


Republican Matt Bevin entered Kentucky politics riding the tea party movement as an insurgent candidate who argued that U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell wasn't conservative enough. 

Five years later, the Louisville investor and businessman is a governor who is facing a small rebellion of his own from three GOP rivals who argue he isn't Kentucky enough.

"The governor just doesn't relate to anyone here," said state Rep. Robert Goforth, one of three other contenders vying for the Republican nomination. "He alone thinks he has all the answers, and he can't even bring his own party to the table and have a consensus on things."

Bevin's quarrels with members of his own party cannot be overlooked heading into the May 21 primary. It is part of the reason why the White House is reportedly nervous about his reelection chances, and Democrats, who have suffered a string of losses, feel there's an opportunity to take back the governor's mansion.

Kentucky 2019 primary elections: Who are the Democrats running for Kentucky governor and how can they win?

Bevin has warred with prominent Republican state lawmakers on pension reform and was openly challenged by a Kentucky congressman, who said Bevin needs to drop the arrogance. He openly backed a conservative independent candidate over the GOP nominee in an election and angered some tea party activists when he dumped Lt. Gov. Jenean Hampton from the 2019 ticket.

But few say Goforth or the other two GOP candidates — Lexington real estate developer Ike Lawrence and Boone County bus driver William Woods — have a chance at beating Bevin.

What is being debated is how well those challengers will do on election night, which could be an embarrassing outing for the governor.

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Kentucky primary elections: Here's your complete 2019 voter guide

Here is a look at the four candidates and where they stand.

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Matt Bevin

Bio: Bevin, 52, is an investor and businessman who successfully ran for governor in 2015. He is married to Glenna and they have nine children, including four who are adopted.

Why are you running? Bevin's campaign manager Davis Paine told the Courier Journal that the governor should be reelected "because he is partnering with President Trump and created over 50,000 new jobs and now we have the lowest unemployment in Kentucky history."

Who is his running mate? State Sen. Ralph Alvarado, of Winchester.

How much money has he raised? Bevin is reporting to have raised about $813,000, with a minor $2,000 donation from his own pocket.

The big picture: Bevin's ranking as the most unpopular governor in the U.S., according to a survey conducted by Morning Consult, doesn't appear to deter the Republican incumbent one bit.

In fact, Bevin mocks those numbers while relishing in taking on the task of overhauling Kentucky's woefully underfunded pension system. During a speech at the Rotary Club of Louisville last month, he acknowledged that his reform efforts were a necessary, if politically costly, move.

Ironically, during that same speech, the governor stepped on his own message with an unforced error. This time it was suggesting a 7-year-old Louisville girl was shot at home because of teachers who used their sick days to protest in Frankfort.

In many ways, Bevin is his own worst enemy in a state that most observers agree shouldn't be competitive for Democrats, who have lost their grip on state government in recent years.

Bevin's primary strategy has been to ignore his three primary opponents completely. Kentucky Education Television was forced to cancel their May 6 statewide debate with the GOP candidates after the governor's campaign said he had declined to attend.

Ahead of the first Democratic debate in April, however, Bevin used social media to chime in by saying the opposing party was embracing democratic socialist proposals.

The two-pronged message from Bevin so far is aimed at the general election, and consists of touting the state's improved economy and a bond with Trump. In the campaign's first TV ad, which was aired during the Kentucky Derby, the president is seen or mentioned as much as Bevin.

"President Trump is taking America to new heights, but it hasn't been easy," Bevin said in the ad. "People are afraid of change, but I'm not. Neither is the president, and together our changes are working."

That makes sense given Trump holds a 53% approval overall in Kentucky, according to the Morning Consult survey of more than 9,000 registered voters.

Bevin's approval numbers are far behind, however, and hover at about 33%.

Louisville Tea Party President Theresa Camoriano said her members are well aware of the GOP primary race and are fully supportive of Bevin. She said she loved Hampton, who was a fellow tea party activist from Bowling Green, but that her being dropped from the ticket won't sway her to other candidates.

"The governor has a right to choose his running mate, and I think he chose somebody who may help him navigate the legislature better," Camoriano said. "He certainly needs that.

"I don't think any of them can hold a candle to Gov. Bevin in terms of effectiveness for Kentucky," she added.

Robert Goforth

Bio: Goforth, 43, is a farmer and pharmacist, who hails from East Bernstadt and was first elected to the General Assembly in a special election last year. He is married to Ashley with four children, including 4-year-old triplets.

Why are you running? "I think that we deserve better than what we have, that's the No. 1 reason. This governor has had a supermajority in the House and the Senate and has still yet to be able to bring people together to fix the tough challenges that Kentucky faces. He's the most unpopular governor in America not by accident or by chance, (but) because of his behavior and his polices. We need someone who is going to unite Kentucky instead of catering to big corporations. We need someone who is going to have a people-first agenda and do what's right for all Kentuckians regardless of who they are, where they're from or how much money they're worth. That's why I'm running, because I think we deserve better."

Who is his running mate? Lawrence County Attorney Mike Hogan, of Louisa.


How much money has he raised? Goforth took in about $765,400, with about $750,000 coming out of his own pocket.

The big picture: Among Bevin's three primary opponents, Goforth is waging the most credible challenge against the incumbent governor.

With enough money for statewide TV advertisements, the freshman legislator has been able to move from region to region with a message that calls into question Bevin's character and New England upbringing, while ringing a populist bell.

