Kentucky gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2015

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2015 Kentucky Gubernatorial and Lieutenant Gubernatorial Election
Table of Contents
Candidates
Results
Key deadlines
Duties
Race background
Debates
Polls
Campaign media
Campaign finance
Past elections
State profile
Recent news
See also
External links
Primary Date:
May 19, 2015
General Election Date:
November 3, 2015
Incumbent prior to election:
Steve Beshear Democratic Party
Crit Luallen Democratic Party
Gov. Steve Beshear
Lt. Gov. Crit Luallen
Flag of Kentucky.png

The Kentucky gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election took place on November 3, 2015, following the primary on May 19, 2015.

With incumbent Gov. Steve Beshear (D) termed out, a race that had been labeled leaning Democrat just a few days before the election took place was reinvigorated by a new round of spending from the Republican Governors Association (RGA). Despite having pulled funding two weeks prior, the RGA made a $1 million ad buy for the final two weeks of the campaign between GOP candidate Matt Bevin and Democratic Attorney General Jack Conway.

With his victory, Bevin became only the second Republican Governor of Kentucky in the past 44 years. [1][2][3]

Election results

General

Republican Matt Bevin and his running mate, Jenean M. Hampton, defeated Attorney General Jack Conway and independent Drew Curtis.[4]

Governor and Lieutenant Governor, 2015
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngMatt Bevin/Jenean M. Hampton 52.5% 511,771
     Democrat Jack Conway/Sannie Overly 43.8% 426,827
     Independent Drew Curtis/Heather Curtis 3.7% 35,627
Total Votes 974,225
Election results via Kentucky Secretary of State

Primary

Democratic

Attorney General Jack Conway and running mate Sannie Overly won the Democratic nomination against Geoff Young and Jonathan Masters in the Democratic primary on May 19, 2015.

Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky Democratic Primary, 2015
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngJack Conway/Sannie Overly 78.8% 140,627
Geoff Young/Johnathan Masters 21.2% 37,887
Total Votes 178,514
Election results via Kentucky State Board of Elections.

Republican

Matt Bevin and running mate Jenean M. Hampton won the Republican nomination by 83 votes over James Comer Jr. and Chris McDaniel in the Republican primary on May 19, 2015.

The Republican primary field featured four tickets: Will T. Scott and Rodney Coffey, James Comer Jr. and Chris McDaniel, Matt Bevin and Jenean M. Hampton, and Hal Heiner and K.C. Crosbie, with Bevin and Hampton ultimately declared the victors. The Republican race was too close to call on May 19 with Bevin only leading Comer by 83 votes out of more than 200,000 ballots cast. Heiner conceded defeat early in the evening but Comer, who ran second or third for much of the night, pulled close to Bevin with 99 percent of the vote counted. A recanvassing of the votes, requested by Comer, was completed on May 28, and reconfirmed the accuracy of the vote reporting. Comer had until May 29 to file a petition with the Franklin Circuit Court to seek a formal recount, but conceded victory to Bevin early on May 29.[5][6]

Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky Republican Primary, 2015
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngMatt Bevin/Jenean Hampton 32.9% 70,479
James Comer Jr./Chris McDaniel 32.9% 70,396
Hal Heiner/K.C. Crosbie 27.1% 57,948
Will T. Scott/Rodney Coffey 7.2% 15,364
Total Votes 214,187
Election results via Kentucky State Board of Elections.

Candidates

General election

Democratic Party Jack Conway/Sannie Overly[7][8]
Republican Party Matt Bevin/Jenean M. Hampton[9]
Independent Drew Curtis/Heather Curtis[10]
Independent (Write-in) Blackii Whyte/Philip Jacobs[11]

Lost in primary

Democratic Party Geoff Young/Johnathan Masters[12][13]
Republican Party Will T. Scott/Rodney Coffey[14]
Republican Party Hal Heiner/K.C. Crosbie[15][16]
Republican Party James Comer Jr./Chris McDaniel[17][18]

Incumbents

Democratic Party Steve Beshear/Crit Luallen

Note: Beshear was unable to run for re-election due to term limits, while Luallen indicated that she would not seek election in 2015.

Withdrawn

Lieutenant governor

Democratic Party Cherokee Schill[19]

Racetracking

Note: Ratings are based on projections found in Governing, Larry Sabato, The Rothenberg & Gonzales Political Report, and The Cook Political Report. They were updated periodically throughout the election season.

