Donald Trump and Republicans were left to explain why they were behind in one of the reddest states in the nation, while Democrats were celebrating turning Kentucky blue (kind of). Democratic Attorney General Andy Beshear, was poised to defeat Republican Gov. Matt Bevin, though he technically has yet to concede the race to Beshear.
The Republican candidate, refused to concede the election to his Democratic challenger, Attorney General Andy Beshear. With 100 percent of the precincts counted, Mr. Beshear was ahead by 5,300 votes.
If Beshear hangs on, he has said he would ease Medicaid access, overhaul the state’s education leadership and restore the voting rights of former felons who have done their time.
Trump spent Monday night rallying with Bevin in Kentucky, and Vice President Mike Pence spent last week on a bus tour with the first-term governor. “If you lose, they’re going to say Trump suffered the greatest defeat in the history of the world. This was the greatest. You can’t let that happen to me,” he told Bevin at their rally.
Well…it happened to you Mr. President. We’re excited for what 2020 has to hold.
Another blue victory with Democrats cementing a new reality in Virginia on Tuesday. The party won majorities in Virginia’s House and Senate, gaining full control of the state government for the first time in two decades.
With the “trifecta” of the House, Senate and governor’s office, Democrats will also control the redistricting process after the 2020 Census, drawing the new maps for congressional and state legislative districts.
Some good news did come for Republicans in Mississippi, where they won the race to replace outgoing Gov. Phil Bryant. The governor’s race in such a solidly red state would ordinarily be no cause for suspense — but Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves faced a serious challenge from Democratic Attorney General Jim Hood, a moderate candidate who had already won statewide four times.
Unlike in Kentucky, the two candidates shared similar stances on typically-conservative social issues like abortion and gun rights. Their race became more about state policies, with Medicaid expansion emerging as one of the starkest differences between them. Hood supported using federal funds to expand healthcare in Mississippi, which is one of 14 states that didn’t expand Medicaid in 2010. Reeves labeled it “Obamacare expansion” and said there would be a cost to taxpayers.
Overall, these close races in traditionally conservative states are surprising during a non-presidential election year, and have many wondering how traditional “red states” will turnout in 2020.