2015 Kentucky elections
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A general election was held in the U.S. state of Kentucky on November 3, 2015. All of Kentucky's executive officers were up for election. Primary elections were held on May 19, 2015.
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Governor and Lieutenant Governor
Incumbent Democratic Governor Steve Beshear was term-limited and could not run for re-election to a third term in office.
In Kentucky, gubernatorial candidates pick their own running mates and they are elected on shared tickets in both the primary and general elections.
The candidates for the Democratic nomination were Attorney General of Kentucky Jack Conway and his running mate State Representative Sannie Overly;[1] and retired engineer and 2014 Congressional candidate Geoff Young and his running mate Jonathan Masters.[2] Conway and Overly easily defeated Young and Masters in the primary election for the Democratic Party nomination.[3]
For the Republicans, businessman and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2014 Matt Bevin ran on a ticket with Tea Party activist and 2014 State House candidate Jenean Hampton;[4] Agriculture Commissioner of Kentucky James Comer ran on a ticket with State Senator Christian McDaniel;[5][6] former Louisville Metro Councilman and nominee for Mayor of Louisville in 2010 Hal Heiner ran on a ticket with former Lexington-Fayette Urban County Councilwoman and nominee for Kentucky State Treasurer in 2011 KC Crosbie;[7][8] and former Associate Justice of the Kentucky Supreme Court Will T. Scott ran on a ticket with former Menifee County Sheriff Rodney Coffey.[9][10] Bevin held an 83-vote lead over Comer in the primary election, with both Heiner and Scott conceding. The Associated Press, referring to the race between Bevin and Comer a "virtual tie", did not call the race in favor of either candidate. In addition, Comer refused to concede and stated that he would ask for a recanvass.[11] The request for recanvass was filed with the Kentucky Secretary of State's office on May 20, 2015, with Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes ordering the recanvass to occur at 9:00 a.m. local time on May 28, 2015.[12][13] Upon completion of the recanvass, Grimes announced that Bevin remained 83 votes ahead of Comer. Grimes also stated that should Comer want a full recount, it would require a court order from the Franklin Circuit Court.[14] On May 29, Comer announced he would not request a recount and conceded the nomination to Bevin.[15]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Matt Bevin/Jenean Hampton | 511,771 | 52.5 | |
| Democratic | Jack Conway/Sannie Overly | 426,827 | 43.8 | |
| Independent | Drew Curtis/Heather Curtis | 35,627 | 3.7 | |
| Total votes | 974,225 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican gain from Democratic | ||||
Secretary of State
Incumbent Democratic Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes was eligible to run for re-election to a second term in office. She had considered running for Governor of Kentucky or for Attorney General of Kentucky.[17][18][19] She decided to seek re-election.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Declared
- Charles Lovett, candidate for Jefferson County Justice of the Peace in 2010[20]
- Alison Lundergan Grimes, incumbent Secretary of State and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2014[21]
Declined
- Colmon Elridge, aide to Governor Steve Beshear and former Executive Vice President of Young Democrats of America[22]
- David O'Neill, Fayette County Property Valuation Administrator[23]
Results
- 50–60%
- 60–70%
- 70–80%
- 80–90%
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Alison Lundergan Grimes (incumbent) | 131,640 | 73.25 | |
| Democratic | Charles Lovett | 48,083 | 26.75 | |
| Total votes | 179,723 | 100.0 | ||
Republican primary
Candidates
Declared
Withdrew
- Michael Pitzer, candidate for the State House in 2008[20]
Declined
- Michael Adams, attorney and general counsel for the Republican Governors Association[23][26]
- Matt Bevin, businessman and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2014 (ran for Governor)[4][20][27]
- Ken Fleming, former Louisville Metro Council member[28]
- Damon Thayer, Majority Leader of the Kentucky Senate[29]
General election
Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
Alison Lundergan Grimes (D) |
Steve Knipper (R) |
Other | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SurveyUSA[30] | October 23–26, 2015 | 798 | ± 3.5% | 50% | 37% | — | 12% |
| WKU[31] | October 19–25, 2015 | 770 | ± 3.5% | 46% | 35% | — | 19% |
| SurveyUSA[32] | September 22–27, 2015 | 701 | ± 3.8% | 46% | 38% | — | 15% |
| SurveyUSA[33] | July 22–28, 2015 | 685 | ± 3.8% | 46% | 40% | — | 12% |
| Public Policy Polling[34] | June 18–21, 2015 | 1,108 | ± 2.9% | 42% | 47% | — | 12% |
| Gravis Marketing[35] | January 5–6, 2015 | 608 | ± 4% | 47% | 46% | — | 7% |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Alison Lundergan Grimes (incumbent) | 493,598 | 51.2 | |
| Republican | Steve Knipper | 471,209 | 48.8 | |
| Total votes | 964,807 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Attorney General
Incumbent Democratic attorney general Jack Conway was term-limited and could not run for re-election to a third term in office. He instead ran for governor. The candidate that would go on to be elected Attorney General was Andy Beshear, the son of retiring governor Steve Beshear.