Race Rankings - Kentucky Governor
Race Tracker Race Rating
The Cook Political Report Toss-up
Governing Toss-up
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball Toss-up
The Rothenberg & Gonzales Political Report Toss-up
Overall call Toss-up
Note: Ratings are based on projections found in Governing, Larry Sabato, The Rothenberg & Gonzales Political Report, and The Cook Political Report where available. They were updated periodically throughout the election season.


Key deadlines

Deadline Event
January 27, 2015 Filing deadline for primary candidates
April 20, 2015 Voter registration deadline for primary
May 19, 2015 Primary election
August 11, 2015 Filing deadline for petition candidates not involved in partisan primaries
October 5, 2015 Voter registration deadline for general election
November 3, 2015 General election
November 23, 2015 Last day for state certification of election results[20]

Voter registration

Voters in Kentucky can register to vote by printing off a voter registration card and mailing the completed card to the Kentucky State Board of Elections. A voter registration card can also be obtained from a county clerk.[21]

Applicants must identify their party registration on the card. Voters who identify as unaffiliated or as a third-party registrant can only vote in nonpartisan races during partisan primaries. Unaffiliated and third-party voters can vote for any candidate during general or special elections. Registered voters may switch party affiliation by December 31 without jeopardizing their registration for elections in the following year.[21]

The following criteria must be met to qualify as a registered voter in Kentucky:[21]

  • U.S. citizenship
  • Resident of Kentucky
  • At least 18 years of age by the next general election
  • Do not have a felony conviction or have been granted restored rights by executive pardon
  • Have not been judged "mentally incompetent" in court
  • Do not claim the right to vote in other states

Duties

Governor

Substantial power is granted to the Governor of Kentucky. Historically, the office has been regarded as one of the most powerful executive positions in the United States.

With regards to the legislature

The governor exercises traditional veto power, which can be overridden by a majority of both houses of the General Assembly. He or she is also granted the privilege of a line-item veto. As with the U.S. President, the governor has the option of a pocket veto. Unlike the federal pocket veto, however, in the event that the legislature dismisses, preventing the return of the bill by the governor, the bill becomes law after 10 days unless the governor explicitly vetoes it. With the federal pocket veto, the bill is considered vetoed after 10 days if the legislature dismisses.

The governor may, in exceptional circumstances, call the General Assembly into special session. This is done by issuing a proclamation that includes the issue or issues to be addressed in the special session. Consideration of any other issues during the session is forbidden. Special sessions are to take place in the state capital except in cases of danger from enemies or disease; in such cases, the governor specifies the location of the session.

The governor is required to give a "State of the Commonwealth" address periodically to the General Assembly. Traditionally, this is an annual address. The governor is also charged with presenting a budget to the General Assembly every other year.

With regards to the judiciary

He or she is granted the traditional executive power of pardon except in cases of impeachment or treason.

With regards to appointments

The governor is given broad appointment power and names many state commissioners and department heads without the need for legislative approval. The governor is also empowered to reorganize the state government or reduce it in size.

Other duties and privileges of the office include:

  • Serving as commander-in-chief of Kentucky's military forces, unless those forces have already been federalized (§ 75)
  • Filling all vacancies when the manner is not otherwise prescribed (§ 76)
  • Remitting fines and forfeitures, commuting sentences and granting reprieves, in addition to the judicial pardon (§ 77)
  • Requiring written reports from any other member of the Executive on any aspect of that individual's job (§ 78)

Lieutenant governor

The lieutenant governor may serve as governor of Kentucky under circumstances similar to those that would prompt the vice president of the United States to assume the powers of the presidency.[22]

He or she is granted other responsibilities and duties as assigned or delegated by the governor and as decreed by law.

Race background

General Election

Jack Conway and his running mate Sannie Overly won the Democratic Primary. They faced Matt Bevin and his running mate Jenean Hampton in the November general election, along with independent candidate Drew Curtis and his running mate Heather Curtis, and write-in candidate Blackii Whyte and his running mate Philip Jacobs.

