How we reported the ‘Frankfort Power Brokers’ series

Austin Horn
·3 min read

As a reporter starting my first legislative session in Frankfort two years ago, I took great pains to learn the names of all 138 state representatives and senators in Kentucky.

That paid off, especially when it comes to remembering the sometimes-arcane hometowns of certain legislators (looking at you Fruit Hill, Ryland Heights and the various “Fort” cities of Northern Kentucky).

However, it becomes pretty clear once you spend time in Frankfort, it’s essential to know more than just the state’s elected officials.

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There is an entire ecosystem of lobbyists pushing for legislation and government action, political staffers shaping the information space so their side gets an edge and donors making key decisions on who gets the resources to play the political game.

All of them play a major role in shaping Kentucky’s political environment and therefore our state.

You may have seen some of these names before. Others may be new to you. The purpose of this project is to introduce to you the class of unelected Kentuckians driving so much of the state’s agenda, as well as seeking influence through political contributions and campaigns.

The name “Frankfort Power Brokers” is partially taken from Nick Storm, a journalist who ran the now-offline Kentucky Fried Politics site. That outlet ran a list of power brokers in 2021 and 2022, both of which are worth reading.

This project differs from Storm’s, and from a list of notable Kentucky women produced by the Kentucky Gazette, somewhat in that it doesn’t present a ranked format and doesn’t purport to name the individuals highlighted as “the most” powerful, notable or influential in their respective categories.

There are so many prominent movers and shakers in state politics that a complete list would be almost impossible.

The purpose is to help voters, taxpayers and constituents gain greater understanding of how Frankfort works through the eyes of these people.

Lexington Herald-Leader political reporter Austin Horn at his desk on the floor of the Senate Chambers in the State Capitol in Frankfort, Ky.
Lexington Herald-Leader political reporter Austin Horn at his desk on the floor of the Senate Chambers in the State Capitol in Frankfort, Ky.

We conducted on-the-record interviews with 15 movers-and-shakers in and around the capitol and spoke to several others privately to gain perspective and see who might crack their list of Frankfort influencers.

There are categories of folks – such as legislative staff on the state and federal levels, people in the judicial branch, as well as several state agencies and special-interest advocacy organizations – that we missed or failed to track down.

Look for more about them in the future, and if we missed someone who you believe should be included, contact me at ahorn@herald-leader.com. I’ll also happily take your story tips and suggestions, too.

I hope you come away from this project having learned something new about our state government. You’ll find that it’s often those individuals whose name never appears on your Election Day ballot that drive much of the agenda unfolding in Frankfort.

One last request: If you want more coverage like this, please, subscribe to the Herald-Leader. Your financial support enables us to do in-depth and sophisticated reporting like this even more frequently.