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| Voters in Kentucky, Mississippi decide whether Trump can sway gubernatorial races | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Voters are heading to the polls Tuesday to decide governor’s races in Kentucky and Mississippi, where President Trump has mounted an aggressive effort to stop Democratic candidates eager to prove their party can still win statewide contests in the conservative South. | Voters are heading to the polls Tuesday to decide governor’s races in Kentucky and Mississippi, where President Trump has mounted an aggressive effort to stop Democratic candidates eager to prove their party can still win statewide contests in the conservative South. |
| The elections cap divisive campaigns in both states that have largely centered on local issues and personalities. But about a month ago, amid signs the Democratic candidates could upset their GOP opponents, the White House stepped in to shore up Republican chances in states that Trump easily carried three years ago. | The elections cap divisive campaigns in both states that have largely centered on local issues and personalities. But about a month ago, amid signs the Democratic candidates could upset their GOP opponents, the White House stepped in to shore up Republican chances in states that Trump easily carried three years ago. |
| In Kentucky, the state’s Democratic attorney general, Andy Beshear, is challenging Republican Gov. Matt Bevin in a contest that also will test the political influence of teachers and other public workers. Bevin, who attempted to push through controversial changes to teachers’ pension system, had been considered one of the nation’s most unpopular governors but rebounded this fall with an aggressive campaign against his opponents that sought to reenergize conservative voters behind him. | In Kentucky, the state’s Democratic attorney general, Andy Beshear, is challenging Republican Gov. Matt Bevin in a contest that also will test the political influence of teachers and other public workers. Bevin, who attempted to push through controversial changes to teachers’ pension system, had been considered one of the nation’s most unpopular governors but rebounded this fall with an aggressive campaign against his opponents that sought to reenergize conservative voters behind him. |
| In Mississippi, where the sitting Republican governor is term-limited, Democratic Attorney General Jim Hood is running against Republican Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves. The election has largely centered on how the state will pay for a host of needs, including new highways and teachers’ demands for higher pay, as well as Medicaid expansion to roughly 300,000 low-income residents. | In Mississippi, where the sitting Republican governor is term-limited, Democratic Attorney General Jim Hood is running against Republican Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves. The election has largely centered on how the state will pay for a host of needs, including new highways and teachers’ demands for higher pay, as well as Medicaid expansion to roughly 300,000 low-income residents. |
| The last polls close at 6 p.m. central time in Kentucky and at 7 p.m. central time in Mississippi. | The last polls close at 6 p.m. central time in Kentucky and at 7 p.m. central time in Mississippi. |
| The gubernatorial races are occurring one year after Democrats made major inroads in state houses, including flipping seven governorships and more than 400 state legislative seats. Many of those gains were in Midwestern or coastal states that formed the backbone of the backlash to Trump in the 2018 midterm elections. But this year, there are only three gubernatorial races, all in states that have been far friendlier to Trump and his conservative agenda. | The gubernatorial races are occurring one year after Democrats made major inroads in state houses, including flipping seven governorships and more than 400 state legislative seats. Many of those gains were in Midwestern or coastal states that formed the backbone of the backlash to Trump in the 2018 midterm elections. But this year, there are only three gubernatorial races, all in states that have been far friendlier to Trump and his conservative agenda. |
| Governor’s races in three states test whether every election now is about Trump | Governor’s races in three states test whether every election now is about Trump |
| Three weeks ago, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) failed to win an outright majority in his state’s bipartisan “jungle” primary, triggering a runoff election on Nov. 16 against Republican businessman Eddie Rispone. Ahead of the election, Trump traveled to Louisiana to campaign against Edwards, a strategy the president repeated in the hours leading up to Tuesday’s elections. | Three weeks ago, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) failed to win an outright majority in his state’s bipartisan “jungle” primary, triggering a runoff election on Nov. 16 against Republican businessman Eddie Rispone. Ahead of the election, Trump traveled to Louisiana to campaign against Edwards, a strategy the president repeated in the hours leading up to Tuesday’s elections. |