Major issues

In a state where President Obama is considered very unpopular, Mark Bevin and other GOP actors worked to fund ads that sought to tie Jack Conway to President Obama and the Affordable Care Act.[23]

At the same time, Jack Conway and his allies aired ads criticizing Mark Bevin for refusing to release his tax records until after the election was over.[24][25]

Campaign finance

The fundraising reports covering October 3 through October 19, 2015, showed that Jack Conway had outspent Matt Bevin by a four-to-one margin, $2.4 million to just $600,000. In the first 17 days following his previous filing with the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance, Conway had spent $2.3 million on Kentucky airwaves Bevin also devoted a large percentage--87 percent--of his spending to television.[26]

Two weeks before the November 3 general election, Conway reported about $800,000 cash on hand, compared to Bevin's $340,000, a more than two-to-one advantage.[26]

Conway also raised more over the 17-day period covered by the report; he raised over $900,000 to Bevin's under $300,000. Over the entirety of the general election, Conway had raised more than $5.3 million to Bevin's $1.9 million.[26]

Leading independent candidate Drew Curtis reported that he had raised about $2,000 and spent about $3,000. Curtis was in debt as of his filing, with -$500 cash on hand.[26]

Republican Primary

Contested Republican primary election results

The Republican gubernatorial primary race was too close to call on the evening of May 19, with Matt Bevin leading James Comer Jr. by only 83 votes out of more than 200,000 ballots cast. Hal Heiner conceded defeat early in the evening, but Comer, who ran second or third for much of the night, pulled close to Bevin with 99 percent of the vote counted. Comer requested a recanvass of the primary ballots to determine if the total count was accurate, but noted his support for Bevin once the recanvass confirmed the election results.[27]

The recanvassing occurred on May 28, when county election boards rechecked each machine for vote counts to ensure that numbers were not reported inaccurately. Ballots were not recounted during recanvassing. Kentucky law allowed representatives from both Comer's and Bevin's campaigns to be present as the numbers reported to the State Board of Elections were verified for accuracy. The recanvassing process ultimately confirmed Bevin's May 19 primary victory and Comer conceded defeated on May 29.[28]

Allegations of domestic violence against James Comer

On May 4, 2015, two weeks before the May 19 gubernatorial primary, the Louisville Courier-Journal received a letter written by Marilyn Thomas, a former girlfriend of Republican gubernatorial candidate James Comer. In the four-page letter to the Courier-Journal, Thomas levied allegations of physical and mental abuse she said she endured throughout the duration of her relationship with Comer, with whom she attended Western Kentucky University (WKU) in the early 1990s. Thomas claimed she and Comer dated for over two years, during which Comer "was toxic, abusive and caused me a lot of suffering. His controlling and aggressive personality alienated me from most of my family and friends at the time." Thomas and her former roommate at WKU, Wendy Curley, claim that Comer escorted Thomas to an abortion clinic in 1991 and that she possesses paperwork that includes his name as her escort. Curley maintains that Thomas never came to her regarding abuse, but she said, "I would see bruises on her wrists and stuff where she'd say, 'Oh, I ran into a table,' 'I fell,' just that kind of stuff."[29]

Comer vehemently denied physically abusing Thomas, asserting that their relationship ended amicably and that they last saw each other in 2006 in New York City, where Thomas lives.[30] Comer could not remember the exact length of their relationship, at one point estimating its length at only a few months and later saying that it lasted under a year. Comer stated in a press conference on May 5 that he was suspicious of the timing of this public declaration against him, given the impending election and his close standing in the race. Thomas never filed a police complaint against Comer and has supported opposing Republican gubernatorial candidate Hal Heiner on Facebook. According to the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance, she also made a $100 contribution to his campaign. Thomas said that she felt forced into telling her story following an article regarding Comer's abusive relationship in the Lexington Herald-Leader, and allegations made by Lexington blogger Michael Adams accusing Comer of physically assaulting Thomas.[29][31]

In the year prior to the primary, Adams posted accusations against Comer on his personal blog and Tumblr account and was linked to Scott Crosbie, the husband of Republican lieutenant gubernatorial candidate KC Crosbie, who shared a ticket with Heiner. The Herald-Leader obtained email correspondence from fall 2014 between Adams and both Scott and KC Crosbie, who denied any such correspondence.[32] Adams has conceded that he previously met with Mr. Crosbie regarding "a whole host of things (having to do) with Comer."[33] In a statement provided to the Herald-Leader, Heiner apologized to Comer for any role his campaign might have had in spreading the allegations:

