Following a recanvass of election results, Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin (R) conceded the Kentucky gubernatorial election to state Attorney General Andy Beshear (D). Beshear’s victory will break Republican trifecta in the state and keep the state under divided triplex control. Beshear is the son of former Gov. Steve Beshear (D), who served until 2015.

 

Unofficial results on election night gave Beshear a 5,000 vote lead. Bevin called on the state to conduct a recanvass, a process by which counties confirm that correct results were transmitted to the secretary of state’s office. Unlike a recount, no ballot counting took place.

 

Kentucky’s change in trifecta status is the second to take place as a result of the 2019 elections. Democrats gained a trifecta in Virginia following victories in both chambers of the state legislature on November 4. Louisiana’s gubernatorial election on November 16 will decide trifecta control of that state—it will either become a Republican trifecta or remain under divided government.