Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin conceded defeat on Thursday, ceding to Democrat Andy Beshear after a recanvass of last week’s election showed Bevin trailing Beshear by 5,136 votes.
Bevin, a Republican, told reporters inside the state capitol in Frankfort that the recanvass did not “significantly” change the outcome of the race, and he wouldn’t contest the results with the state legislature.
“We’re going to have a change in the governorship based on the vote of the people,” Bevin told reporters. “And what I want is to see the absolute best for Kentucky. I’m not going to contest these numbers that have come in. It isn’t fair to throw that on our legislature.”
Beshear, the state attorney general and son of former Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear, will be sworn in on Dec. 10. At a press conference of his own later Thursday, Beshear thanked Bevin for conceding, though the two men hadn’t spoken personally.
“This was a tough race, but it is now over,” Beshear said. “And I appreciate the fact that his administration was already moving forward in a smooth transition.”
T9R
Article URL : https://www.politico.com/news/2019/11/14/matt-bevin-concedes-kentucky-governor-070975