Return of a Champion
As KPW rolls into a bit of a summer break, we've got lawsuits in Kentucky, immigration issues nationally, and bombings abroad. Also, an American hero is returning to his reclaim his crown this July.
Jun 20, 2025•1 hr 15 min
Kentucky Politics Weekly
KY Political News, notes and random thoughts from Tres Watson, the former Spokesman of the Republican Party of Kentucky, Democratic consultant and movie producer Jared Smith, and PR professional Abby Piper along with a rotating cast of Republican and Democratic political operatives, former elected officials and and reporters.
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Episodes
Needle Ant Drones
Israel is bombing Iran, LA is on fire, Asian needle ants are attacking the South. Just a few of the crisis’s on the KPW crew's minds this week.
Jun 13, 2025•1 hr 13 min
Bromance Break Up
Democratic State Representative Adam Moore joins the show to talk about Pre-K, MAHA, and his experiences as a Freshman legislator. It turns out he and Majority Whip Jason Nemes have unknowingly formed an anti-8 bit Podcast theme music caucus in the General Assembly
Jun 06, 2025•1 hr 34 min
And Then There Were Six...
Robin Webb leaves the Democratic Party, Fayette County is raising taxes (maybe?) Trump hates TACOs?, and Bob Menendez is back! All on a packed KPW!
May 30, 2025•1 hr 22 min
Holiday Scatterbrain
It's Friday on a holiday weekend, we're tired and ready for a break, can you blame us? We've got education policy, tax policy, foreign policy, and monkey wars. This one is all over the place!
May 23, 2025•1 hr 49 min
Let's Get SALTy
Kentucky Magistrates and Commissioners Association Executive Director JC Young joins the show to talk County Governments. Also, Tres talks two of his favorite (and two of Jared's least favorite) topics: his hatred of raising the SALT Deduction cap and his love for local tax reform.
May 16, 2025•1 hr 27 min
Da Pope
Former State Rep and good Irish Catholic Killian Timoney joins the pod to talk all things pope. Also, we ask the serious questions like can raccoons develop a meth tolerance and why wouldn't a snake handler keep antivenom nearby.
May 09, 2025•1 hr 30 min
KY Derby 151
It's Derby week in the Commonwealth and the Louisville Thoroughbred Society's own Gene McLean is back for our annual KPW Derby preview, this year brought to you by the Associated General Contractors of Kentucky. Also, Tres has grievances to be aired and KY Wired rears it's ugly head yet again.
May 01, 2025•1 hr 34 min
Don't Lick Co-Workers
The KY Senate race gains a candidate, there's going to be a new pope, and there may be a new Secretary of Defense soon. Also, we learn important lessons about masquerading as a creepy clown and not licking your friends and co-workers.
Apr 25, 2025•1 hr 14 min
Do Orcas Eat Penguins?
We're back from a spring break hiatus. We've got KY Senate finance deadlines, issues with KSP, RFK Jr idiocy, bad Beshear poll numbers, and more!
Apr 17, 2025•1 hr 24 min
Tariffs Are Taxes
It will never stop raining and Trump has imposed tariffs on penguins. Not sure what else we can say about this one other than ignore the fact that Abby's mic isn't turned on the first 10 minutes. It gets better.....
Apr 04, 2025•1 hr 31 min
Bonus Tennessee Hate Week
It's Sine Die in the KY General Assembly and it's a rare bonus Tennessee Hate Week as the Cats gear up to play the trash men from down south. Also, KPW Foreign Correspondent Jason Emert joins the show to talk Signalgate
Mar 28, 2025•1 hr 38 min
Pirate's Booty
Veto week is upon the KY General Assembly but that doesn't mean there's no news. We've got issues at KREF, Trump versus the DOE, Orcas wearing hats, and corrupt snack food magnates.
Mar 21, 2025•1 hr 24 min
Tired.....So Tired....
Whether it's the grind of the General Assembly Session or the fact that the SEC doesn’t know how to schedule and UK finished playing at nearly 2 AM, the KPW crew is tired. But the show must go on. We've got a look of the week that was in Frankfort, UK not teaching students about tariffs, and a summary of Bologna-gate.
Mar 14, 2025•1 hr 10 min
Police Blotter
Tariffs are here. Or they're not. Or maybe they are, we're not sure. Either way, we've got all the KY and national political news you need. Also, the police blotter may be becoming a standard segment of the podcast because we've got a lot this week.
Mar 07, 2025•1 hr 15 min
What the Hell is Going on In London?!?
We're past the midway mark in the 2025 KY General Assembly session and a few bills are moving. The KPW crew talks about library boards, conversion therapy, professor tenure, and more. Also, Trump-Zelenskyy goes south, measles in Kentucky, John Morgan is forming his own party, and more!
