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 to also say that he was running in 2011, which he could not 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
- Steve Beshear, incumbent governor of Kentucky, 2007–2015; former lt. governor of Kentucky, 1983–1987; former attorney general of Kentucky, 1979–1983; and former state representative, 1974–1979
- Running mate: Jerry Abramson, Louisville mayor, 1986–1999 and 2003–2011
Republican primary
Candidates
Declared
- Bobbie Holsclaw, Jefferson county clerk, 1998–2010, 2014–2025
- Running mate: Bill Vermillion, retired U.S. Navy master chief
- Phil Moffett, Louisville businessman and Tea Party activist
- Running mate: Mike Harmon, state representative, 2003–2016
- David L. Williams, state senate president, 2000–2012; state senator 1987–2012; and nominee for U.S. Senate in 1992
- Running mate: Richie Farmer, Kentucky agriculture commissioner, 2004–2012
Independents
Declared
- Gatewood Galbraith, attorney, industrial hemp advocate and perennial candidate
- Running mate: Dea Riley, political consultant
General election
Results
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
- Garrard (largest city: Lancaster)
- Grayson (largest city: Leitchfield)
- Green (largest city: Greensburg)
- Jessamine (largest city: Nicholasville)
- Knox (largest city: Barbourville)
- Lincoln (largest city: Stanford)
- Oldham (largest city: La Grange)
- Taylor (largest city: Campbellsville)
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
- Bell (largest city: Middlesboro)
- Crittenden (largest city: Marion)
- Edmonson (largest city: Brownsville)
- Leslie (largest city: Hyden)
- Martin (largest city: Inez)
- Owsley (largest city: Booneville)
- Todd (largest city: Elkton)
- Trigg (largest city: Cadiz)
By congressional district
Beshear won all six congressional districts, including four that were represented by Republicans.