1979 Kentucky lieutenant gubernatorial election

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1979 Kentucky lieutenant gubernatorial election
Flag of Kentucky.svg
 1975November 6, 1979 1983  
  Lt. Governor Martha Layne Collins (cropped).jpg Hal-Rogers-97th.png
Nominee Martha Layne Collins Harold Rogers
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote543,176316,718
Percentage63.17%36.83%

Lieutenant Governor before election

Thelma Stovall
Democratic

Elected Lieutenant Governor

Martha Layne Collins
Democratic

The 1979 Kentucky lieutenant gubernatorial election took place on November 6, 1979, to elect the lieutenant governor of Kentucky. Incumbent Democratic lieutenant governor Thelma Stovall chose not to seek re-election to a second term, instead choosing to run for governor.

Contents

Kentucky Court of Appeals clerk Martha Layne Collins beat Republican nominee and commonwealth attorney for Pulaski and Rockcastle counties Harold Rogers.

Democratic primary

Throughout the primary, Bill Cox was generally seen as the favorite to win the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor. This changed however when Julian Carroll, the governor of Kentucky, began to be investigated by federal prosecutors over charges of being connected to a federal insurance kickback scandal. Jim Vernon, one of the candidates in the Democratic primary, accused Cox on a T.V. debate alleging that he was involved in the probe. [1] Vernon said he was told by Frankfort FBI agent Jim Huggins that Cox was involved in the case, although Huggins disputed what was said in the conversation. [2] Cox denied the allegations and repeatedly threatened to file suit against Vernon, then said he would not because he would have little chance of prevailing. On election day, Cox lost to Martha Layne Collins by a margin of 3,338 votes.

Terry McBrayer, the Carroll administration's favored candidate to win the Democratic primary in the gubernatorial election, also suffered criticism over being associated with the probe. He went on to lose the gubernatorial primary as well.

Candidates

Nominee

Eliminated in primary

Results

May 29, Democratic primary [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Martha Layne Collins 109,031 23.15%
Democratic William M. Cox 105,69322.44%
Democratic Todd Hollenbach96,01920.39%
Democratic Joe Prather 91,58319.45%
Democratic Richard Lewis 42,5339.03%
Democratic Jim Vernon19,1224.06%
Democratic Chalrey T. Rowland6,9441.48%
Total votes470,925 100.00%

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Eliminated in primary

Results

May 29, Republican primary [4]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Harold Rogers 58,266 68.52%
Republican Granville Thomas16,97719.96%
Republican Bob Bersky9,79811.52%
Total votes85,041 100.00%

General election

Results

1979 Kentucky lieutenant gubernatorial election [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Martha Layne Collins 543,176 63.17%
Republican Harold Rogers 316,71836.83%
Total votes859,894 100.00%
Democratic hold

References

  1. Sy Ramsey (May 7, 1979). "Vernon Reaffirms Cox-FBI Probe Charges". Kentucky New Era .
  2. "FBI denies vernon's claims". Daily News . May 10, 1979.
  3. "Primary Election - May 29, 1979". Kentucky State Board of Elections.
  4. "Primary Election - May 29, 1979". Kentucky State Board of Elections.
  5. "General Election - Nov. 6, 1979". Kentucky State Board of Elections.