“

These rumors are the worst type of politics...It is undignified and un-Christian and not the type of campaign I am running. I personally apologize to Jamie Comer if anyone associated with my campaign is involved. [34]

”
—Cincinnati.com (2015)[35]

Comer is looking into "every legal option available," including action against Thomas, Michael Adams and the Louisville Courier-Journal.[30]

PAC influence in Republican primary

Two political action committees (PACs) formed in Kentucky for the 2015 gubernatorial race with the goal of introducing more campaign dollars to a state where individual donors are limited to $1,000 contributions per candidate.[36] The Bluegrass Action Fund filed papers with the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance on March 18, with plans to support Republican Hal Heiner, who spent $4.2 million of his own money by mid-March. The PAC has ties to conservative billionaires Charles and David Koch as well as Aegis Strategic, a political consulting firm trying to identify and support electable conservatives to political offices.[37]

Another PAC, Kentuckians for Growth, Opportunity and Prosperity, planned to support state Agriculture Commissioner James Comer Jr. in his bid for the Republican gubernatorial nomination. As of March 2015, the PAC spent $22,000 on airtime for campaign ads in Bowling Green, Owensboro, Evansville and Somerset. “We need a bold leader like James Comer, a conservative Republican with experience trimming government fat and increasing economic growth,” a male narrator says in the 30-second spot.[38][39]

Democratic Primary

Legal troubles for Johnathan Masters

Former Democratic lieutenant gubernatorial candidate Johnathan Masters faced charges in Jefferson and Breckinridge counties after altercations with school officials in 2014. Masters, who ran with gubernatorial candidate Geoff Young, was accused of verbally harassing Spalding University Associate Dean Elizabeth Lodge Rogers after the university removed him from a graduate teaching program. In an interview with The Courier-Journal, Masters did not deny contacting Rogers or producing a video criticizing the school but argued that they committed a "breach of contract" by kicking him out of school. The paper reported that Masters' voice mails to Rogers indicated that he was removed from the school due to clashes with the teaching program's administrator.[40]

On February 11, 2015, Jefferson District Judge Sean Delahanty detailed the Breckenridge County warrant during a pretrial hearing not attended by Masters. This warrant described a December 2014 altercation between Masters and Keith Haynes, a principal in Cloverport Independent School District. Masters wanted to interview students about democracy as part of a graduate project, but Haynes refused because Masters had not gone through a background check. According to the warrant, Masters used curse words and threatened violence against Haynes. Masters refuted this story and Breckinridge County officials did not confirm the warrant.[40]

Young stood behind Masters despite allegations and past charges of harassment, domestic violence and possession of drug paraphernalia. He told The Courier-Journal that Masters was more principled than Democratic candidate Jack Conway because Conway supported the 2003 Iraq War.[40]

Arrest for overdue library book
On March 12, Masters was briefly detained by a state trooper due to a misdemeanor theft charge dating back to 2004. Masters was informed of an outstanding warrant during a traffic stop for expired license tags. The charge stemmed from Masters' failure to return a library book in Kenton County, which led to a warrant for "theft by failure to make required disposition of property." Masters was held for three hours before he posted bond with an arraignment scheduled for March 30.[41] During an interview with Fox News, Masters criticized the state justice system as the "Injustice System" and said that he would request a jury trial.[42]

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Kentucky utilizes a closed primary process, in which the selection of a party's candidates in an election is limited to registered party members.[43][44][45]

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

Debates

See also: State executive debates, 2015

Debate media

Matt Bevin statement, February 3 forum
James Comer Jr. statement, February 3 forum
Hal Heiner statement, February 3 forum
Will T. Scott statement, February 3 forum

October 25 gubernatorial debate between Bevin and Conway

Gubernatorial candidates Matt Bevin (R) and Jack Conway (D) participated in a debate sponsored by Eastern Kentucky University and the League of Women Voters. The debate took place on October 25 at the university.[46]

During the debate, Bevin accused Conway of lying to the public about having cut his office's budget.[46] He said, “You didn’t cut your budget. The governor cut your budget. It’s a lie. Stop lying to people, Jack.”[46] Conway defended his budget claims, saying he was responsible for managing the governor's cuts and that he returned $300 million to the state's General Fund through settlements he won as attorney general.[46]