Beshear defeated Republican Whitney Westerfield by a margin of 0.2 percent, getting 50.1% of the vote to Westerfield's 49.9%.[36][37] The margin was approximately 2,000 votes.[38]
Auditor of Public Accounts
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November 3, 2015
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  Harmon: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Edelen: 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent Democratic state auditor Adam Edelen had considered running for governor in 2015, even lining up a running mate, but ultimately declined to do so. He instead ran for re-election to a second term in office.[39]
Democratic primary
Candidates
Declared
- Adam Edelen, incumbent State Auditor[39]
Declined
- Chris Tobe, CFA, writer, former trustee of the Kentucky Retirement Systems and former staffer to State Auditor Ed Hatchett[23]
Republican primary
Candidates
Declared
- Mike Harmon, State Representative and candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky in 2011[40]
Declined
- Damon Thayer, Majority Leader of the Kentucky Senate[29]
General election
Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
Adam Edelen (D) |
Mike Harmon (R) |
Other | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SurveyUSA[30] | October 23–26, 2015 | 798 | ± 3.5% | 42% | 34% | — | 22% |
| WKU[31] | October 19–25, 2015 | 770 | ± 3.5% | 40% | 35% | — | 25% |
| SurveyUSA[32] | September 22–27, 2015 | 701 | ± 3.8% | 35% | 33% | — | 27% |
| SurveyUSA[33] | July 22–28, 2015 | 685 | ± 3.8% | 35% | 31% | — | 30% |
| Public Policy Polling[34] | June 18–21, 2015 | 1,108 | ± 2.9% | 33% | 39% | — | 27% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
Adam Edelen (D) |
John Kemper (R) |
Other | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gravis Marketing[35] | January 5–6, 2015 | 608 | ± 4% | 30% | 38% | — | 32% |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Mike Harmon | 486,741 | 51.9 | |
| Democratic | Adam Edelen (incumbent) | 450,316 | 48.1 | |
| Total votes | 937,057 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican gain from Democratic | ||||
State Treasurer
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November 3, 2015
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   Ball: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Nelson: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% | |||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent Democratic State Treasurer Todd Hollenbach was term-limited and could not run for re-election to a third term in office. He had said that he may run for another office in 2015, but did not specify which, and eventually declined to run for another statewide office.[23] He instead successfully ran for an open seat on the Jefferson County District Court, defeating 20 other candidates.[41]
Democratic primary
Candidates
Declared
- Neville Blakemore, Executive Chairman of Great Northern Building Products and nominee for Louisville Metro Council in 2006[42]
- Jim Glenn, State Representative and candidate for State Auditor in 2003[43]
- Daniel Grossberg, Jefferson County Commissioner and President of the Louisville Young Democrats[42]
- Richard Henderson, former State Representative and former Mayor of Jeffersonville[44]
- Rick Nelson, state representative[45]
Declined
- Colmon Elridge, aide to Governor Steve Beshear and former Executive Vice President of Young Democrats of America[22][46][47]
- Dee Dee Ford-Keene, businesswoman and former President of the Democratic Women's Club of Kentucky[23][48][49]
- Chris Tobe, CFA, writer, former trustee of the Kentucky Retirement Systems and former staffer to State Auditor Ed Hatchett[23][48]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Rick Nelson | 44,397 | 27.17 | |
| Democratic | Neville Blakemore | 36,663 | 22.44 | |
| Democratic | Richard Henderson | 32,914 | 20.14 | |
| Democratic | Jim Glenn | 31,146 | 19.06 | |
| Democratic | Daniel B. Grossberg | 18,284 | 11.19 | |
| Total votes | 163,404 | 100.0 | ||
Republican primary
Candidates
Declared
- Allison Ball, attorney [50]
- Kenny Imes, state representative[51]
