Before Tuesday's special election to fill two House seats vacated by Democratic legislators lured away by Governor Bevin and two GOP seats open because of victories last November in the State Auditor and Agriculture Commissioner's races, Frankfort Democrats worried that a GOP sweep could create a deadlocked House (and encourage fence sitters to cross the aisle from blue to red).

After Tuesday's special election, they may still be celebrating winning three out of four open House seats in Tuesday's special election. One race in the Pennyrile region illustrated how a campaign that blends volunteers, fundraising with state and federal support can be successful.

The race for 8th District House Seat with precincts in Trigg County and Christian County resulted in 59% healthy margin of victory for the Democratic candidate. The win, according to several activists was the result of hard work on the part of the candidate, his team, state legislators and youth, education and labor volunteers.

Jeffrey Taylor, a Hopkinsville resident and retiree from the Tennessee Valley Authority, faced a well funded Republican rival in businessman Walker Wood Thomas, owner of the Roller Dome Fun Plex in Hopkinsville. Taylor will be the first African American to represent the 8th District.

The GOP used the state caucus on Saturday to urge the faithful to get out and vote to flip the House from Republican to Democrat. Governor Bevin urged supporters to vote Republican.

Western Kentucky is seen as becoming increasingly conservative and increasingly Republican. Caucus goers just that past Saturday gave Sen. Ted Cruz their votes, preferring him to the flamboyant Donald Trump who won the state caucus.

If Taylor and his supporters were deterred by predictions of defeat, they didn't show it. His campaign was made up of the classic Democratic allies, labor, education and youth, pulling together for their candidate. Gail Hardy, a retired Trigg County teacher, emailed on election night after the results were in.

Shown below: First day on the job: new Representative Jeff Taylor conferences with Rep. Gerald Watkins. (Photo by LRC Public Information.)

"I have not seen a candidate work as hard as Jeff Taylor and his team in the last 25 years. He had dozens of volunteers and Labor Union guys going door to door most every afternoon and weekends during this six weeks period. State Reps. Jody Richards and Brent Yonts came to Christian county and did door to door canvasing on Saturday before the Tuesday election. The KY House worked hard to help Jeff with funding, they raised a lot of money for him. Several Labor Unions endorsed Jeff, and gave funding and members showed up to work for him. KY Education's Political Pac endorsed and funded him and he had good fundraiser events.. Former Senator Joey Pendleton, was Jeff's advisor and a big help to Jeff. Jeff had never ran for public office before."

Hardy said that phone calls and personal notes from volunteers went out reminding teachers of the stakes for educators if the House and Senate were both under one party rule. Because teachers cannot receive political messages during school hours, calls were made in the evening. Retired teachers were also contacted.

The messages fell on fertile ground.

Below: Rep. Derrick Graham, retired teacher and chair of House Education Committee confers with Rep. Sannie Overly, House Whip and new Democratic Party Chair, (photo by LRC Public Information.

Labor has good reason to see the Kentucky House remain in Democratic hands. One of Governor Bevin's highest priorities is making Kentucky a "right to work" state. That's a move strongly opposed by the Democratic House.

Governor Matt Bevin carried the 8th District in November by an average of 56% of the vote in November 2015.

As Berry Craig, a union activist and retired history professor, put it: "There's some buyer's remorse going on among those who voted for Governor Bevin."

Bevin's announced education cuts are already causing alarm among educators. While the draft budget purports to leave the basic education funding alone, programs for preschool and gifted students are not so fortunate.

Kentucky Young Democrats also got involved in the Taylor race. Dean Anthony, shown at right wearing a Taylor t-shirt, came to the McCracken County Democratic Committee meeting to ask for financial and volunteer assistance for his candidate. Emails went out several times urging KYD members to contact voters in the special election districts and to get out and vote themselves.Early on Election Day, an email blast KYD, went out saying "If the Democratic Party loses control of the State House, then the regressive GOP legislative agenda will quickly become the law of the Commonwealth. This would be a disaster for Kentucky's students, workers, and families." Kentucky college students face significant tuition increases if their schools are cut according to the Governor's budget.

Taylor also received help from a source that a few years ago would have been as one pundit put it "the kiss of death for a Kentucky candidate" - President Barack Obama. The President recorded robo calls that went out supporting Taylor. When asked how that came about by KET host Bill Goodman, Jonathan Miller said he guessed that new Kentucky Democratic Party Chair Sannie Overly reached out to the national Democratic Party to get the President's help.

Taylor and the three other newest House members start today at their new jobs. The issue of the budget will loom large over this session and they will have to play catch up to the rest of the body.

But they will have something in common with their fellow legislators in November: every House member will have to defend their seat. Reports are that the freshman's March opponents have already committed to a rematch.

Taylor's coalition vows to be ready for the fall. As one volunteer put it: "Now that we know what to do, we just have to do it again."