Tuesday’s election indicates shift in the tectonic plates of Kentucky politics

By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio

Tuesday Nov. 3, 2015, 9:30 p.m. — The tectonic plates of Kentucky politics made a tremendous shift to the right in Tuesday’s General Election with the return of a Republican to the Governor’s mansion for the first time since 2003, and sweeping wins by Republicans in down ticket races for treasurer, commissioner of agriculture and the defeat of a popular incumbent Democrat auditor.

The most unexpected Republican win in Tuesday’s election was state Rep. Mike Harmon’s win over incumbent Democrat Adam Edelen. Edelen won Nelson County with 54.75 percent of the vote, but lost to Harmon statewide. With 102 of 120 counties reporting, Harmon had 51.3 percent of the vote compared to Edelen’s 48.7 percent. Negative ads by Edelen’s campaign against Harmon may have, in the end, come back to hurt Edelen in Tuesday’s voting.

In other down-ticket races, Nelson County voters mostly mirrored statewide results.

SECRETARY OF STATE. Incumbent Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes handily defeated Republican Steve Knipper, 55.8 to 44.2 percent in the county; Grimes received 55.8 percent of the vote.

ATTORNEY GENERAL. Democrat Andy Beshear carried Nelson County by a wide margin, 53.98 to 46.02 percent. Statewide, Beshear’s win over Republican Whitney Westerfield was much narrower, 50.44 to 49.56 percent.

TREASURER. Republican Allison Ball won in a landslide over Democratic challenger Rick Nelson, taking 58.4 percent of the vote to Nelson’s 41.6 percent. Statewide, Ball received just over 60 percent of the vote.

AG COMMISSIONER. Republican Ryan Quarles easily won with 53.85 percent of the county vote, with Democrat Jean-Marie Lawson Spann receiving 46.5 percent. Statewide, Quarles won in a landslide, with 59.7 percent of the vote.

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