NKY House District 65 election results 2026: Democrat Currin flips seat

Democrat Aaron Currin defeated Republican Rep. Stephanie Dietz of Edgewood in Kentucky House District 65 on Nov. 3, capturing 53% of the vote.

Results remain unofficial. Absentee and provisional ballots must still be counted and confirmed by the county Board of Elections, according to WVXU. County certified results are due to the Kentucky Secretary of State by noon on Nov. 10, with state certification scheduled for no later than Nov. 23, according to the state's election calendar.

Source: Cincinnati Enquirer, based on Kentucky Secretary of State election-night returns. Raw vote totals were not available at publication. Official results: Kentucky State Board of Elections.

District 65 covers Covington, parts of Taylor Mill and a central strip of Kenton County. Democrats lost the seat in 2022 following redistricting, and Dietz had held it since then.

The result stood out on a night when Republicans otherwise held the line across Northern Kentucky. Andy Barr won Mitch McConnell's U.S. Senate seat, and Republican Ed Gallrein defeated Democrat Melissa Strange for Kentucky's 4th Congressional District, WCPO 9 reported.

"It's a bit of a surprise. I mean, we did the work, we did a lot of hard work," Currin told WCPO 9 after his victory. "We knocked on a bunch of doors."

Currin, a Covington attorney who has worked primarily as a public defender, said he ran on making government more accessible for residents, LINK nky reported. He told the outlet earlier this year that too many citizens learn about major decisions only after they have already been made.

"Just basically being a local voice down in Frankfort instead of being a local mouthpiece for the DC and Frankfort," Currin told WCPO 9.

Beyond his law practice, Aaron Currin Law in Covington, Currin has served as an adjunct professor since 2021 at the University of Cincinnati Lindner College of Business, Northern Kentucky University Haile College of Business and Chase College of Law, according to the Northern Kentucky Tribune.

Statewide picture

Democrats flipped nine legislative seats across Kentucky on election night, including seven in the House and two in the Senate. The gains came in suburban districts near Louisville, Lexington and Northern Kentucky, Spectrum News Kentucky reported.

Republicans kept their supermajority in the Kentucky General Assembly despite the losses. Kentucky's newest legislators will be sworn in when the next legislative session begins in January 2027.

The reports reviewed did not include a concession statement or comment from Dietz.