Feb 28, 2025•1 hr 8 min
Tres is "Sleepy"
Well, they can't all be winners. Technical "mistakes" and scattershot thoughts by KPW's host plague this one but the crew powers through with discussions about Frankfort, Washington, drug catapults, and wayward seals. The audio gets better half way through once the technical mistakes are discovered, so bear with it.
Feb 21, 2025•1 hr 14 min
The Orcas are Recruiting
The KY General Assembly is in full swing. The KPW crew takes a look at some of the legislation that has caught their eyes. Also, the KY Senate and KY-6 races from 2026 seem to be heating up, and KPW has thoughts.
Feb 14, 2025•1 hr 23 min
Louisville Metro ABC Rocks!
The Kentucky General Assembly is back and KPW has you covered with some of our favorite (and least favorite) bills so far. Also, friend of the pod Ryan Underwood is here to pitch a bill that creates a new way for businesses to pay taxes. Finally, the KPW crew is VERY excited for the latest track to drop from Louisville Metro Alcoholic Beverage Control! That joint is lit!
Feb 07, 2025•1 hr 32 min
The End of the Year of January
A week that lasted a month in a month that lasted a year is finally over. We've got coverage of Andy Beshear's conference call, Library legislation, the guy with the brain worms, the woman who likes Assad, and a trash can full of popcorn.
Jan 31, 2025•1 hr 20 min
Love You Children and Anything Is Possible
We're 4 days clear of inauguration and the news simply won't stop. This week, we've got pardons, executive orders, convenience store joints, and makeup tips for Matt Gaetz from George Santos!
Jan 24, 2025•1 hr 16 min
And They Said It Wouldn't Last
It's KPW's 6th Birthday and to celebrate, we add the original co-host, Tom Stephens and first guest, Adam Edelen, to the show. We've got ethical issues in State Government, education lawsuits, the tick tock for TikTok, and Tres has thoughts on snow removal and related issues in Lexington.
Jan 17, 2025•1 hr 6 min
Cajun is Comforting
New year, same podcast! KPW is back in 2025 with a look at the news we've missed. The NOLA and Las Vegas terror attacks, the speaker vote, Carter's funeral, the first week of the KY General Assembly, and the case for taking over Canada, Greenland, and the Panama Canal! Also, a kudos to the fine folks at Pop Tarts.
Jan 10, 2025•1 hr 27 min
2025 General Assembly Preview with Senator Cassie Chambers Armstrong
We're back with part 2 of our 2025 General Assembly preview. We're joined by Democratic State Senator Cassie Chamber Armstrong for a discussion about tax policy, education policy, and how to shape the agenda from the minority.
Dec 20, 2024•1 hr 5 min
2025 General Assembly Preview with Senate Majority Leader Max Wise
Our 2025 General Assembly preview kicks off with a wide-ranging discussion with new State Senate Majority Leader Max Wise. Fresh off the State Senate Caucus retreat, Leader Wise has thoughts on where we may see the 2025 session will lead and what some of the priorities may be. Also, an in-depth discussion of Yacht Rock and Leader Wise takes a position on whether or not Poco is indeed Yacht Rock.
Dec 17, 2024•58 min
Helps When the Mics are On
Consent Decrees in Louisville, a regime change in Syria, and KDP's financial woes lead the week. Also, on a very special KPW, the crew learns an important lesson to make sure everyone's mics are on, so please forgive Jared's quiet voice the first 15 minutes.
Dec 13, 2024•1 hr 13 min
Rate That Coup
KPW is back after a Thanksgiving break and we've got Andy Beshear making moves in New Hampshire, thoughts on the assassination of a Health Insurance CEO, a recap of Jared and Abby's trip to Vegas, and the debut of a new podcast feature: Rate That Coup. This week: South Korea.
Dec 06, 2024•1 hr 23 min
What is a Bearcat?
Jared and Abby are reporting to us live from the F1 race in Las Vegas, so it's an unusual, Saturday morning recording for KPW! We've got new KY Democratic House Leadership, Bearcat on Bearcat legal attacks, the departure of Matt Gaetz, and we ask the question, "Can an emu really escape if it's already feral?"
Nov 23, 2024•55 min
Are Wallabys Real?
There's good news and bad news but KPW has it all. We've for JCPS issues, leadership elections, Trump appointments, and a fugitive wallaby.
Nov 16, 2024•1 hr 20 min
43 Free Monkeys
The 2024 elections are over, DJT is back, and KPW have thoughts. Lots of lessons learned, unlearned, and relearned. So listen up for politics, asteroids, and William Wallace monkeys on the post-election KPW
Nov 09, 2024•1 hr 30 min
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