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Election Update: Beshear re-elected Ky. governor over 2 challengers

AP calls Grimes winner of Sec. of State race

November 08, 2011

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) - Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear has been re-elected, becoming the second Democrat to win a U.S. gubernatorial race this year amid lingering economic uncertainty that's already proving worrisome to President Barack Obama's 2012 effort.

Beshear easily overcame challenges from Republican David Williams and independent Gatewood Galbraith, in a conservative state where voters routinely elect Republicans in national races. With 50 percent of precincts reporting, Beshear had 241,211 votes or 58 percent, to 131,319 votes for Williams or 31 percent. Galbraith had 44,893 votes or 11 percent.

Williams, the state Senate president, and Galbraith, an attorney in his fifth run for governor, campaigned on claims Beshear didn't do enough to create jobs in a state where one in 10 workers is unemployed. Beshear said Kentucky was emerging stronger from the downturn.

At 8 p.m., the Associated Press called Dem. Alison Lundergan Grimes the winner in the Secretary of State race.

In other statewide races, Republican James Comer has defeated Democrat Bob Farmer in the race for Kentucky agriculture commissioner.

With 53 percent of precincts reporting Tuesday, Comer had 263,632, or 61 percent of the vote, to Farmer's 169,018, or 39 percent.

Comer says he received a lot of support from Democrats who were attracted to his experience as a beef cattle farmer and state legislator. He spent a half-million dollars in the campaign's closing days on a statewide ad campaign against Farmer, a marketing specialist from Louisville.

One Comer ad featured an old Farmer stand-up comedy routine that poked fun at eastern Kentucky residents. The ad said Farmer "insults Kentuckians."

The AP is also calling Democrat Jack Conway winner of a second term as Ky. attorney general, beating Republican Todd P'Pool.

Democrat Adam Edelen has defeated Republican John T. Kemper III in their race to become Kentucky's next auditor of public accounts ‚Äî a race that turned into an argument over claims the other had political baggage.

With 64 percent of precincts reporting, Edelen had 298,392, or 58 percent of the vote, to Kemper's 214,968, or 42 percent.

Edelen will succeed state Auditor Crit Luallen as Kentucky's chief financial watchdog. Luallen is finishing her second term, the limit allowed by law.

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