2003 Kentucky gubernatorial election explained

Election Name:2003 Kentucky gubernatorial election
Country:Kentucky
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1999 Kentucky gubernatorial election
Previous Year:1999
Next Election:2007 Kentucky gubernatorial election
Next Year:2007
Election Date:November 4, 2003
Turnout:40.0% 17.7 pp
Image1:File:Ernie Fletcher (1).jpg
Nominee1:Ernie Fletcher
Party1:Republican Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:596,284
Percentage1:55.04%
Running Mate1:Steve Pence
Nominee2:Ben Chandler
Party2:Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote2:487,159
Percentage2:44.96%
Running Mate2:Charlie Owen
Map Size:300px
Governor
Before Election:Paul E. Patton
Before Party:Democratic Party (United States)
After Election:Ernie Fletcher
After Party:Republican Party (United States)

The 2003 Kentucky gubernatorial election was held to elect the Governor of Kentucky on November 4, 2003. Republican candidate Ernie Fletcher defeated Democrat Ben Chandler and became the first Republican governor of Kentucky in 32 years.[1]

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

Withdrawn

Campaign

Incumbent Democratic Governor Paul E. Patton was term limited from seeking a third term of office and was facing investigations after admitting to an affair. This led to the other Democratic candidates distancing themselves from him.[2] State Attorney General Ben Chandler won the primary narrowly defeating the Speaker of the Kentucky House of Representatives Jody Richards, whose running mate was Tony Miller. He had led in the polls for several months before the primary.[3]

Earlier businessman Bruce Lunsford had dropped out of the primary after Chandler launched adverts talking of abuse at nursing homes run by Lunsford's company.[2] Lunsford had spent 8 million dollars of his own money during the primary campaign and after his withdrawal backed Richards against Chandler and said he would vote against Chandler in the general election if he won the primary.[3]

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

Campaign

Physician and former Air Force pilot Ernie Fletcher won the Republican primary easily. Earlier Fletcher had to replace his running mate for lieutenant governor, Hunter Bates, as he did not meet the residency requirements.[2] Fletcher was backed by U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell and led in most polls before the primary.[3]

Results

General election

Campaign

Fletcher tried to link Chandler with the scandals that incumbent governor Patton's administration had been racked with. However Chandler attempted to distance himself from the governor, calling for him to resign and describing himself as a maverick.[4]

Chandler meanwhile attacked President George Bush for his handling of the economy and linked Fletcher with his policies.[4] Nevertheless, Fletcher was assisted late in the campaign by President Bush, who made five visits to Kentucky to support him.[1] Fletcher led in the polls throughout the campaign and towards the end pulled out a lead of 7 to 9 percent over Chandler.[5]

Just before the election the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed lawsuits for some residents of largely Democratic districts in West Louisville to try to get an injunction to stop Republicans from putting challengers in their precincts. Kentucky law allowed challengers to be stationed in precincts to question whether voters were eligible but the ACLU claimed they were targeting black voters and could intimidate people.[6] However a judge refused to issue the injunction and allowed the challengers to go ahead.[7]

Exit polls showed that Fletcher got a quarter of Democrats to support him as well as a majority of independents. Male voters backed Fletcher over Chandler by 59% to 41%, while women split almost equally.[8] They also showed that 18% of voters used their votes to express opposition to the incumbent governor Paul Patton.[9]

Results

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

Notes and References

  1. Web site: N.Ky. key to victory for Fletcher . 2008-05-18 . 2003-11-05. The Cincinnati Enquirer.
  2. News: Fletcher, Chandler Win Nominations for Kentucky Governor . 2008-05-18 . 2003-05-20. Fox News Channel.
  3. Web site: Washington Wrap . 2008-05-18 . 2003-05-20. CBS News.
  4. News: Kentucky Gubernatorial Race Is Test for Bush on Economy . 2008-05-18 . 2003-08-14. CNN.
  5. Web site: Kentucky Gubernatorial Election . 2008-05-18 . RealClearPolitics.
  6. News: Lawsuits filed ahead of Kentucky's gubernatorial election . 2008-05-18 . 2003-11-05 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20071210232938/http://www.cnn.com/2003/LAW/11/01/vote.challengers.ap/ . 2007-12-10 . dead .
  7. News: Judge refuses to ban Republicans' poll challengers from black neighborhoods . 2008-05-18 . 2003-11-04. Associated Press.
  8. News: Kentucky Governor: FOX News Exit Poll . 2008-05-18 . 2003-11-10. Fox News Channel.
  9. News: Survey data help explain GOP victories in Kentucky, Mississippi . 2008-05-18 . 2003-11-10 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20040103203209/http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/11/10/elec04.exit.polls.ap/ . 2004-01-03 . dead .