| In 2016, Trump carried Mississippi by about 17 points, Louisiana by about 20 points and Kentucky by about 30 points. | In 2016, Trump carried Mississippi by about 17 points, Louisiana by about 20 points and Kentucky by about 30 points. |
| As he campaigned in all three states, the contests gave Trump an opportunity to refine his campaign tactics ahead of the 2020 presidential election, especially when it comes to wooing religious conservatives and white working-class voters to the polls. The elections also give Trump a chance to prove his political staying power, even as the House of Representatives impeachment inquiry continues to intensify. | As he campaigned in all three states, the contests gave Trump an opportunity to refine his campaign tactics ahead of the 2020 presidential election, especially when it comes to wooing religious conservatives and white working-class voters to the polls. The elections also give Trump a chance to prove his political staying power, even as the House of Representatives impeachment inquiry continues to intensify. |
| On Monday night, less than 12 hours before the polls opened, Trump appeared at a rally in Lexington, Ky. to support Bevin but also made sure the crowd knew his own reputation was on the line. | On Monday night, less than 12 hours before the polls opened, Trump appeared at a rally in Lexington, Ky. to support Bevin but also made sure the crowd knew his own reputation was on the line. |
| “If you lose, they will say Trump suffered the greatest defeat in the history of the world,” said Trump, pointing at a bank of television news cameras. “You can’t let that happen to me, and you can’t let that happen to your incredible state.” | “If you lose, they will say Trump suffered the greatest defeat in the history of the world,” said Trump, pointing at a bank of television news cameras. “You can’t let that happen to me, and you can’t let that happen to your incredible state.” |
| Although Kentucky has been trending Republican for decades, Bevin is only the second Republican governor to be elected in the state in the past 50 years. Bevin, 52, is a wealthy businessman who rose to political prominence after he became a leader of the conservative tea party movement that opposed the policies of President Barack Obama. | Although Kentucky has been trending Republican for decades, Bevin is only the second Republican governor to be elected in the state in the past 50 years. Bevin, 52, is a wealthy businessman who rose to political prominence after he became a leader of the conservative tea party movement that opposed the policies of President Barack Obama. |
| In 2014, Bevin challenged Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) in the GOP primary, but McConnell defeated him by a margin of nearly 2-to-1. A year later, despite lingering tension between supporters of the two men, Bevin shocked pundits when he won the governor’s race by nearly nine points. Bevin’s surprise win and brash speaking style earned him the moniker “Trump before Trump,” and he and Trump frequently speak on the telephone, both men have said. | In 2014, Bevin challenged Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) in the GOP primary, but McConnell defeated him by a margin of nearly 2-to-1. A year later, despite lingering tension between supporters of the two men, Bevin shocked pundits when he won the governor’s race by nearly nine points. Bevin’s surprise win and brash speaking style earned him the moniker “Trump before Trump,” and he and Trump frequently speak on the telephone, both men have said. |
| In office, Bevin worked to boost the state’s economy, including aggressively reaching out to China and other foreign investors. On the campaign trail, Bevin frequently boasted about the state’s unemployment rate, which has dipped below 4 percent for the first time in nearly two decades. Bevin hopes his economic record will propel his reelection, which would make him Kentucky’s first Republican governor to be reelected since the state dropped its one-term-governor provision in the early 1990s. | In office, Bevin worked to boost the state’s economy, including aggressively reaching out to China and other foreign investors. On the campaign trail, Bevin frequently boasted about the state’s unemployment rate, which has dipped below 4 percent for the first time in nearly two decades. Bevin hopes his economic record will propel his reelection, which would make him Kentucky’s first Republican governor to be reelected since the state dropped its one-term-governor provision in the early 1990s. |
| But Bevin got into high-profile clashes with teachers and labor leaders over the state’s chronically underfunded pension program. After teachers staged sickouts and walkouts in protest of efforts to slash benefits, Bevin accused them of being “thuggish” and “selfish.” Bevin’s comments and proposals enraged educators, and state and national teachers unions poured millions of dollars into the Democratic campaign to defeat him this year. | But Bevin got into high-profile clashes with teachers and labor leaders over the state’s chronically underfunded pension program. After teachers staged sickouts and walkouts in protest of efforts to slash benefits, Bevin accused them of being “thuggish” and “selfish.” Bevin’s comments and proposals enraged educators, and state and national teachers unions poured millions of dollars into the Democratic campaign to defeat him this year. |