The candidates also debated health policy. Conway criticized Bevin for saying he would reverse Gov. Steve Beshear's Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act. Bevin responded, “I never said I would kick anyone off Medicaid if I was elected.” Conway referred to independent financial analyses indicating that Medicaid expansion would be beneficial for the state in the early years, and that the General Fund would not be impacted by it until at least 2021. Bevin disputed the accuracy of the analyses.[46]

The candidates argued over other issues such as education and Kentucky's pension fund, but they agreed on issues such as restoring nonviolent offender voting rights, firearms regulations, instituting a nonpartisan redistricting commission, and responses toward federal coal regulations.[46]

April 28 Republican gubernatorial forum
During the April 28 gubernatorial debate at Western Kentucky University, Matt Bevin, James Comer Jr., and Hal Heiner reiterated their opposition to the Affordable Care Act. Bevin claimed to have initiated the call to dismantle Kynect, Kentucky’s healthcare exchange, while Comer said he would change Medicaid eligibility requirements and transfer current Medicare recipients onto private healthcare coverage. All three candidates agreed to support efforts to support right-to-work legislation, which they argued would improve the state's economy and allow employees to decide whether to join or financially support unions. On education, Bevin and Heiner expressed support for funding technical programs and vocational schools, while Comer stated he would make college more affordable through tax credits and prioritize job creation for graduating students through improving the business climate.[47][48]

April 15 Republican gubernatorial forum

See also: Public pensions in Kentucky

During the April 15 forum in Versailles, Matt Bevin, James Comer Jr., Hal Heiner, and Will T. Scott each announced their opposition to the Affordable Care Act. When asked about Kynect, Kentucky’s healthcare exchange, Bevin, Comer, and Scott favored abolishing the program and allowing state residents to enroll in the federal exchange. Heiner argued that since the program already insured many state residents, it would be difficult to abolish.[49]

Bevin, Comer, and Heiner argued that the state's unfunded pension costs needed to be handled through a long-term switch to 401(k) retirement plans rather than defined-benefit plans. Comer suggested that privatization of the Kentucky Teachers' Retirement System could solve the issue of inadequate funding. Scott argued that $350 million in annual revenue from casino and racetrack gambling at racetracks could be used to address pension liabilities.[49]

April 8 Republican gubernatorial forum
Television advertisements criticizing James Comer Jr. and Matt Bevin were a significant topic in the April 8 debate in Louisville. The previous day, Citizens for a Sound Government aired ads criticizing one of Bevin's companies for failure to pay taxes and accusing Comer of voting to expand legislator pensions in 2005 and accepting $87,000 in farm subsidies for his land during his legislative career. Citizens for a Sound Government was funded by political operative Alan Philp, who served as the chairman of the pro-Heiner Bluegrass Action Fund.[50]

Bevin and Comer both demanded a repudiation of these ads by Heiner, who responded that he had no control over the ads since they were not produced by his campaign. Bevin argued that the content of the ads had already been proven false by media outlets during his 2014 U.S. Senate race. Comer responded to the farm subsidies criticism in the ad by stating that Heiner received more subsidies per acre for his land, but he acknowledged that the 2005 pension bill was a bad vote. Will T. Scott did not participate in the discussion about the ads.[50]

April 7 Republican gubernatorial forum
All four Republican candidates for governor gathered in La Grange to discuss state pensions, sales taxes, and drug tests for public officials. During the debate, Will T. Scott said he would not change or eliminate state pensions due to constitutional protections for contracts. Matt Bevin argued for a freeze on current contributions to meet pension obligations for retired employees, while James Comer Jr. advocated for a higher retirement age. Hal Heiner suggested a 30-year plan to switch from defined benefits to defined contributions to fulfill obligations for workers in the pension system.[51]

The debate turned toward the issue of a local option sales tax proposed by Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer (D). Bevin, Comer, and Heiner opposed a statewide version of the tax while Scott expressed support for the policy. All four candidates voiced their support for a drug testing policy for elected officials. Bevin and Comer highlighted the duty of a public official to serve the people, Scott advocated the need for accountability, and Heiner made reference to the state's number of drug overdose deaths.[51]

