The 2015 Kentucky gubernatorial election took place on November 3, 2015. Incumbent Democratic governor Steve Beshear was ineligible to run for a third term due to term limits. Primary elections were held on May 19, 2015.
Despite trailing in most pre-election polls, Republican nominee Matt Bevin defeated Democratic nominee Jack Conway by a margin of 52.5% to 43.8% in the general election. Statewide turnout in this election was 30%. With a margin of 8.7%, this election was the closest race of the 2015 gubernatorial election cycle. This was the first time since 2003 that a Republican was elected governor of Kentucky, and the most recent time that this has occurred.
This is the only instance in history in which Knott County has backed a Republican candidate for governor. This was the only Democratic-held governorship up for election in 2015.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Declared
- Jack Conway, attorney general of Kentucky (2008–2016) and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2010
- Running mate: Sannie Overly, state representative
- Geoff Young, retired engineer and candidate for Kentucky's 6th congressional district in 2014
- Running mate: Johnathan Masters
- Former running mate: Cherokee Schill
Declined
- Jerry Abramson, White House Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, former lieutenant governor of Kentucky and former mayor of Louisville
- Rocky Adkins, majority leader of the Kentucky House of Representatives
- Ben Chandler, former U.S. representative, former attorney general of Kentucky and nominee for governor in 2003
- Luther Deaton, banker
- Adam Edelen, state auditor of Kentucky (ran for re-election)
- Greg Fischer, mayor of Louisville
- Alison Lundergan Grimes, secretary of state of Kentucky and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2014 (ran for re-election)
- Crit Luallen, lieutenant governor of Kentucky and former state auditor of Kentucky
- Daniel Mongiardo, former lieutenant governor of Kentucky and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2004
- Greg Stumbo, speaker of the Kentucky House of Representatives, former attorney general of Kentucky and candidate for lieutenant governor in 2007
- John Yarmuth, U.S. representative
Endorsements
Jack Conway/Sannie Overly
Statewide elected officials
- Wendell H. Ford, former U.S. senator and former governor
- Crit Luallen, lieutenant governor of Kentucky and former state auditor of Kentucky
- Alison Lundergan Grimes, secretary of state of Kentucky
- John Yarmuth, U.S. representative
Individuals
- Dan Boaz, McCracken County commonwealth's attorney
- Les Burgett, Perry County sheriff
- Bobby Carpenter, Greenup County judge/executive
- John Estill, Mason County attorney
- John Gardner, Barren and Metcalfe counties commonwealth's attorney
- Steve Gold, Henderson County attorney
- Elisabeth Jensen, education advocate and nominee for Kentucky's 6th congressional district in 2014
- Jim King, Louisville Metro Council president
- David O'Neill, Fayette County property valuation administrator
- G.L. Ovey, Lyon County commonwealth's attorney
- Mike Pryor, Nicholas County judge/executive
- Tommy Turner, LaRue County judge/executive
- Jim Ward, Letcher County Judge/Executive
- G. Davis Wilson, Bourbon County attorney
- David Yates, Louisville Metro councilman
- Shane Young, Hardin County commonwealth's attorney
Members of the Kentucky legislature
- Denver Butler, former state representative
- Larry Clark, state representative and former speaker pro tem of the Kentucky House of Representatives
- Leslie Combs, state representative
- Mike Denham, state representative
- Jeff Donohue, state representative
- Kelly Flood, state representative
- Ray Jones II, state senator
- Morgan McGarvey, state senator
- Gerald Neal, state senator
- Jerry Rhoads, former state senator
- Dorsey Ridley, state senator
- Rita Smart, state representative
- Doc Watkins, state representative
- Ed Worley, former minority leader of the Kentucky Senate and former state senator
Organizations
- International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 369
- Jefferson County Teachers Association
- Teamsters Joint Council 94
Republican primary
Candidates
Declared
- Matt Bevin, businessman and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2014
- Running mate: Jenean Hampton, former chairwoman of the Bowling Green/Southern Kentucky Tea Party and nominee for the 20th Kentucky House district in 2014
- James Comer, agriculture commissioner of Kentucky, 2012–2016; and former state representative, 2001-2012
- Running mate: Christian McDaniel, state senator, 2013–present
- Hal Heiner, former member of the Louisville Metro Council, 2003–2010; and nominee for mayor of Louisville in 2010
- Running mate: K.C. Crosbie, former Lexington-Fayette Urban County councilwoman, 2006–2014; former finance chairwoman and national chairwoman for the Republican Party of Kentucky, and nominee for Kentucky state treasurer in 2011
- Will T. Scott, former associate justice of the Kentucky Supreme Court, 2005–2015; nominee for attorney general of Kentucky in 1995 and for KY-07 in 1988 and 1990
- Running mate: Rodney Coffey, former Menifee County sheriff, 1999–2014; Kentucky Sheriffs Association president, 2014-2015
Withdrew
- Robert Lee Rosier, U.S. Army veteran
- Running mate: John Yuen, candidate for the State Senate in 2012
Declined
- Cathy Bailey, businesswoman and former United States Ambassador to Latvia
- Andy Barr, U.S. representative
- Jess Correll, banker
- Richie Farmer, former agriculture commissioner of Kentucky
- Ernie Fletcher, former governor and former U.S. representative
- Trey Grayson, former secretary of state of Kentucky and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2010
- Brett Guthrie, U.S. representative
- Thomas Massie, U.S. representative
- Mitch McConnell, U.S. senator and Senate majority leader
- Phil Moffett, businessman, Tea Party activist and candidate for governor in 2011
- Rand Paul, U.S. senator and 2016 presidential candidate
- David L. Williams, judge on the Kentucky Circuit Courts, former president of the Kentucky Senate and nominee for governor in 2011
Endorsements
Matt Bevin/Jenean Hampton
Individuals
- Hugh Hewitt, author and talk radio personality
- Sally Oh, co-founder of the Lexington Tea Party
Newspapers
Results
On May 19, 2015, Matt Bevin won the Republican primary, defeating second-place finisher James Comer by 83 votes.
