| Election Name: | 2011 Kentucky gubernatorial election |
| Country: | Kentucky |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2007 Kentucky gubernatorial election |
| Previous Year: | 2007 |
| Election Date: | November 8, 2011 |
| Next Election: | 2015 Kentucky gubernatorial election |
| Next Year: | 2015 |
| Image1: | File:Steve Beshear by Gage Skidmore (1).jpg |
| Nominee1: | Steve Beshear |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Running Mate1: | Jerry Abramson |
| Popular Vote1: | 464,245 |
| Percentage1: | 55.72% |
| Map Size: | 301px |
| Governor | |
| Before Election: | Steve Beshear |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Steve Beshear |
| After Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Turnout: | 28.3% 8.9 pp |
| Nominee2: | David L. Williams |
| Party2: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote2: | 294,034 |
| Percentage2: | 35.29% |
| Running Mate2: | Richie Farmer |
| Image3: | File:Gatewood Gailbraith 2011 (1).jpg |
| Nominee3: | Gatewood Galbraith |
| Party3: | Independent |
| Popular Vote3: | 74,860 |
| Percentage3: | 8.99% |
| Running Mate3: | Dea Riley |
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%.[1]
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[2] instead of current Lt. Governor Daniel Mongiardo, who chose to run for the U.S. Senate in 2010.[3] 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.[4] 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.[5] Louisville businessman Phil Moffett also announced his ticket with State Representative Mike Harmon from Danville as his running mate.[6] Moffett was seen as the Tea Party favorite.[7] However, Williams also advocated for similar positions as Moffett, such as the repeal of the Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution[8] 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.
| Poll Source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Bobbie Holsclaw | Phil Moffett | David Williams | Undecided | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Survey USA[13] | May 4–10, 2011 | 500 | ± 4.5% | 12% | 21% | align=center | 47% | 21% | |
| Survey USA[14] | April 8–13, 2011 | 507 | ± 4.4% | 12% | 14% | align=center | 49% | 25% |
| Source | Ranking | As of | |
|---|---|---|---|
| align=left | Rothenberg Political Report[16] | November 4, 2011 | |
| Governing[17] | November 4, 2011 | ||
| Cook[18] | November 4, 2011 | ||
| Sabato[19] | November 4, 2011 |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Steve Beshear (D) | David Williams (R) | Gatewood Galbraith (I) | Undecided | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Survey USA[20] | October 28 – November 1, 2011 | 576 | ± 4.2% | align=center | 54% | 29% | 9% | 8% | |
| Braun Research[21] | October 17–19, 2011 | 802 | ± 3.5% | align=center | 54% | 26% | 8% | 12% | |
| Survey USA[22] | September 22–27, 2011 | 569 | ± 4.2% | align=center | 57% | 26% | 8% | 9% | |
| Braun Research[23] | August 29–31, 2011 | 803 | ± 3.5% | align=center | 54% | 25% | 7% | 14% | |
| Public Policy Polling[24] | August 25–28, 2011 | 600 | ± 4.0% | align=center | 55% | 28% | 10% | 8% | |
| Survey USA[25] | July 22–27, 2011 | 512 | ± 4.4% | align=center | 52% | 28% | 9% | 11% | |
| Braun Research[26] | June 6–8, 2011 | 802 | ± 3.5% | align=center | 51% | 30% | 6% | 14% | |
| Survey USA | April 8–13, 2011 | 1,589 | ± 2.5% | align=center | 51% | 39% | — | 10% | |
| Braun Research[27] | February 28 – March 1, 2011 | 804 | ± 3.5% | align=center | 48% | 38% | — | 14% | |
| Public Policy Polling[28] | October 28–30, 2010 | 1,021 | ± 3.1% | align=center | 44% | 35% | — | 21% | |
| Mason-Dixon[29] | October 18–19, 2010 | 625 | ± 4.0% | align=center | 45% | 30% | 5% | 20% | |
| Public Policy Polling[30] | September 11–12, 2010 | 959 | ± 3.2% | align=center | 44% | 39% | — | 17% | |
| Braun Research[31] | August 30 – September 1, 2010 | 802 | ± 3.5% | align=center | 44% | 38% | — | 18% | |
| Braun Research[32] | July 19–21, 2010 | 803 | ± 3.4% | align=center | 48% | 30% | — | 20% |
With Moffett
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Steve Beshear (D) | Phil Moffett (R) | Gatewood Galbraith (I) | Other/ Undecided | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Survey USA | April 8–13, 2011 | 1,589 | ± 2.5% | align=center | 54% | 34% | — | 13% | |
| Braun Research | February 28-March 1, 2011 | 804 | ± 3.5% | align=center | 53% | 28% | — | 19% | |
| Public Policy Polling | October 28–30, 2010 | 1,021 | ± 3.1% | align=center | 45% | 26% | — | 29% | |
| Mason-Dixon[33] | October 18–19, 2010 | 625 | ± 4.0% | align=center | 43% | 24% | 6% | 26% | |
| Public Policy Polling | September 11–12, 2010 | 959 | ± 3.2% | align=center | 46% | 28% | — | 26% | |
| Braun Research | September 1, 2010 | — | — | align=center | 49% | 29% | — | 22% |
With Holsclaw
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Steve Beshear (D) | Bobbie Holsclaw (R) | Gatewood Galbraith (I) | Other/ Undecided | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Survey USA | April 8–13, 2011 | 1,589 | ± 2.5% | align=center | 53% | 34% | — | 13% | |
| Braun Research | February 28 – March 1, 2011 | 804 | ± 3.5% | align=center | 53% | 27% | — | 21% |
Beshear won all 6 congressional districts, including four represented by Republicans.[35]
| District | Beshear | Williams | Galbraith | Representative | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Candidates
Information