1991 Kentucky lieutenant gubernatorial election

Last updated

1991 Kentucky lieutenant gubernatorial election
Flag of Kentucky.svg
  1987 November 5, 1991 1995 (Governor)  
Turnout46.1% [1]
  Paul E. Patton 2013 (cropped).jpg 3x4.svg
Nominee Paul E. Patton Eugene Goss
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote514,023250,857
Percentage67.20%32.80%

1991 Kentucky lieutenant gubernatorial election results map by county.svg
County results
Patton:      50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90%
Goss:      50–60%     60–70%

Lieutenant Governor before election

Brereton C. Jones
Democratic

Elected Lieutenant Governor

Paul E. Patton
Democratic

The 1991 Kentucky lieutenant gubernatorial election took place on November 5, 1991, to elect the lieutenant governor of Kentucky. Incumbent Democratic Lieutenant Governor Brereton Jones chose not to seek re-election to a second term in office, instead running for governor.

Contents

Pike County executive Paul E. Patton won the general election against attorney Eugene Goss, by a margin of 514,023 to 250,857 votes.

This would be the last time the Lieutenant Governor and Governor were elected separately. In 1992, three Constitutional Amendments were placed on the ballot. One of these amendments was to end the governor and lieutenant governor from running separately in an election, which passed, 51.1% to 48.9%. [2]

Democratic primary

Throughout the primary, attorney general Fred Cowan had generally been seen as the front-runner for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor. However, on May 15, 1991, it was revealed that Cowan had sent a campaign contribution letter to Eric P. Shaffer, a registered architect who was under investigation for political contributions by Cowan's office, just days before he was scheduled to appear in Court. In the letter, Cowan asked for a campaign contribution request of $2,000 from Shaffer. Shaffer was subpoenaed April 3, and was scheduled to arrive in court on April 9. The date of the letter was April 7. This made it look like Shaffer was being pressured to give a campaign contribution to Cowan in return for clemency.

Cowan had stated that he was not aware that Shaffer was under subpoena, and that his letter was one of many sent out in early April. Nonetheless, this severely hurt his image. [3] On election day, Cowan lost to Pike County executive Paul E. Patton by a margin of 41,765 votes. [4]

Candidates

Nominee

Eliminated in primary

Results

May 28, Democratic primary [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Paul E. Patton 146,102 31.81%
Democratic Fred Cowan 104,33722.72%
Democratic Steve Collins68,72714.96%
Democratic Bobby H. Richardson 65,08014.17%
Democratic Pete Worthington 33,7947.36%
Democratic Judge Ray Corns22,5784.92%
Democratic John Frith Stewart18,6884.06%
Total votes459,306 100.00%

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

  • Charles Eugene Goss, Harlan County attorney and former secretary of transportation and health and human services. [6]

Eliminated in primary

Results

Republican primary [7]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Charles Eugene Goss 56,181 42.67%
Republican Henry Lawson Walker52,39239.80%
Republican Tommy Klein23,07717.53%
Total votes131,650 100.00%

General election

Results

1991 Kentucky lieutenant gubernatorial election [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Paul E. Patton 514,023 67.20%
Republican Charles Eugene Goss250,85732.80%
Total votes764,880 100.00%
Democratic hold

References

  1. "1991 General - Voter Turnout Report" (PDF). Kentucky State Board of Elections.
  2. "General Election - Nov. 3, 1992 - Constitutional Amendments". Kentucky State Board of Elections.
  3. "Candidate wrote subpeonaed architect". Kentucky New Era . May 15, 1991.
  4. "Goss, Patton win respective party nods". The Harlan Daily Enterprise . May 29, 1991.
  5. "Lieutentant Governor Primary Election May 28, 1991". Kentucky State Board of Elections.
  6. "Charles Goss Obituary (1928 - 2015) - Harlan, KY - Lexington Herald-Leader". Legacy.com. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  7. "Lieutentant Governor Primary Election May 28, 1991". Kentucky State Board of Elections.
  8. "Lieutenant Governor General Election November 5, 1991". Kentucky State Board of Elections.