February 3 Republican gubernatorial forum

See also: Tax policy in Kentucky

The Kentucky Association of Realtors hosted a forum on February 3 featuring all four Republican candidates for governor. James Comer Jr. and Will T. Scott compared Kentucky with Tennessee when discussing changes in state tax rates. Comer argued that the land he owns in Tennessee grew in value faster than Kentucky land due to favorable business policies, which included lower tax rates on corporations. Scott said that Kentucky already charges corporations less than Tennessee but that an even lower rate would help the state stay an attractive business climate in the region. Matt Bevin criticized the estate tax as an incentive for older residents to leave the state for Tennessee or Florida. Hal Heiner argued that his experience in real estate and his status as a political outsider in the state would enable him to make reforms necessary to improve the state's economy.[52]

January 23 Republican gubernatorial forum

In an event sponsored by the Kentucky Press Association that featured James Comer Jr., Hal Heiner, and Will T. Scott, Comer and Heiner both argued that any growth in gaming facilities should be tied to a constitutional amendment. Heiner criticized Comer for his role as co-chair of Kentucky Wins, a group advocating for casino gambling in Kentucky. The group's website listed Comer as an honorary co-chair.[53] Comer countered that Heiner's running mate, K.C. Crosbie, was married to Scott Crosbie, who previously lobbied on behalf of firms interested in expanded gaming. Heiner's campaign responded that Crosbie severed lobbying ties according to state ethics records. Scott did not participate in the argument.[54]

Polls

General election

Governor of Kentucky
Poll Jack Conway (D) Matt Bevin (R)Drew Curtis (I)UndecidedMargin of errorSample size
Vox Populi Polling
October 26-27, 2015		 44%44%6%7%+/-3.9618
Western Kentucky University Social Science Research Center
October 19-25, 2015		 45%40%7%8%+/-3.5770
SurveyUSA/Bluegrass Poll
September 22-27, 2015		 42%37%7%14%+/-3.8701
SurveyUSA/Bluegrass Poll
July 22-28, 2015		 43%38%8%11%+/-3.8685
Public Policy Polling
June 18-21, 2015		 35%38%6%21%+/-2.91,108
AVERAGES 41.8% 39.4% 6.8% 12.2% +/-3.58 776.4
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.

Hypothetical match-ups

Governor of Kentucky, Conway v. Bevin
Poll Jack Conway (D) Matt Bevin (R)UndecidedMargin of errorSample size
SurveyUSA/Bluegrass Poll
July 22-28, 2015		 45%42%13%+/-3.8685
SurveyUSA/Bluegrass Poll
May 5-10, 2015		 48%37%16%+/-2.41,677
SurveyUSA/Bluegrass Poll
March 3-8, 2015		 42%36%22%+/-2.31,917
Harper Polling
January 28-29, 2015		 45%41%14%+/-3.87640
AVERAGES 45% 39% 16.25% +/-3.09 1,229.75
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.


Democratic primary

Republican primary

Campaign media

See also: Kentucky gubernatorial election campaign media, 2015

General

Jack Conway

In September 2015, Conway's campaign released a series of six ads criticizing Bevin, including:[55]

Jack Conway ad: In [Matt Bevin's] Own Words - Healthcare (September 23, 2015)
Jack Conway ad: In [Matt Bevin's] Own Words - Taxes (September 23, 2015)
For the rest, see Kentucky gubernatorial election campaign media, 2015

Matt Bevin

Matt Bevin ad: Stamp (October 26, 2015)

Campaign finance

First quarter report (2015)
Comprehensive donor information for this election was collected from the state's campaign finance authority. Based on available campaign finance records, the candidates raised a total of $3,712,481 and spent a total of $5,132,368.71 during this reporting period. This information was last updated on April 24, 2015.[56]

Fourth quarter report (2014)
Comprehensive donor information for this election was collected from the state's campaign finance authority. Based on available campaign finance records, the candidates raised a total of $880,190.47 and spent a total of $545,733.73 during this reporting period. This information was last updated on February 3, 2015.[57]

Past elections

2011

Governor and Lt. Governor of Kentucky, 2011
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngSteve Beshear and Jerry E. Abramson 55.7% 464,245
     Republican David Williams and Richie Farmer 35.3% 294,034
     Independent Gatewood Galbraith and Dea Riley 9% 74,860
Total Votes 833,139
Election results via Kentucky Secretary of State


2007

Governor and Lieutenant Governor, 2007
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngSteve Beshear and Daniel Mongiardo 58.7% 619,552
     Republican Ernie Fletcher and Robbie Rudolph 41.3% 435,773
Total Votes 1,055,325
Election results via Kentucky Secretary of State

