Get full access to The Daily Beast for $1

SUBSCRIBE

Sam Youngman

Sam Youngman is a veteran Washington political reporter and political writer for the Lexington Herald-Leader.

articles/2015/09/08/huckabee-hijacks-kentucky-clerk-kim-davis-s-15-minutes/150908-youngman-kim-davis-tease_xgm4vj
#DonateToHuck

Huck Hijacks Kentucky Clerk’s 15 Minutes

Mike Huckabee made sure he was the star of a rally Tuesday featuring the right’s new sweetheart—anti-gay marriage government clerk Kim Davis.

Sam Youngman

articles/2014/10/14/mitch-mcconnell-alison-lundergan-grimes-debate-leaves-kentucky-hanging/141013-youngman-debate-tease_qjwuee
That’s Your Answer?

Inside the Kentucky Debate Duel

Voters looking for clarity on the Senate minority leader’s doublespeak on ‘all those gosh darn proposals’ or his challenger’s 2012 presidential pick were left disappointed Monday night.

Sam Youngman

articles/2014/08/03/fear-and-loathing-at-fancy-farm-ky/140802-Youngman-fancy-farm-tease_kvby8h
Red Meat

Hee Haw Meets Gong Show at Fancy Farm

It’s the biggest political gathering in Kentucky politics, and with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s job on the line, it’s now one of the most important in the country.

Sam Youngman

articles/2014/05/19/mitch-mcconnell-sends-tea-party-a-message-don-t-get-in-my-way/140519-youngman-mcconnell-tease_qs9syy
BACK OFF

Mitch McConnell Breaks the Tea Party

Kentucky’s senior senator wants to be majority leader more than anything else and he has been determined to crush conservative opposition in Tuesday’s primary to do it.

Sam Youngman

articles/2014/03/28/can-the-traitor-jesse-benton-unite-the-gop/140327-youngman-benton-tease_vxdfze
Kentucky Derby

Can Jesse Benton Unite the GOP?

He helped Ron and Rand Paul tear down the Republican establishment. Then the ‘sellout’ went to work for Mitch McConnell. Meet the operative who just might bring the party back together.

Sam Youngman

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

articles/2014/02/08/tea-partier-matt-bevin-is-selling-himself-as-the-anti-mitch-mcconnell/140207-youngman-opponent-tease_bgv3ph
Dark Horse

Kentucky Wonder: Who’s Matt Bevin?

Mitch McConnell’s Tea party opponent in the Kentucky race for the U.S. Senate is largely unknown, but his best shot may be to change his name and run as Not Mitch McConnell.

Sam Youngman

articles/2014/01/06/rand-paul-s-audacity-of-nope-suing-obama-over-domestic-surveillance/140105-rand-paul-tease_ohf0j9
2016

The Audacity of Nope

Rand Paul suing Obama over domestic surveillance is just the beginning of his plan to make civil liberties the cornerstone of a potential presidential campaign.

Sam Youngman

That Mitch?!

Defying Reagan on Apartheid

The Senate minority leader, under fire from Democrats and Tea Partiers alike, wasn’t always so easy to hate. McConnell explains why he voted to override Reagan’s veto on sanctions.

Sam Youngman

articles/2013/11/30/alison-grimes-will-have-to-step-it-up-to-beat-mitch-mcconnell/131127-youngman-grimes-tease_kb1hbd
Kentucky Wonder

How Not to Beat Mitch McConnell

Alison Grimes’s campaign for McConnell’s Senate seat has gotten this far for one reason: she’s not McConnell. Now she needs to say who she is and what she stands for.

Sam Youngman

articles/2013/09/29/rand-paul-controls-the-wacko-bird-flight/130929-Youngman-Rand-Paul-tease_vhgslw
Calculated

Rand Paul Controls the Wacko Bird Flight

Rand Paul is running to win the nomination, and he doesn’t mind using Ted Cruz as a comedic foil to help him do it.

Sam Youngman

ADVERTISEMENT

GET THE APP
Subscribe
Log In
Newsletters
Podcasts
AboutContactTipsJobsAdvertiseHelpCode of Ethics & StandardsInclusionTerms & ConditionsCopyright & TrademarkPrivacy

© 2026 The Daily Beast Company LLC