James Allen Tipton
Kentucky State Representative, District 53 since 2014. Ran in 7 elections between 2014 and 2024, winning 7. Re-elected in 2026. Next on the ballot in 2028.
- In office
- 12 yrs
- Since 2014
- Bills became law
- 13
- 34 sponsored, 2025–2026 session
- Votes missed
- 1.0%
- Chamber median 7.5%
- With party
- 99%
- On votes splitting the parties
- Last margin
- +53.4
- Won 2022
- Next election
- 2028
- Nov 7, 2028
Source: Wikidata, congress-legislators and Open States; 99chambers legislative recordsUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 1:52 PM ET
Committees
As of 2026-10.
- Education · co-chair
- Postsecondary Education · chair
- Agriculture
- Agriculture
- Primary and Secondary Education
- Public Pension Oversight Board
- State Government
- State Government
Source: Open States committeesUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET
Legislation
Boards And Commissions · Became law Apr 2026
Education, Elementary And Secondary · Became law Apr 2026
Education, Higher · Became law Apr 2026
Administrative Regulations And Proceedings · Became law Apr 2026
Source: Open States billsUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:22 PM ET
Voting record
Where Tipton sits in the Kentucky House of Representatives
Tipton is closer to the center than 65% of the chamber's Republicans.
Closest: Stephanie Dietz, Randy Bridges, Brandon Smith
Source: 99chambers roll-call scalingUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:50 PM ET
With Tipton’s party
- Votes with the chamber's Republicans99%
Black tick: the average of Republicans in the Kentucky House of Representatives.
Source: 99chambers legislative scores from roll calls and cosponsorships
Key votes
Votes chosen for their effect, not their side: Tipton’s vote, each party’s majority, and the result. An orange vote differs from most Republicans.
| Date | Bill | Tipton | Rep. majority | Dem. majority | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 15, 2026 | HB 869: AN ACT relating to fiscal matters and declaring an emergency. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Passed 70–22 |
| Apr 14, 2026 | HB 379: AN ACT relating to postsecondary education. | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 80–17 |
| Apr 14, 2026 | HB 142: AN ACT relating to depredating wildlife and declaring an emergency. | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 86–11 |
| Apr 14, 2026 | HB 904: AN ACT relating to gaming. | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 67–7 |
| Apr 14, 2026 | HB 652: AN ACT relating to critical facility mapping and declaring an emergency. | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 81–17 |
Source: 99chambers key votes from Congress.gov, Voteview and Open States roll calls
Career
Offices held, and every time Tipton was on a ballot. Filled marks are general elections won; hollow marks are primaries; an orange outline is a loss.
Source: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)
Elections
Margin against the seat’s presidential baseline: how the seat voted for president in the same or nearest year.
| Year | Race | Result | Margin | Seat | +/− |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Kentucky House of Representatives, District 53 | Won | — | R+53.4 | — |
| 2024 | Kentucky House of Representatives, District 53 | Won | — | R+53.4 | — |
| 2022 | Kentucky House of Representatives, District 53 | Won | R+53.4 | R+52.4 | +1.0 |
| 2020 | Kentucky House of Representatives, District 53 | Won | R+53.3 | — | — |
| 2018 | Kentucky House of Representatives, District 53 | Won | R+42.3 | — | — |
| 2016 | Kentucky House of Representatives, District 53 | Won | R+44.8 | — | — |
| 2014 | Kentucky House of Representatives, District 53 | Won | R+14.9 | — | — |
| 2014 | Kentucky House of Representatives, District 53 (primary) | Won | — | — | — |
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: civicAPI (unofficial)Updated Nov 8, 2026, 7:01 PM ET
Campaign money, 2025–26
- Raised
- $11.3K
- Spent
- $11.5K
Source: Kentucky Registry of Election Finance filings through Oct 15, 2026Updated Nov 1, 2026, 12:43 AM ET
Campaign committees
Open committees can still raise and spend money.
| James Tipton (GENERAL 11/03/2026) State | Active |
| James Tipton (PRIMARY 05/19/2026) State | Active |
Source: Kentucky Registry of Election Finance filings through Oct 15, 2026Updated Nov 1, 2026, 12:43 AM ET
Seats Tipton has held
- Kentucky House of Representatives, District 53 · since 2014
Source: 99chambers results archive
Who Tipton has run against
- Dustin Burley (D) · 2022 election, won
- James M. Sargent (D) · 2016 election, won
- Kent Stevens (D) · 2014 election, won
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: civicAPI (unofficial)
How we know Tipton
One person, matched across every source we use.
- Open States ocd-person/d6c9aa9b-3c6b-411a-bff1-fc1c38d4bce0
- Wikidata Q112682986
Source: Identity links: Wikidata, congress-legislators, Open States, FECUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 1:52 PM ET