2003

Governor and Lieutenant Governor, 2003
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngErnie Fletcher and Steve Pence 55% 596,284
     Democratic Ben Chandler and Charlie Owen 45% 487,159
Total Votes 1,083,443
Election results via Kentucky Secretary of State

State profile

Demographic data for Kentucky
 KentuckyU.S.
Total population:4,424,611316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):39,4863,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:87.6%73.6%
Black/African American:7.9%12.6%
Asian:1.3%5.1%
Native American:0.2%0.8%
Pacific Islander:0%0.2%
Two or more:2.1%3%
Hispanic/Latino:3.3%17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:84.2%86.7%
College graduation rate:22.3%29.8%
Income
Median household income:$43,740$53,889
Persons below poverty level:22.7%11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Kentucky.
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

Presidential voting pattern

See also: Presidential voting trends in Kentucky

Kentucky voted Republican in all six presidential elections between 2000 and 2020.

Pivot Counties (2016)

Ballotpedia identified 206 counties that voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012. Collectively, Trump won these Pivot Counties by more than 580,000 votes. Of these 206 counties, one is located in Kentucky, accounting for 0.5 percent of the total pivot counties.[58]

Pivot Counties (2020)

In 2020, Ballotpedia re-examined the 206 Pivot Counties to view their voting patterns following that year's presidential election. Ballotpedia defined those won by Trump won as Retained Pivot Counties and those won by Joe Biden (D) as Boomerang Pivot Counties. Nationwide, there were 181 Retained Pivot Counties and 25 Boomerang Pivot Counties. Kentucky had one Retained Pivot County, 0.55 percent of all Retained Pivot Counties.

More Kentucky coverage on Ballotpedia

Recent news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Kentucky governor lieutenant governor election 2015. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Kentucky gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2015 - Google News

