1995 Kentucky gubernatorial election

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1995 Kentucky gubernatorial election
Flag of Kentucky.svg
  1991 November 7, 1995 1999  
Turnout43.8% Decrease2.svg 0.4 pp
  Paul E. Patton 2013 (cropped).jpg
Nominee Paul Patton Larry Forgy
Party Democratic Republican
Running mate Steve Henry Tom Handy
Popular vote500,605479,227
Percentage50.9%48.7%

1995 Kentucky gubernatorial election results map by county.svg
1995 Kentucky gubernatorial election results map by congressional district.svg
Patton:      50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%
Forgy:      40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%

Governor before election

Brereton Jones
Democratic

Elected Governor

Paul E. Patton
Democratic

The 1995 Kentucky gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 1995. Incumbent Governor Brereton Jones was not eligible to run for a second term due to term limits established by the Kentucky Constitution, creating an open seat. At the time, Kentucky and Virginia were the only states that prohibited their Governors from serving immediate successive terms. The Democratic nominee, Lieutenant Governor Paul E. Patton, defeated Republican nominee Larry Forgy to win his first term as governor. It was the last time that the election was held until the Kentucky General Assembly changed its term limits law in 1992, allowing Patton to run again in 1999 and leaving Virginia as the only state that prohibits its governor from serving immediate successive terms.

Contents

Democratic primary

Candidates

Results

Democratic primary results [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Paul Patton 152,203 44.95
Democratic Bob Babbage81,35224.02
Democratic John A. Rose, Jr.71,74021.18
Democratic Gatewood Galbraith29,0398.58
Democratic Steven Maynard4,3051.27
Total votes338,639 100.00

Republican primary

Candidates

Results

Republican primary results [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Larry Forgy 97,099 82.44
Republican Robert E. Gable17,05414.48
Republican Tommy Klein3,6273.08
Total votes117,780 100.00

General election

Results

Kentucky gubernatorial election, 1995 [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Paul Patton 500,605 50.88% −13.85%
Republican Larry Forgy 479,22748.71%+13.44%
Write-in Gatewood Galbraith 3,9650.40%
Majority 21,3782.17%−27.29%
Turnout 983,797
Democratic hold Swing

References