- Jon Larson, former Fayette County Judge/Executive, candidate for Attorney General in 2007 and nominee for Kentucky's 6th congressional district in 2008[52]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Allison Ball | 84,516 | 46.88 | |
| Republican | Jon Larson | 55,712 | 30.91 | |
| Republican | Kenny Imes | 40,039 | 22.21 | |
| Total votes | 180,267 | 100.0 | ||
General election
Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
Rick Nelson (D) |
Allison Ball (R) |
Other | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SurveyUSA[30] | October 23–26, 2015 | 798 | ± 3.5% | 35% | 37% | — | 25% |
| WKU[31] | October 19–25, 2015 | 770 | ± 3.5% | 32% | 37% | — | 31% |
| SurveyUSA[32] | September 22–27, 2015 | 701 | ± 3.8% | 33% | 35% | — | 28% |
| SurveyUSA[33] | July 22–28, 2015 | 685 | ± 3.8% | 36% | 33% | — | 29% |
| Public Policy Polling[34] | June 18–21, 2015 | 1,108 | ± 2.9% | 32% | 41% | — | 26% |
| Gravis Marketing[35] | January 5–6, 2015 | 608 | ± 4% | 32% | 34% | — | 35% |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Allison Ball | 571,455 | 60.6 | |
| Democratic | Rick Nelson | 372,416 | 39.4 | |
| Total votes | 943,871 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican gain from Democratic | ||||
Commissioner of Agriculture
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November 3, 2015
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 Quarles: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Spann: 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent Republican Agriculture Commissioner James Comer did not run for re-election to a second term in office. He instead ran for governor, and was defeated by Matt Bevin in the Republican primary.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Declared
Declined
- Dennis Parrett, state senator[55][56]
Republican primary
Candidates
Declared
- Richard Heath, state representative[43]
- Ryan Quarles, state representative[57][58]
Declined
- James Comer, incumbent Agriculture Commissioner[6]
- Paul Hornback, state senator[23][57][59]
- Damon Thayer, Majority Leader of the Kentucky Senate[29][60]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Ryan Quarles | 92,700 | 50.39 | |
| Republican | Richard Heath | 91,273 | 49.61 | |
| Total votes | 183,973 | 100.0 | ||
General election
Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
Ryan Quarles (R) |
Jean-Marie Lawson Spann (D) |
Other | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SurveyUSA[30] | October 23–26, 2015 | 798 | ± 3.5% | 40% | 33% | — | 24% |
| WKU[31] | October 19–25, 2015 | 770 | ± 3.5% | 37% | 30% | — | 33% |
| SurveyUSA[32] | September 22–27, 2015 | 701 | ± 3.8% | 34% | 31% | — | 29% |
| SurveyUSA[33] | July 22–28, 2015 | 685 | ± 3.8% | 33% | 32% | — | 30% |
| Gravis Marketing[35] | January 5–6, 2015 | 608 | ± 4% | 39% | 31% | — | 30% |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Ryan Quarles | 563,383 | 60.1 | |
| Democratic | Jean-Marie Lawson Spann | 374,402 | 39.9 | |
| Total votes | 937,785 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
Kentucky Supreme Court
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November 3, 2015
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 County results Wright: 50–60% 80–90% Stumbo: 50–60% | |||||||||||||
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District 7
A non-partisan special election was held along with the May 19, 2015 primary elections to fill the 7th district seat of the Kentucky Supreme Court.[61] The seat was vacated when Justice Will T. Scott resigned to run for governor.[62] The winner of the election was elected to serve the remainder of Scott's term, with the seat coming up for re-election next in 2020.
Candidates
Declared
- Janet Stumbo, Kentucky Court of Appeals Judge and former Kentucky Supreme Court Justice[63]
- Sam Wright, Kentucky Circuit Court Judge[63]
Withdrew
- John Lewis, Elliott County Attorney[63]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | Sam Wright | 40,676 | 51.85% | |
| Independent | Janet Stumbo | 37,772 | 48.15% | |
| Total votes | 78,448 | 100% | ||