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2019 Kentucky gubernatorial election
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The 2019 Kentucky gubernatorial election took place on November 5, 2019, to elect the governor and lieutenant governor of Kentucky.[1] The Democratic nominee, Andy Beshear, defeated Republican Incumbent governor Matt Bevin. It was the closest gubernatorial election by votes since 1899. It was the closest race of the 2019 gubernatorial election cycle.
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Beshear won by 0.37 percentage points, receiving 49.20% of the vote to Bevin's 48.83%.[2] Bevin won 97 counties, while Beshear won 23 counties.[3] Beshear also carried only two of the state's six congressional districts, but those districts were the state's two most urbanized, the Louisville-based 3rd and the Lexington-based 6th.[4]
Beshear won with overwhelming support in the major population hubs of Louisville and Lexington and their suburbs, as well as major vote swings in the Republican-leaning Cincinnati suburbs. Beshear was also aided by Bevin's lackluster performance in counties that had previously been swinging heavily towards Republicans, particularly the coal country of Eastern Kentucky, where Beshear won multiple counties that overwhelmingly voted Republican in 2016.[5] Voter turnout was high across the state compared to past Kentucky elections, with a statewide turnout of about 42%. Fayette County (Lexington) saw a 20% increase in voter turnout, and Beshear received over twice as many votes in the county than the 2015 Democratic nominee for governor, Jack Conway. Unusually high turnout was seen as a major factor in Beshear's win.[6]
Beshear's win coincided with Democratic momentum nationwide in elections in 2017, 2018, and 2019, following the election of Donald Trump in 2016.[7] However, Republicans won all other statewide offices in Kentucky, including the attorney general and secretary of state offices which Democrats had held going into the election.[8]
Bevin conceded on November 14,[9] after a recanvass took place that day[10][9][11] that did not change the vote count.[9] Libertarian John Hicks also qualified for the ballot and received 2% of the vote. Statewide turnout was just over 42%,[6] much higher than for the 2015 gubernatorial election.
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Background
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Major-party primary elections occurred on May 21, 2019.[12] Incumbent Republican governor Matt Bevin was renominated by the Republican Party. Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear won the Democratic nomination with 37.9% of the vote in a three-way contest, in which due to his father he had the greatest name recognition.[13][14][15][16]
Bevin announced on January 25, 2019, that he would run for a second term, choosing State Senator Ralph Alvarado as his running mate over incumbent lieutenant governor Jenean Hampton.[17] No Republican governor of Kentucky has ever been elected to more than one term, even after the state's constitutional prohibition of governors serving consecutive terms was repealed in 1992. The only Republican before Bevin to run for reelection, Ernie Fletcher, was defeated by Democrat Steve Beshear in 2007 (Steve Beshear is the father of Bevin's Democratic challenger, Andy). Bevin was the second Republican governor of Kentucky in the last 50 years. Andy Beshear was the first governor of Kentucky to be a direct relative of a former governor.
Beshear had the support of 2020 Senate candidate Amy McGrath, his father and former governor Steve Beshear, former governor Paul Patton, and representative and primary challenger Rocky Adkins, all well-known Democrats in the state. Bevin had the support of President Donald Trump, who remained relatively popular in the state, particularly in rural areas. Trump and US senator Rand Paul held a rally in support of Bevin and Republican Attorney General nominee Daniel Cameron the day before the election. Many considered the decisive factor in this election whether voters would vote based on local issues, as Bevin and his policies were deeply unpopular,[18] or as a referendum on Trump, with whom Bevin closely aligned. The former would be more favorable for Democrats, the latter for Republicans.
