Kentucky gubernatorial election, 2015

See also: Kentucky elections, 2015

Kentucky gubernatorial election, 2015

November 3, 2015
Turnout	30.9%
Nominee Matt Bevin Jack Conway Party Republican Democratic Running mate Jenean Hampton Sannie Overly Popular vote 511,771 426,944 Percentage 52.5% 43.8%
300px County results
Governor before election Steve Beshear Democratic Elected Governor Matt Bevin Republican

The Kentucky gubernatorial election took place on November 3, 2015, to elect the Governor of Kentucky. Incumbent Democratic Governor Steve Beshear was not eligible to run for re-election to a third term due to term limits established by the Kentucky Constitution. Primary elections were held on May 19, 2015. Despite being behind in most pre-election polls, Republican Matt Bevin won the election by approximately a nine-point margin. 30.86% of all eligible voters voted in the election.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

• Jack Conway, Attorney General of Kentucky and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2010

• Running mate: Sannie Overly, State Representative

• Geoff Young, retired engineer and candidate for Kentucky's 6th congressional district in 2014

• Running mate: Johnathan Masters
• Former running mate: Cherokee Schill

Declined

• Jerry Abramson, White House Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, former Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky and former Mayor of Louisville
• Rocky Adkins, Majority Leader of the Kentucky House of Representatives
• Ben Chandler, former U.S. Representative, former Attorney General of Kentucky and nominee for Governor in 2003
• Luther Deaton, banker
• Adam Edelen, State Auditor of Kentucky (ran for re-election)
• Greg Fischer, Mayor of Louisville
• Alison Lundergan Grimes, Secretary of State of Kentucky and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2014 (ran for re-election)
• Crit Luallen, Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky and former State Auditor of Kentucky
• Daniel Mongiardo, former Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2004
• Greg Stumbo, Speaker of the Kentucky House of Representatives, former Attorney General of Kentucky and candidate for Lieutenant Governor in 2007
• John Yarmuth, U.S. Representative

Endorsements

Jack Conway/Sannie Overly

Statewide elected officials Wendell H. Ford, former U.S. Senator and former Governor Crit Luallen, Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky and former State Auditor of Kentucky Alison Lundergan Grimes, Kentucky Secretary of State John Yarmuth, U.S. Representative Individuals Jim King, Louisville Metro Council President David Yates, Louisville Metro Councilman Shane Young, Hardin County Commonwealth's Attorney Dan Boaz, McCracken County Commonwealth's Attorney Les Burgett, Perry County Sheriff Bobby Carpenter, Greenup County Judge/Executive John Estill, Mason County Attorney John Gardner, Barren and Metcalfe Counties Commonwealth's Attorney Steve Gold, Henderson County Attorney David O'Neill, Fayette County Property Valuation Administrator G.L. Ovey, Lyon County Commonwealth's Attorney Mike Pryor, Nicholas County Judge/Executive Tommy Turner, LaRue County Judge/Executive Jim Ward, Letcher County Judge/Executive G. Davis Wilson, Bourbon County Attorney Elisabeth Jensen, education advocate and nominee for Kentucky's 6th congressional district in 2014 Members of the Kentucky legislature Morgan McGarvey, State Senator Gerald Neal, State Senator Ray Jones, State Senator Dorsey Ridley, State Senator Rita Smart, State Representative Larry Clark, State Representative and former Speaker Pro Tem of the Kentucky House of Representatives Leslie Combs, State Representative Mike Denham, State Representative Jeff Donohue, State Representative Kelly Flood, State Representative Doc Watkins, State Representative Ed Worley, former Minority Leader of the Kentucky Senate and former State Senator Jerry Rhoads, former State Senator Denver Butler, former State Representative Organizations International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 369 Jefferson County Teachers Association Teamsters Joint Council 94

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Jack Conway	Geoff Young	Undecided
Survey USA	May 5–10, 2015	707	± 3.5%	68%	13%	19%
Survey USA	March 3–8, 2015	640	± 3.9%	61%	12%	27%
Harper Polling	January 28–31, 2015	255	± 6.14%	59%	13%	28%

Results

Democratic primary results
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Jack Conway	140,627	78.8
	Democratic	Geoff Young	37,887	21.2
Total votes			178,514	100

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

• Matt Bevin, businessman and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2014

• Running mate: Jenean Hampton, former Chairwoman of the Bowling Green/Southern Kentucky Tea Party and nominee for the State House in 2014

• James Comer, Agriculture Commissioner of Kentucky

• Running mate: Christian McDaniel, State Senator

• Hal Heiner, former member of the Louisville Metro Council and nominee for Mayor of Louisville in 2010

• Running mate: K.C. Crosbie, former Lexington-Fayette Urban County Councilwoman and nominee for Kentucky State Treasurer in 2011

• Will T. Scott, former Associate Justice of the Kentucky Supreme Court, nominee for Attorney General of Kentucky in 1995 and for KY-07 in 1988 and 1990

