He is also the longest-serving U.S. senator in Kentucky history.

Early life, education, and military service

Mitch McConnell was born on February 20, 1942 in Sheffield, Alabama in the hospital in Sheffield, which is now called the Helen Keller Hospital, and raised as a young child in nearby Athens. McConnell is the son of Addison Mitchell McConnell, and his wife, Julia (née Shockley). As a youth, he overcame polio. His family moved to Georgia when he was eight.

When he was a teenager his family arrived in Louisville where he attended duPont Manual High School. He graduated with honors from the University of Louisville with a B.A. in history in 1964. McConnell was president of the Student Council of the College of Arts and Sciences and a member of the Phi Kappa Tau fraternity. He has maintained strong ties to his alma mater and "remains a rabid fan of its sports teams." Three years later, McConnell graduated from the University of Kentucky College of Law, where he was president of the Student Bar Association. McConnell is of Scottish and Irish descent.

Donald Trump

Donald John Trump, Sr. (born June 14, 1946) is an American businessperson and media personality. He is the chairman and president of The Trump Organization and the founder of Trump Entertainment Resorts. Trump's career, branding efforts, personal life, wealth, and outspoken manner have made him famous throughout the country. Since 2015, he is also a candidate for the Republican nomination for President of the United States in the 2016 election.

Trump is a native of New York City and a son of Fred Trump, who inspired him to enter real estate development. After two years at Fordham University and while studying at Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Trump worked for his father's firm, Elizabeth Trump & Son. Upon graduating in 1968 he joined the company, and in 1971 was given control, renaming the company "The Trump Organization". Since then he has built hotels, golf courses, and other properties, many of which bear his name. He is a major figure in the American business scene and has received prominent media exposure. The NBC reality show The Apprentice bolstered his fame, and his three marriages were extensively reported in tabloids.