Bevin was the least popular governor in the United States, with a 33% approval rating in April 2019.[19][20][21]
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Republican primary
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Candidates
Nominated
- Matt Bevin, incumbent governor of Kentucky[22]
- Running mate: Ralph Alvarado, state senator[22]
Eliminated in primary
- Robert Goforth, state representative[23]
- Running mate: Mike Hogan, Lawrence County attorney
- Ike Lawrence, candidate for mayor of Lexington in 2018[24]
- Running mate: James Anthony Rose, semi-retired
- William Woods, candidate for the 66th district in the Kentucky House of Representatives in 2012[25]
- Running mate: Justin Miller, mathematics and middle grades educator[26]
Declined
- James Comer, incumbent U.S. representative and candidate for Governor of Kentucky in 2015[27]
Endorsements
Matt Bevin
U.S. Executive Branch officials
- Donald Trump, 45th president of the United States[28]
- Mike Pence, 48th vice president of the United States[29]
Individuals
- Ivanka Trump, daughter of U.S. president Donald Trump[30]
Polling
Results
Bevin
- 40–50%
- 50–60%
- 60–70%
- 70–80%
- 80–90%
Goforth
- 40–50%
- 50–60%
- 60–70%
- 70–80%
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Democratic primary
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Candidates
Nominated
- Andy Beshear, Attorney General of Kentucky and son of former governor Steve Beshear[32][33]
- Running mate: Jacqueline Coleman, founder and president of Lead Kentucky, a non-profit organization focused on education policy reform[34]
Eliminated in primary
- Rocky Adkins, minority leader of the Kentucky House of Representatives[35][36]
- Running mate: Stephanie Horne, former member of the Jefferson County Board of Education for the 3rd district[37]
- Adam Edelen, former Auditor of Public Accounts of Kentucky[38][39][40][41][42]
- Running mate: Gill Holland, filmmaker and urban developer
- Geoff Young, perennial candidate, retired engineer, candidate for Governor of Kentucky in 2015, candidate for Kentucky's 6th congressional district in 2014, 2016 and 2018, and Green Party nominee for the 45th district in the Kentucky House of Representatives in 2012[43]
- Running mate: Joshua N. French
Declined
- Alison Lundergan Grimes, Secretary of State of Kentucky and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2014[44]
- Amy McGrath, retired U.S. Marine and Democratic nominee for Kentucky's 6th congressional district in 2018 (running for U.S. Senate against incumbent Mitch McConnell)[45]
- Attica Scott, state representative and former Louisville city councilwoman[46]
Endorsements
Rocky Adkins
Statewide officials
Andy Beshear
Statewide officials
Adam Edelen
Members of the Kentucky legislature
- Morgan McGarvey, Minority Leader of the Kentucky Senate[49]
- Mary Lou Marzian, state representative[50]
Current and Former Elected Officials
- Fred Cowan, former attorney general of Kentucky[49]
- David James, Louisville Metro Council President[49]
- Angela Evans, Lexington Councilmember[49]
- John Cranley, current mayor of Cincinnati[51]
- Ben Baker, current mayor of Dayton, Kentucky[51]
- Louisville Metro Council Members Brandon Coan and David Yates[51]
- Mike Ward, former congressman from Kentucky's 3rd congressional district[51]
Media
- The Courier-Journal, the largest newspaper in Kentucky[52]
- Louisville Defender, the largest African-American newspaper in Louisville[53]
Groups
Polling
Results
Beshear
- 30–40%
- 40–50%
- 50–60%
- 60–70%
Adkins
- 30–40%
- 40–50%
- 50–60%
- 60–70%
- 70–80%
- 80–90%
- 90–100%
Edelen
- 30–40%
- 60–70%
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Other candidates
Libertarian Convention
The Libertarian Party of Kentucky is currently recognized as a "political organization" under state law, a status that grants the party ballot access, but denies it a state-operated primary. Libertarian candidates were nominated at the party's nominating convention, held in March 2019.[60][61]
Nominated
Write-in
Declared
- Amy Husk (Socialist Workers Party), medical assistant and trade unionist[63]
- Running mate: Samir Hazboun, journalist[64]
- Blackii Effing Whyte[9]
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General election
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Fundraising
Predictions
Debates
Endorsements
Matt Bevin (R)
Federal politicians
- Donald Trump, 45th president of the United States[28][69]
- Mike Pence, 48th vice president of the United States[29]
- Ben Carson, 17th United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development[70]
U.S. senators
U.S. representatives
- Hal Rogers, U.S. representative (R-KY)[72]
- Thomas Massie, U.S. representative (R-KY)[71]
- Jim Jordan, U.S. representative (R-OH)[71]
- Mark Meadows, U.S. representative (R-NC)[73]
Governors
Individuals
- Donald Trump Jr., businessman[76]
- Kimberly Guilfoyle, television news personality[76]
- Sarah Sanders, former White House Press Secretary[73]
- Ronna McDaniel, chair of the RNC[77]
Organizations
- NRA Political Victory Fund[78][79]
- Kentucky Right to Life[80]
Newspapers
Andy Beshear (D)
Statewide officials
- Paul E. Patton, former governor of Kentucky[82]
- Judi Patton, former First Lady of Kentucky
- Steve Beshear, former governor of Kentucky; Andy's father
- Jane Beshear, former First Lady of Kentucky; Andy's mother
- Alison Lundergan Grimes, Kentucky Secretary of State
- Jerry Abramson, former lieutenant governor of Kentucky, former Mayor of Louisville[83]
- Bill Cunningham, former Kentucky Supreme Court Justice, father of Congressman Joe Cunningham (D-SC)[84]
- Adam Edelen, former Auditor of Kentucky, Chief of Staff to the governor of Kentucky, candidate for Governor of Kentucky in 2019[85]
- Crit Luallen, former lieutenant governor of Kentucky, former Auditor of Kentucky[86]
- Billy Ray Smith, former Agriculture Commissioner of Kentucky[83]
Local officials
- Stacey Abrams, 2018 Democratic nominee for Governor of Georgia, former Minority Leader of the Georgia House of Representatives[87]
- Rocky Adkins, Minority Leader of the Kentucky House of Representatives, candidate for Governor of Kentucky in 2019[88]