Independents
Candidates
Declared
- Drew Curtis, entrepreneur and founder and CEO of Fark.com
- Running mate: Heather Curtis, COO of Fark.com and wife of Drew Curtis
- Gatewood Galbraith (formerly Terrill Wayne Newman), social worker (distinguish from politician Gatewood Galbraith)
- Running mate: Elisabeth Anderson, retired legal secretary
General election
Results
By county
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
- Anderson (largest city: Lawrenceburg)
- Ballard (largest city: LaCenter)
- Barren (largest city: Glasgow)
- Bell (largest city: Middlesboro)
- Boyle (largest city: Danville)
- Bracken (largest city: Augusta)
- Breathitt (largest city: Jackson)
- Breckinridge (largest city: Hardinsburg)
- Bullitt (largest city: Mount Washington)
- Butler (largest city: Morgantown)
- Caldwell (largest city: Princeton)
- Calloway (largest city: Murray)
- Campbell (largest city: Fort Thomas)
- Carlisle (largest city: Bardwell)
- Carter (largest city: Grayson)
- Christian (largest city: Hopkinsville)
- Clark (largest city: Winchester)
- Daviess (largest city: Owensboro)
- Fleming (largest city: Flemingsburg)
- Fulton (largest city: Fulton)
- Gallatin (largest city: Warsaw)
- Garrard (largest city: Lancaster)
- Grant (largest city: Williamstown)
- Graves (largest city: Mayfield)
- Grayson (largest city: Leitchfield)
- Green (largest city: Greensburg)
- Greenup (largest city: Flatwoods)
- Hancock (largest city: Hawesville)
- Hardin (largest city: Elizabethtown)
- Harrison (largest city: Cynthiana)
- Hart (largest city: Horse Cave)
- Henry (largest city: Eminence)
- Hickman (largest city: Clinton)
- Hopkins (largest city: Madisonville)
- Jessamine (largest city: Nicholasville)
- Johnson (Largest city: Paintsville)
- Kenton (Largest city: Covington)
- Knott (largest municipality: Hindman)
- Knox (largest city: Barbourville)
- LaRue (largest city: Hodgenville)
- Lawrence (largest city: Louisa)
- Lincoln (largest city: Stanford)
- Livingston (largest city: Salem)
- Logan (largest city: Russellville)
- Lyon (largest city: Eddyville)
- Magoffin (largest city: Salyersville)
- Marshall (largest city: Benton)
- Madison (largest city: Richmond)
- Mason (largest city: Maysville)
- McCracken (largest city: Paducah)
- McLean (largest city: Livermore)
- Meade (largest city: Brandenburg)
- Menifee (largest municipality: Frenchburg)
- Mercer (largest city: Harrodsburg)
- Metcalfe (largest city: Edmonton)
- Montgomery (largest city: Mount Sterling)
- Morgan (largest city: West Liberty)
- Muhlenberg (largest city: Central City)
- Nelson (largest city: Bardstown)
- Ohio (largest city: Beaver Dam)
- Oldham (largest city: La Grange)
- Owen (largest city: Owenton)
- Pendleton (largest city: Falmouth)
- Powell (largest city: Stanton)
- Robertson (largest municipality: Mount Olivet)
- Scott (largest city: Georgetown)
- Shelby (largest city: Shelbyville)
- Simpson (largest city: Franklin)
- Spencer (largest city: Taylorsville)
- Taylor (largest city: Campbellsville)
- Warren (largest city: Bowling Green)
- Washington (largest city: Springfield)
- Webster (largest city: Providence)
- Woodford (largest city: Versailles)
By congressional district
Bevin won four of six congressional districts. Conway won the other two, including one held by a Republican.