| These prosecutors won office vowing to fight the system. Now, the system is fighting back. | These prosecutors won office vowing to fight the system. Now, the system is fighting back. |
| With polls consistently showing Bevin was one of the least popular governors in the country, the Democratic Governors Association also invested heavily in the campaign to oust him. Bevin’s fortunes looked especially bleak in May, when he received 52 percent of the vote against three challengers in the Republican primary. | |
| Democrats nominated Beshear, 41, the son of former governor Steve Beshear. During the general election campaign, Andy Beshear hammered Bevin as being too divisive while pledging to legalize gambling and medical marijuana to help shore up teachers’ pensions. Beshear also vowed to expand access to health care while criticizing Bevin’s attempts to slow the expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. | |
| “I am promising vision and leadership, so we don’t have this kind of leadership holding us back,” Beshear told Bevin during one of their final debates. “I believe in health care; I am going to protect health care. This governor will not.” | |
| Although public and private polls showed Beshear comfortable ahead during the summer, Bevin closed the gap as he sought to more closely link himself to Trump and national GOP policies. Bevin, the father of nine children, including four who were adopted, aired ads vowing to oppose abortion rights and “sanctuary cities.” He also seized on congressional Democrats’ impeachment inquiry into Trump by urging the president’s supporters to help reelect him to send a message. | |
| “It’s a load of baloney, and if you want to make their heads explode, elect every one of us,” Bevin said at a rally with other GOP candidates on Saturday in northeastern Kentucky. “If you want to make The Washington Post and the New York Times, and all of these other rags get all worked up and hot and bothered, vote straight Republican.” | “It’s a load of baloney, and if you want to make their heads explode, elect every one of us,” Bevin said at a rally with other GOP candidates on Saturday in northeastern Kentucky. “If you want to make The Washington Post and the New York Times, and all of these other rags get all worked up and hot and bothered, vote straight Republican.” |
| Bevin’s message was amplified by Trump, whose visit Monday night drew several days of buildup coverage in the local media. Lexington’s CBS affiliate also carried Trump’s 90-minute prime-time speech live; it was riddled with falsehoods about Beshear’s record. | |
| “The radical Democrats want to obliterate the rule of law, drive out faith from the public square, silence you online, confiscate your guns,” Trump said. | “The radical Democrats want to obliterate the rule of law, drive out faith from the public square, silence you online, confiscate your guns,” Trump said. |
| Trump also played a big role in the Mississippi governor’s race, where Hood campaigned as a conservative Democrat. | Trump also played a big role in the Mississippi governor’s race, where Hood campaigned as a conservative Democrat. |
| Hood, who is in his fourth term as attorney general, opposed abortion and has defended a new state law that bans abortion as early as the sixth week. | Hood, who is in his fourth term as attorney general, opposed abortion and has defended a new state law that bans abortion as early as the sixth week. |
| But Hood, 57, sought to focus the campaign on his plans to raise teacher pay, build new highways and use an expansion of Medicaid to extend coverage and keep struggling rural hospitals open. | |
| Reeves, 45, in turn vowed to keep taxes low and to reduce government spending. | Reeves, 45, in turn vowed to keep taxes low and to reduce government spending. |
| The race was widely considered to be the most competitive gubernatorial race in the state since 2000, when Ronnie Musgrove became the last Democrat to hold the office. | |
| The closeness of the race renewed concerns about a Jim Crow-era provision of the state constitution that could upend the election results, requiring a successful candidate to win a plurality of votes in more than half the state’s 122 House districts. | |
| If a candidate fails to clear that hurdle and win the popular vote, the Mississippi House of Representatives can decide the election. Republicans hold the majority in the Mississippi House. | If a candidate fails to clear that hurdle and win the popular vote, the Mississippi House of Representatives can decide the election. Republicans hold the majority in the Mississippi House. |
| In September, social justice advocates sued to block the provision, but a federal judge decided last week not to intervene before the election. However, the judge said he had “grave concern” that the provision could be unconstitutional and seemed to suggest that the court could intervene should it be triggered in this election. |