The Latest: Kentucky voters brave cold, rainy conditions
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The Latest on the Kentucky governor’s race (all times local):
1:55 p.m.
Cold, rainy weather didn’t dampen voters’ spirits during a steady turnout at some polling locations in Kentucky as they cast ballots for governor.
In one Louisville neighborhood Tuesday, 25-year-old Rin Mohan says her social media feeds were full of pictures from friends wearing bracelets that read, “I voted today!”
Mohan says every one of her friends told her they were planning to vote.
She says “national politics has galvanized a lot of people my age. It’s hard to get people to take local elections seriously, but I think a lot people see Matt Bevin as a stand-in for Trumpism, and they see this vote as against that.”
Mohan, who works at a preschool, sees the Republican Bevin as a governor who has followed Trump’s example and “ruled with fear and division.” She said she likes Democrat Andy Beshear but would have voted for just about anyone running against Bevin.
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12:05 p.m.
President Donald Trump, abortion and education were among the issues on voters’ minds in Ashland as they cast ballots in the race for Kentucky governor.
After casting a vote Tuesday for Democratic Attorney General Andy Beshear, retired teacher Nancy Ross said she could never support Republican Gov. Matt Bevin for reelection because of his stance on education and his alignment with the president.
Donna Barker, a retired teachers assistant, said she voted for Bevin because his background in business allowed him to make tough decisions on pensions and reproductive rights.
For Elizabeth Burke, a deli manager, the race came down to religion. She said she wasn’t excited about either candidate but voted for Bevin because of his stance on reproductive rights.
The race is being watched closely for signs of how the impeachment furor in Washington might affect Trump and other Republican incumbents in 2020.
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12:15 a.m.
Kentucky’s political grudge match between Republican Gov. Matt Bevin and Democratic Attorney General Andy Beshear now lies in the hands of the voters.
Polls open Tuesday morning, hours after the incumbent governor received a ringing presidential endorsement as he faces a tenacious challenge from Beshear in his bid for a second term.
The bitterly fought campaign ended with a Lexington rally headlined by President Donald Trump meant to give Bevin a last-minute boost.
The result in the hard-fought contest could reverberate far beyond Kentucky. The race is being watched closely for signs of how the impeachment furor in Washington might impact Trump and other Republican incumbents in 2020.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has a particularly keen interest in the outcome. He’s on the ballot himself next year in Kentucky.
