2011 Kentucky gubernatorial election


The 2011 Kentucky gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 2011, to elect the governor of Kentucky and the lieutenant governor of Kentucky. Incumbent Democrat Steve Beshear won re-election, defeating Republican challenger David L. Williams, then the president of the state senate, and Gatewood Galbraith, an independent candidate. Statewide turnout in this election was 28%.
This was one of the two Democratic-held governorships up for election in a state that John McCain won in the 2008 presidential election, the other being West Virginia.

Background

On July 19, 2009, Beshear announced his intention to run for re-election. However, in that announcement, he stated that then-Louisville mayor Jerry Abramson would be his running mate in 2011 instead of current Lt. Governor Daniel Mongiardo, who chose to run for the U.S. Senate in 2010. Kentucky state law requires that gubernatorial candidates file to run with running mates, otherwise they cannot legally raise money. Beshear wanted to fundraise and this would have required Mongiardo also saying that he was running in 2011, which he couldn't do. Beshear and Abramson did not face any opposition for the Democratic nomination.
Among Republicans, Kentucky State Senate President David Williams from Burkesville announced his official candidacy along with running mate Richie Farmer, the term-limited State Agriculture Commissioner and former Kentucky Wildcats basketball player. Louisville businessman Phil Moffett also announced his ticket with State Representative Mike Harmon from Danville as his running mate. Moffett was seen as the Tea Party favorite. However, Williams also advocated for similar positions as Moffett, such as the repeal of the Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution and promoting tax reforms similar to what Moffett proposed.
Attorney Gatewood Galbraith of Lexington filed to run his fourth gubernatorial campaign as an independent on July 4, 2009, choosing marketing consultant Dea Riley as his running mate.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

Independents

Declared

General election

Polling

With Moffett

Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin of
error		Steve
Beshear 		Phil
Moffett 		Gatewood
Galbraith 		Other/
Undecided
Survey USAApril 8–13, 20111,589± 2.5%54%34%—13%
Braun ResearchFebruary 28-March 1, 2011804± 3.5%53%28%—19%
Public Policy PollingOctober 28–30, 20101,021± 3.1%45%26%—29%
Mason-DixonOctober 18–19, 2010625± 4.0%43%24%6%26%
Public Policy PollingSeptember 11–12, 2010959± 3.2%46%28%—26%
Braun ResearchSeptember 1, 2010——49%29%—22%

With Holsclaw

Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin of
error		Steve
Beshear 		Bobbie
Holsclaw 		Gatewood
Galbraith 		Other/
Undecided
Survey USAApril 8–13, 20111,589± 2.5%53%34%—13%
Braun ResearchFebruary 28 – March 1, 2011804± 3.5%53%27%—21%

Results

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

By congressional district

Beshear won all six congressional districts, including four that were represented by Republicans.
DistrictBeshearWilliamsGalbraithRepresentative
54%41%5%Ed Whitfield
57%38%6%Brett Guthrie
67%27%6%John Yarmuth
53%40%6%Geoff Davis
47%44%8%Hal Rogers
56%23%21%Ben Chandler