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Andy Beshear Wins Democratic Primary for Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear Wins Democratic Primary for Kentucky Governor
(32 minutes later)
Kentucky Democrats on Tuesday nominated Andy Beshear, the state attorney general, to challenge the embattled Gov. Matt Bevin, who fended off a surprisingly strong Republican challenger in a primary that illustrated his general election vulnerability. Kentucky Democrats on Tuesday nominated the state’s attorney general, Andy Beshear, to run against embattled Gov. Matt Bevin, who fended off a surprisingly strong challenge in a Republican primary that illustrated his general election vulnerability.
Mr. Bevin, a conservative Republican elected in 2015, has the dubious distinction of being the least popular governor in the country, according to the polling organization Morning Consult. And while Kentucky is reliably red in federal elections, Democrats there have often been successful in state races, which makes them hopeful that they can unseat Mr. Bevin in November. Mr. Bevin captured only about 52 percent of the vote and lost a wide swath of counties in eastern Kentucky to Robert Goforth, a little-known state lawmaker.
In Mr. Beshear, the governor will be facing the son of the man he succeeded, in a race that will test whether Kentucky’s turn toward the G.O.P., and President Trump’s appeal in the state, is enough to offset the incumbent’s deep unpopularity. The general election is Nov. 5.
Mr. Beshear survived a scare of his own in Tuesday’s primary. He won with about 38 percent of the ballots after splitting voters with another mainstream Democrat, the former state auditor Adam Edelen, and a conservative Democrat, State Representative Rocky Adkins.
Mr. Bevin was elected governor in 2015 after entering Kentucky politics by unsuccessfully challenging Senator Mitch McConnell in 2014, but he has seen his popularity plummet after clashing with state employees and teachers. He has made several incendiary comments and repeatedly sparred with the state’s news media.
He also has the dubious distinction of being the least popular governor in the country, according to the polling organization Morning Consult.
But Kentucky, which has a long history of electing Democrats to state and local office, has started to embrace Republicans up and down the ballot. Mr. Bevin has assiduously courted Mr. Trump, making repeated trips to Washington and appearing with him whenever he can.
The question is whether the president can transfer his popularity in a heavily conservative state to an incumbent who has alienated crucial constituencies.
[Here’s our results page for the Kentucky governor primary.][Here’s our results page for the Kentucky governor primary.]
Mr. Beshear beat three other Democrats: State Representative Rocky Adkins; Adam Edelen, a former state auditor; and Geoff Young, an activist and perennial political candidate. Voters in central Pennsylvania also went to the polls Tuesday, where by a wide margin they elected Fred Keller, a Republican state lawmaker, to fill an open seat in a conservative House district. Mr. Trump appeared in the district this week to rally support for Mr. Keller.
Mr. Beshear — whose father, Steve Beshear, was governor from 2007 to 2015 — was the best known of the four candidates and focused his campaign on economic issues, including health care and the state’s pension crisis. The abortion rights group Naral supported him, a significant endorsement given the increased focus on abortion policy in state legislatures. Kentucky, like a number of other states, recently passed a highly restrictive abortion law known as a heartbeat bill — though it has not yet taken effect — and Mr. Bevin has called himself “the most pro-life governor in America.” In Kentucky, Mr. Beshear was the best-known candidate in the Democratic race, thanks to the prominence of his father, Steve Beshear, who was governor from 2007 to 2015. He focused his campaign on economic issues, including health care and the state’s pension crisis. The abortion rights group Naral supported him, an important endorsement in a race that featured Mr. Adkins, who opposes abortion rights.
Mr. Edelen energized liberal Kentuckians and also received some prominent endorsements, including from the state’s largest newspaper, The Courier Journal. Mr. Adkins, who has been focusing on the state’s rural areas, had the support of labor groups. Like several other states, Kentucky recently passed a highly restrictive abortion law, known as a “heartbeat bill,” and Mr. Bevin has called himself “the most pro-life governor in America.”
Republicans held a primary on Tuesday, too, and despite his low approval ratings, Mr. Bevin secured a shot at re-election. His nearest competitor, State Representative Robert Goforth, ran to Mr. Bevin’s right — though the governor is himself very conservative — criticizing Mr. Bevin’s combativeness and penchant for insults, a common complaint among voters. Mr. Edelen energized some liberal Kentuckians and also received some prominent endorsements, including from the state’s largest newspaper, The Courier Journal of Louisville. But it was Mr. Adkins who proved to be more of a threat, sweeping much of eastern Kentucky and demonstrating the enduring strength of a more conservative brand of Democratic politics in rural areas.