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Roll Call, “Kentucky Governors race tilts towards Democrats,“ October 16, 2015
  2. ↑ WKYT.com, “RGA back on the air in Kentucky governor's race,” October 20, 2015
  3. ↑ The Washington Times, “Key GOP group stops running ads in Kentucky governor’s race,” September 28, 2015
  4. ↑ Kentucky Secretary of State, "Governor and Lieutenant Governor," accessed November 4, 2014
  5. ↑ The Courier-Journal, "Bevin's slim lead challenged by Comer," May 19, 2015
  6. ↑ WHAS 11, "Bevin declares victory, Comer not conceding after recanvass," May 28, 2015
  7. ↑ Lexington Herald-Leader, "Jack Conway announces bid for governor, with state Rep. Sannie Overly as running mate," May 6, 2014
  8. ↑ Kentucky Secretary of State, "Information for Jack Conway, Candidate for Governor," January 12, 2015
  9. ↑ Kentucky Secretary of State, "Information for Matt Bevin, Candidate for Governor," January 27, 2015
  10. ↑ Kentucky Secretary of State, "Information for Drew Curtis, Candidate for Governor," August 10, 2015
  11. ↑ Kentucky Secretary of State, "Information for Blackii Effing Whyte, Candidate for Governor," May 15, 2015
  12. ↑ Associated Press, "Primary election results," accessed May 20, 2014
  13. ↑ Kentucky Secretary of State, "Information for Johnathan D. Masters, Candidate for Lieutenant Governor," January 27, 2015
  14. ↑ Kentucky Secretary of State, "Information for Will T. Scott, Candidate for Governor," January 13, 2015
  15. ↑ Kentucky Secretary of State, "Information for Hal Heiner, Candidate for Governor," January 26, 2015
  16. ↑ Lexington Herald-Leader, "Republican Hal Heiner enters gubernatorial race; Lexington running mate won't resign from RNC," March 4, 2014
  17. ↑ Cincinnati.com, "Election in 2015 shaping up to be big for NKY," November 11, 2014
  18. ↑ Kentucky Secretary of State, "Information for James R. Comer, Candidate for Governor," January 22, 2015
  19. ↑ Kentucky Secretary of State, "Information for Cherokee Schill, Candidate for Lieutenant Governor," January 27, 2015
  20. ↑ Kentucky Secretary of State, "2015 Kentucky Election Calendar," accessed December 4, 2014
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 Kentucky Secretary of State, "Register to Vote," accessed December 4, 2014
  22. ↑ Kentucky Statutes, "11.400 Duties of Lieutenant Governor," accessed August 27, 2013
  23. ↑ Daily Kos, "Live Digest Aug. 31, 2015," accessed October 6, 2015
  24. ↑ Kevin Wheatley, CN2 News, "Jack Conway launches first negative nominee ad, hammering Matt Bevin over taxes," accessed October 6, 2015
  25. ↑ Nick Storm, cn|2, "Pro-Jack Conway super PAC ad sharpens focus on Matt Bevin's refusal to release tax returns," accessed October 6, 2015
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 26.3 Kevin Wheatley, cn|2, "Conway holds financial edge on Bevin after dumping $2.3M on TV in latest campaign finance reporting period," October 27, 2015
  27. ↑ The Courier-Journal, "Bevin's slim lead challenged by Comer," May 19, 2015
  28. ↑ The New York Times, "Matt Bevin Prevails as James Comer Conceded Kentucky Governor Primary," May 29, 2015
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 The Louisville Courier-Journal, "College girlfriend says James Comer abused her," May 5, 2015
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 Cincinatti.com, "Ky. candidate Comer denies abusing college girlfriend," May 6, 2015
  31. ↑ Page One Kentucky, "Dropping bombs on Jamie Comer," May 1, 2015
  32. ↑ Daily Independent, "Comer accused in newspaper report," May 4, 2015
  33. ↑ Kentucky.com, "Exclusive: Heiner apologizes to Comer over campaign's communication with controversial blogger," April 29, 2015
  34. ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  35. ↑ Cincinnati.com, "GOP governor race gets nasty," May 3, 2015
  36. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Limits on Contributions to Candidates," updated January 20, 2010
  37. ↑ The Courier-Journal, "Koch brothers-related PAC in Kentucky gov race," March 28, 2015
  38. ↑ The Courier-Journal, "Wealthy businessman funding Comer PAC," April 3, 2015
  39. ↑ CN2, "Pro-Comer PAC urging voters to get behind its candidate in new TV spot," April 3, 2015
  40. ↑ 40.0 40.1 40.2 The Courier-Journal, "Lt. gov. candidate faces charges over outbursts," February 15, 2015
  41. ↑ Huffington Post, "Johnathan Masters, Kentucky Lt. Gov. Candidate, Arrested ... For An Overdue Library Book?" March 13, 2015
  42. ↑ Fox News, "Kentucky candidate says he was arrested for overdue library book," March 12, 2015
  43. ↑ NCSL,"State Primary Election Types," accessed April 26, 2023
  44. ↑ Ballotpedia research conducted December 26, 2013, through January 3, 2014, researching and analyzing various state websites and codes.
  45. ↑ Kentucky State Board of Elections,"Key Information," accessed April 26, 2023
  46. ↑ 46.0 46.1 46.2 46.3 46.4 46.5 Ronnie Ellis, Richmond Register, "Governor's debate at EKU gets testy," October 26, 2015
  47. ↑ Bowling Green Daily News, “GOP candidates try to show differences,” April 29, 2015
  48. ↑ WKU Herald, “Republican candidates for governor debate on various issues,” April 29, 2015
  49. ↑ 49.0 49.1 Lexington Herald-Leader, "At forum in Versailles, GOP candidates for governor share 'the right ideas,'" April 15, 2015
  50. ↑ 50.0 50.1 The Courier-Journal, "Governor candidates clash over attack ads," April 8, 2015
  51. ↑ 51.0 51.1 WDRB, "Republican candidates for Kentucky Governor debate in La Grange," April 7, 2015
  52. ↑ CN2, "GOP gubernatorial candidates say tax reform is key to improving business climate in Kentucky," February 3, 2015
  53. ↑ Kentucky Wins, "Our Coalition," accessed January 29, 2015
  54. ↑ The Courier Journal, "Sparks fly at governor candidate forum," January 23, 2015
  55. ↑ Nick Storm, CN2, "Conway campaign releases series of ads highlighting Matt Bevin 'In his own words,'" September 23, 2015
  56. ↑ Kentucky Registry of Election Finance, "Candidate Search Results," accessed April 24, 2015
  57. ↑ Kentucky Registry of Election Finance, "Candidate Search Results," accessed February 3, 2015
  58. ↑ The raw data for this study was provided by Dave Leip of Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.
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