In the recent Kentucky gubernatorial election, incumbent Gov. Matt Bevin (R) lost by fewer than 5,200 votes to Attorney Gen. Andy Beshear (D) in a state that President Donald Trump (R) carried by about 30 percentage points in 2016. Although the national parties tried their best to turn the race into a referendum on President Trump, Beshear won the race by focusing primarily on local issues and Bevin’s controversies within the state. The contest showed the limits of presidential power in state elections and failed to give us much of a signal about what to expect in the 2020 general election.
As part of the Collaborative Kentucky Exit Poll (CKEP), we conducted an election day survey of Kentucky voters to help make sense of the election results. With the invaluable collaboration of our students, we were able to interview 3,913 voters across five counties in Kentucky, with questions ranging from vote choices in the 2019 election to opinions on foreign policy and local issues. CONT.
Ryan Lloyd, Jaclyn Johnson & Benjamin Knoll (Centre College), Mischiefs of Faction