Larry Belcher

State Rep. Larry Belcher (D-Sheperdsville) died last night in an auto accident near Smith's Grove, according to the Louisville Courier-Journal.

Belcher's pick-up truck reportedly struck the back of a tractor trailer that was stopped on Interstate 65 in south central Kentucky. He died at the scene of the accident.

Belcher had served as a member of the state House for a total of six years, including a stint from 1998 to 2002, and from 2006 to present. He lost a bid to win a state Senate seat in 2002.

Before his service in Frankfort, Belcher was a long-time teacher and principal. In Frankfort, Belcher was vice chair of the House Education committee.

Belcher was married with two children.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of my friend Larry Belcher,” said Governor Steve Beshear (D-Lexington) in a release last night. “He loved his home and his state and he represented them both with great pride and commitment.”

DENVER – Several Republican-held state House districts were named by state House speaker Jody Richards (D-Bowling Green) as targets for Democratic campaign efforts during an interview with PolitickerKY.com today.

Richards said campaigns for the legislature were on his mind as he met with fellow Kentuckians as a delegate at the Democratic National Convention in Denver.

"I talk about house races because that is my interest - that is my main focus. That is my responsibility," said Richards.

The races pointed to by the speaker include Travis Calhoun’s (D-Hopkinsville) run to unseat state Rep. Myron Dossett (R-Pembroke) in the 9th District, Mike Weaver’s (D-Elizabethtown) campaign to knock off Rep. Tim Moore (R-Elizabethtown) in the 26th, Merrick Krey’s (D-Erlanger) effort against state rep. Adam Koenig (R-Erlanger) in the 69th, David Sparrow (D-Danville) and his race against Rep. Mike Harmon (R-Junction City)in the 54th, and Charlene Rabold’s (D-Bowling Green) bid counter to Rep. Jim DeCesare (R-Rockfield) in the 21st.

The losing Democratic challengers in 2006 in each of those districts all finished within 6 points of the Republican winners, with some losing margins sitting at less than 2 percent.

“We feel really good about where we are,” said Richards, who noted some other Republican-held districts were also under consideration.