Goforth fills out the conservative checklist on most of the GOP’s top issues: He opposes abortion and firmly stands against gun control. The Eastern Kentucky Republican also supports Trump, who holds a strong approval among GOP voters.

The campaign is focusing on Bevin’s weakness, specifically the administration’s efforts to overhaul the pension system and the governor’s controversial remarks toward educators.

“The more people get to know me, the better I'm going to do, and that's the exact reason why the governor is scared to death to debate me,” Goforth told the Courier Journal. "He will not sit down because he's afraid I will expose him as the phony and the fraud that he is and people will see what happens when I expose him."

A survey of roughly 9,100 registered voters conducted by Morning Consult released this month shows Bevin has suffered a political toll. It found 52% disapprove of the governor, which is nine points worse than Trump.

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Among Republican primary voters, Bevin has a 50% approval and 37% disapproval. That also lags far behind the president, who has an impressive 86% approval among GOP Kentuckians and 7% disapproval, according to the survey.

Republican consultant Tres Watson, who previously worked as the state GOP spokesman, said he attributes that to Trump and Bevin dealing with issues that appeal to the base differently. He added that approval numbers among Kentucky's conservative leaders shouldn't be mistaken for potential election results either.

"Sen. McConnell in 2014 was down in the 30% range on approval on Election Day, and he won by a large double-digit margin,” Watson said.

Goforth, who is focusing much of his energy in Eastern Kentucky, is still considered a long shot, but he represents a litmus test for how much Bevin has ticked off average Republican voters.

If Goforth, with his message that Bevin is an impolite interloper, is able to make a significant showing of 25% or more, it could be cast as an embarrassing night for the governor. Such a win could further worry the White House, which is reportedly concerned about Bevin’s chances in November, according to Politico.

But however well Goforth and Bevin's two other opponents do on May 21, the thinking among the Republican faithful is that the party will unite once the primary ends.

“At the end of this day, this is a family squabble,” Watson said. "Regardless of what numbers Gov. Bevin gets — and I do believe he will get well above 50%, probably in the 70% range — the people who voted against him in the primary know that neither Rocky Adkins, Andy Beshear nor Adam Edelen are going to be good for this state, and they're going to come back home in the general election."

Ike Lawrence

Bio: Lawrence, 63, is a real estate developer who lives in Lexington. He is married to Teresa, and they have three adult children and two grandchildren.

Why are you running? "I think I have a better shot at winning the general election than Matt Bevin does. I have an exemplary and sparkling resume as far as community fixes. ... I have fixed a lot of things in Lexington. If you look at my leadership skills, I did much of my life without much help."

Who is his running mate? Lexington resident James Anthony Rose, who is retired.

How much money has he raised? Lawrence is reporting to have generated $50,850, with $50,000 coming from his own pocket.

Ike Lawrence: I would work to fix Kentucky's problems as governor

The big picture: Lawrence is running a limited campaign that is constrained largely by a lack of resources and a handful of candidate forums, none of which Bevin has attended.

The platform Lawrence presents to GOP voters says state leaders must do more to combat “Kentucky Uglies,” which he says are obesity, diabetes, premature births and smoking.

Lawrence, who has run for various offices over the years, wants to lower the state's drinking age to 19 and calls for allowing "beer parties back into fraternities and on campus to make Kentucky universities fun again." He says this will save surrounding neighborhoods from having to deal with off-campus parties.

He also wants to reform state elections by not requiring a candidate for governor to pick a running mate during the primary through a constitutional amendment and having a $100,000 cap on campaign spending.

One issue that might catch primary voter's attention is Lawrence advocates for using the death penalty against those convicted of selling illegal narcotics when the user dies from an overdose.

"I may or may not get the tea party endorsement, but I will definitely get the tough love endorsement from people who believe discipline starts in the home," he said.

William Woods

Bio: Woods, 31, is a bus driver for Boone County Schools, who also is a licensed realtor. He is unmarried with no children.

Why are you running? "I'm running for governor as a nonpolitician, focused on returning common sense, dignity, integrity and transparency to the governor’s office. We will focus on the citizens of the commonwealth by putting their interests first on day one. There is no other candidate that can truly say they aren’t in this for political gain. We have one goal and one goal only — doing the job as it was intended to be done. Citizens deserve respect, transparency and humility from their elected governor and that’s exactly what we will provide. I’m running to make tomorrow better than today for all Kentuckians."

Who is his running mate? Justin Miller, of Florence, who is as a teacher at Augusta Independence Schools

How much money has he raised? Woods is reporting to have received $1,362 toward the primary, half of which he gave to the campaign.

William Woods: As governor, I'll provide 100% transparent leadership

The big picture: Woods is another long shot candidate in the GOP primary who is hoping to capitalize on discontent with Bevin's leadership style — which the Boone County bus driver has described as "dangerous" — among rank-and-file Republicans.

The campaign website focuses primarily on Kentucky's opioid epidemic and pension crisis, which, it says, can be solved without raising taxes. Casino gaming is among the ideas Woods trots out as a solution, although it has failed to gain traction in the legislature for more than a decade.

Kentuckians are sending hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars to other states while its leaders "are wined and dined by casino magnates," according to Woods' website. He said it is time average residents see a benefit from gaming.

The chief obstacle for Woods, like Lawrence, is exposure. With limited resources and no debates, it is difficult to see how either candidate will be able to reach enough voters in time.


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