Difference between revisions of "Kentucky"
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Revision as of 17:05, July 19, 2007
Kentucky, the Bluegrass State, entered the Union in 1792, making it the fifteenth state. Kentucky's capital is Frankfort, and the largest city is Louisville, with a Metro population surpassing 1,000,000. Kentucky is famous for many things, including the Kentucky Derby, burbon, Kentucky Fried Chicken, coal, bluegrass music, and boxing great Mohammad Ali.
Contents
History
Sports
Kentucky is best-known for its men's college basketball teams, most notably the University of Kentucky Wildcats and University of Louisville Cardinals. The University of Kentucky (UK) traditionally has been the dominant of the two, having won seven NCAA titles. According to Sagarin ratings, the 1996 UK team is the highest-ranked college basketball team in NCAA history. Many UK basketball players have gone on to play in the NBA. The UK basketball team has recently lost its dominance, and the in-state rivalry between the two universities has become less one-sided.
Politics
Kentucky is considered a heavily red state. Republican Ernie Fletcher is the current Governor, while Republicans Jim Bunning and Mitch McConnell are Senators. Senator McConnell is Minority Leader of the Senate. McConnell's wife, Elaine Chao, is the current United States Secretary of Labor. Kentucky holds six seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, held by Republicans Ed Whitfield, Ron Lewis, Geoff Davis, and Hal Rogers, and Democrats John Yarmuth and Ben Chandler. Chandler ran against Fletcher for Governor in the last election, in 2003. Governor Fletcher is up for reelection this year, having won his party's primary. His opponent is Democrat Steve Beshear.
The Kentucky State Senate has 21 Republicans, 16 Democrats, and one Independent. The Kentucky House, however, has 61 Democrats and only 39 Republicans.
Geography
Kentucky borders several other states: to the north Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, to the south Tennessee, to the east Virginia and West Virginia, and to the west Missouri. The Ohio River makes up the northern border of Kentucky.
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