• Running mate: Rodney Coffey, former Menifee County Sheriff

Withdrew

• Robert Lee Rosier, U.S. Army veteran

• Running mate: John Yuen, candidate for the State Senate in 2012

Declined

• Cathy Bailey, businesswoman and former United States Ambassador to Latvia
• Andy Barr, U.S. Representative
• Jess Correll, banker
• Richie Farmer, former Agriculture Commissioner of Kentucky
• Ernie Fletcher, former Governor and former U.S. Representative
• Trey Grayson, former Secretary of State of Kentucky and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2010
• Brett Guthrie, U.S. Representative
• Thomas Massie, U.S. Representative
• Mitch McConnell, U.S. Senator and Senate Majority Leader
• Phil Moffett, businessman, Tea Party activist and candidate for Governor in 2011
• Rand Paul, U.S. Senator and 2016 presidential candidate
• David L. Williams, Judge on the Kentucky Circuit Courts, former President of the Kentucky Senate and nominee for Governor in 2011

Endorsements

James Comer/Chris McDaniel
Individuals Jim Bunning, former U.S. Senator Julie Denton, State Senator Anne Northup, former U.S. Representative and candidate for Governor in 2007 Ron Lewis, former U.S. Representative Thomas Massie, U.S. Representative for Kentucky's 4th congressional district Ed Whitfield, U.S. Representative Organizations Associated General Contractors

Hal Heiner/K.C. Crosbie
Individuals Rebecca Jackson, former Jefferson County Judge/Executive and candidate for Governor in 2003 Organizations Kentucky Pastors Action Coalition

Matt Bevin/Jenean Hampton
Individuals Hugh Hewitt, author and talk radio personality Sally Oh, co-founder of the Lexington Tea Party Organizations Cincinnati Enquirer

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Cathy Bailey	Matt Bevin	James Comer	Hal Heiner	Will T. Scott	Undecided
Survey USA	May 5–10, 2015	517	± 4.4%	—	27%	26%	25%	8%	14%
Public Policy Polling	May 6–7, 2015	501	± 4.4%	—	25%	28%	27%	—	20%
Triumph Campaigns	March 26, 2015	601	± 4%	—	12%	19%	33%	3%	29%
Survey USA	March 3–8, 2015	520	± 4.4%	—	20%	20%	28%	8%	25%
Harper Polling	January 28–31, 2015	261	± 6.07%	—	18%	25%	19%	9%	30%
Remington Research	January 27–28, 2015	1,000	± ?	—	19%	22%	18%	5%	26%
Public Policy Polling	August 7–10, 2014	383	± ?	11%	25%	20%	18%	—	26%
				—	—	22%	28%	—	50%
Public Opinion Strategies	February 26–27, 2014	400	± 4.9%	—	—	42%	14%	—	13%

Results

Republican primary results
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Matt Bevin	70,479	32.9
	Republican	James Comer	70,396	32.9
	Republican	Hal Heiner	57,948	27.1
	Republican	Will T. Scott	15,364	7.2
Total votes			214,187	100

Independents

Candidates

Declared

• Drew Curtis, entrepreneur and founder and CEO of Fark.com

• Running mate: Heather Curtis, COO of Fark.com and wife of Drew Curtis

• Gatewood Galbraith (Newman) (formerly Terrill Wayne Newman), social worker

• Running mate: Elisabeth Anderson, retired legal secretary

General election

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Jack Conway (D)	Matt Bevin (R)	Drew Curtis (I)	Undecided
Vox Populi	October 26–27, 2015	618	± 3.9%	44%	44%	6%	6%
				43%	46%	6%	7%
Survey USA	October 23–26, 2015	798	± 3.5%	45%	40%	6%	10%
WKU Social Science Research Center	October 19–25, 2015	770	± 3.5%	45%	40%	7%	8%
Mason-Dixon	October 6–8, 2015	625	± 4%	43%	41%	6%	10%
Survey USA	September 22–27, 2015	701	± 3.8%	42%	37%	7%	15%
Survey USA	July 22–28, 2015	685	± 3.8%	43%	38%	8%	11%
				45%	42%	—	13%
Public Policy Polling	June 18–21, 2015	1,108	± 2.9%	35%	38%	6%	21%
				38%	40%	—	22%
Survey USA	May 5–10, 2015	1,677	± 2.4%	48%	37%	—	16%
Survey USA	March 3–8, 2015	1,917	± 2.3%	42%	36%	—	22%
Harper Polling	January 28–29, 2015	640	± 3.87%	45%	41%	—	14%
Gravis Marketing	January 5–6, 2015	608	± 4%	44%	36%	—	20%
Public Policy Polling	August 7–10, 2014	991	± 3.1%	39%	36%	—	25%

Results

Kentucky gubernatorial election, 2015

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Matt Bevin	511,771	52.52%	+17.23%
	Democratic	Jack Conway	426,944	43.82%	-11.90%
	Independent	Drew Curtis	35,629	3.66%	-5.33%
Majority			84,827	8.7%	-11.73%
Total votes			974,344	30.86%
	Republican gain from Democratic		Swing

External links

• Matt Bevin for Governor
• Jack Conway for Governor
• Drew Curtis for Governor