- Larry Clark, former State Representative[83]
- Jeffery Donohue, state representative[83]
- Eddie Girdler, former mayor of Somerset, Kentucky (Republican)[89]
- Jim Gray, former Mayor of Lexington[83]
- Mike O'Connell, Jefferson County Attorney[83]
- Dorsey Ridley, former state senator[83]
- Dean Schamore, state representative[83]
- Dan Seum, state senator, 38th District (Republican)[83]
- Roger Thomas, former state representative[83]
- John Ward, Hardin County Sheriff[83]
Labor unions
- American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 962[90]
- Communications Workers of America Local 3372[90]
- International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 84[90]
- International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 89[91]
- International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 651[90]
- International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 783[90]
- International Union of Operating Engineers Local 181[92]
- International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 91[93]
- Kentucky Professional Fire Fighters[94]
- Kentucky State Building & Construction Trades Council[95]
- Kentucky Education Association[96]
- Kentucky State AFL-CIO[97][98][99]
- Kentucky State Fraternal Order of Police[100]
- National Conference of Firemen and Oilers[101]
- Service Employees International Union District 1199 WV/KY/OH[102]
- Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 184
- United Mine Workers of America[103]
- United Steelworkers Kentucky[104]
Newspapers
Organizations
- Kentuckians for the Commonwealth[107]
- Kentucky State AFL-CIO[108]
- NARAL America[109]
Individuals
- William Woods, candidate for Governor of Kentucky in 2019, candidate for the 66th district in the Kentucky House of Representatives in 2012[110] (Republican)
- Grey DeLisle, Voice actress and activist[111]
Polling
Graphical summary
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Hypothetical polling
with Rocky Adkins
with Alison Lundergan Grimes
with generic Democrat
Results
By congressional district
Beshear won despite carrying only two of the state's six congressional districts. He defeated Bevin in the 3rd and 6th districts, which encompass Kentucky's two urban centers, Louisville and Lexington, and their close-in suburbs. Bevin won the state's other urbanized district, the Northern Kentucky-based 4th, and he won handily in the more rural 1st, 2nd, and 5th districts.[124]
By county
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
- Bourbon (Largest city: Paris)
- Carroll (Largest city: Carrollton)
- Union (Largest city: Morganfield)
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
- Boyd (Largest city: Ashland)
- Breathitt (Largest city: Jackson)
- Campbell (Largest city: Fort Thomas)
- Carter (Largest city: Grayson)
- Hancock (Largest city: Hawesville)
- Kenton (Largest city: Covington)
- Knott (Largest city: Hindman)
- Madison (Largest city: Richmond)
- Magoffin (Largest city: Salyersville)
- Scott (Largest city: Georgetown)
- Warren (Largest city: Bowling Green)
- Woodford (Largest city: Versailles)
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Analysis
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Losing by a margin of less than 0.4 percentage points, Bevin did not immediately concede and requested a recanvass, or review of counted votes,[125] which was held on November 14.[126][127] According to the Kentucky state constitution, the swearing in of a Kentucky governor must be held on the fifth Tuesday following the election (December 10).[128][129] While a recount law does exist in Kentucky, it does not permit recounts for gubernatorial elections.[130] Should a candidate contest the election results, the state legislature would determine the winner after hearing a report from a randomly selected 11-member committee from the House (8) and Senate (3).[130] This process, which is enforced through the Goebel Election Law, has only been used once, during the 1899 Kentucky gubernatorial election.[131][132] Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers and some other Republican members of the Kentucky state legislature expressed skepticism of Bevin's voter fraud claims and on November 7 urged Bevin to concede if the recanvass did not go in his favor.[133][134] On November 11, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, announced that "all indications are" Beshear would be the next governor.[135] The recanvass did not result in any changes in the vote totals for either Beshear or Bevin, but found an additional vote for write-in candidate Blackii Effing Whyte.[9]
Bevin carried 97 of Kentucky's 120 counties. However, Beshear swamped Bevin in urban areas. Beshear carried the state's two largest counties, Jefferson and Fayette–home to Louisville and Lexington, respectively–with over 60 percent of the vote. He also narrowly carried two of the three counties that make up the traditionally conservative Cincinnati suburbs, Kenton and Campbell.[136]
Recanvassing
Beshear declared victory after the initial vote count,[137] selecting J. Michael Brown to lead his transition team.[138] Bevin refused to concede and requested a recanvassing of the vote, which took place on November 14.[11] A recanvassing is a reprint of the voting receipts from each voting machine and is done to make sure county officials recorded vote totals correctly. It is not a recount, which the Kentucky State Constitution does not permit for gubernatorial races. The recanvass resulted in only one change, an additional vote for Independent candidate Blackii Effing Whyte, and Bevin conceded that day.[9]
With the recanvass producing no change in his vote total, Bevin conceded the race on November 14. Beshear was sworn in as governor on December 10, 2019.[139]
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See also
Notes
Partisan clients
- Poll sponsored by the Andy Beshear campaign
- Poll sponsored by the Adam Edelen campaign
- Poll sponsored by End Citizens United
References
External links
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