A general election was held in the U.S. state of Kentucky on November 5, 2019, with all executive offices in the state up for election. Primary elections were held on May 21, 2019.
Governor and Lieutenant Governor
The 2019 Kentucky gubernatorial election took place on November 5, 2019, to elect the governor and lieutenant governor of Kentucky. The Democratic nominee, Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear, defeated Republican incumbent Matt Bevin by a margin of just over 5,000 votes, or 0.37%. It was the closest gubernatorial election in Kentucky since 1899 by total votes, and the closest ever by percentage.
Bevin won 97 counties, while Beshear won only 23 counties. Beshear 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.J. Miles Coleman. "... Beshear carried #KY03 (Louisville) by 37% & #KY06 (metro Lexington) by 14%. He only won two CDs, but his districts also had the highest turnout. Beshear also kept #KY04 (Cincy suburbs) close," Twitter.
Bevin conceded on November 14, after a recanvass took place that day that did not change the vote count. Libertarian John Hicks also qualified for the ballot and received 2% of the vote. Statewide turnout was just over 42%, much higher than for the 2015 gubernatorial election. The result was a major swing from 2016, when Donald Trump won the state by 30 points and Republicans gained a supermajority in both chambers of the Kentucky General Assembly.
Results
Secretary of State
Incumbent Democratic Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes was ineligible to run for a third term due to term limits. This was the only statewide race in Kentucky in 2019 besides the gubernatorial election in which the Democratic candidate came close to winning and the only non-gubernatorial statewide election in KY, LA or MS where the Democrat achieved more than 45% of the vote in 2019.
Democratic primary Candidates Jason Belcher, U.S. Air Force veteran and writer Jason Griffith, teacher and businessman Heather French Henry, former Commissioner of Veterans Affairs of Kentucky and former Miss America Geoff Sebesta, comic book artist
Results
Republican primary Candidates Michael Adams, general counsel for the Republican Governors Association and former Mitch McConnell aide Andrew English, former general counsel for the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet and U.S. Navy veteran Stephen Knipper, cyber security expert, former Erlanger city councilman, and nominee for secretary of state in 2015 Carl Nett, former counterintelligence officer
Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error MichaelAdams AndrewEnglish StephenKnipper CarlNett UndecidedCygnalCygnal May 10–12, 2019 600 ± 4.0% 11% 10% 7% 5% 68%
Results
General election Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error HeatherFrench Henry (D) MichaelAdams (R) UndecidedClarity Campaign Labs (D)Clarity Campaign Labs (D) August 12–13, 2019 792 ± 3.3% 52% 37% 9%
Results
Attorney General
The 2019 Kentucky Attorney General election was conducted on November 5. Primary elections occurred on May 21, 2019. The general election was held on November 5, 2019. Incumbent Democratic attorney general Andy Beshear declined to seek reelection to a second term to successfully run for Governor. Republican Daniel Cameron defeated Democrat Greg Stumbo. He became the first Republican attorney general of Kentucky since 1948, and the state's first black attorney general.
Results
Auditor of Public Accounts
Republican primary Candidates Mike Harmon, incumbent State Auditor of Kentucky
Democratic primary Candidates Kelsey Hayes Coots, teacher Sheri Donahue, former U.S. Navy engineer Chris Tobe, pension consultant
Withdrew Drew Curtis, founder of Fark and independent candidate for governor in 2015
Results
General election Results
State Treasurer
Republican primary Candidates Allison Ball, incumbent State Treasurer of Kentucky
Democratic primary Candidates Michael Bowman, bank manager and former Louisville Metro Council staffer Josh Mers, insurance agent and treasurer for the Lexington Human Rights Commission
Results
General election Results
Commissioner of Agriculture
Republican primary Candidates Bill Polyniak, farmer and hemp businessman Ryan Quarles, incumbent Agriculture Commissioner of Kentucky
Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error BillPolyniak RyanQuarles UndecidedCygnal May 10–12, 2019 600 ± 4.0% 8% 35% 58%
Results
Democratic primary Candidates Robert Haley Conway, district supervisor of the Scott County Soil and Water Conservation Board and former chair of the Scott County Board of Education Joe Trigg, Glasgow city councilman
Results
General election Results
Judiciary Kentucky Supreme Court
Candidates Christopher Shea Nickell, Kentucky Court of Appeals judge for the 1st Appellate District, Division 1 Whitney Westerfield, member of the Kentucky Senate for the 3rd District and candidate for attorney general in 2015
Results
Court of Appeals
Notes Partisan clients
References
External links Official campaign websites for Secretary of State Michael Adams (R) for Secretary of State Heather French Henry (D) for Secretary of State
Official campaign websites for Auditor Sheri Donahue (D) for Auditor Mike Harmon (R) for Auditor
Official campaign websites for Treasurer Allison Ball (R) for Treasurer Michael Bowman (D) for Treasurer
Official campaign websites for Agriculture Commissioner Robert Haley Conway (D) for Ag Commissioner Ryan Quarles (R) for Ag Commissioner
Official campaign websites for Supreme Court Whitney Westerfield for Supreme Court