Election 1979 Results
Each election opens in its own mode: the forecast before the votes are counted, the live count while races are still too close to call, and the results once every race is decided.
- 2028 President, Senate, House and governors Forecast
- 2026 midterms Senate, House and governors Live count
- 2025 governors Results
- 2024 President, Senate, House and governors Results
- 2023 governors Results
- 2022 Senate, House and governors Results
- 2021 governors Results
- 2020 President, Senate, House and governors Results
- 2019 governors Results
- 2018 Senate, House and governors Results
- 2017 governors Results
- 2016 President, Senate, House and governors Results
- 2015 governors Results
- 2014 Senate, House and governors Results
- 2013 governors Results
- 2012 President, Senate, House and governors Results
- 2011 governors Results
- 2010 Senate, House and governors Results
- 2009 governors Results
- 2008 President, Senate, House and governors Results
- 2007 governors Results
- 2006 Senate, House and governors Results
- 2005 governors Results
- 2004 President, Senate, House and governors Results
- 2003 governors Results
- 2002 Senate, House and governors Results
- 2001 governors Results
- 2000 President, Senate, House and governors Results
- 1999 governors Results
- 1998 Senate, House and governors Results
- 1997 governors Results
- 1996 President, Senate, House and governors Results
- 1995 governors Results
- 1994 Senate, House and governors Results
- 1993 governors Results
- 1992 President, Senate, House and governors Results
- 1991 governors Results
- 1990 Senate, House and governors Results
- 1989 governors Results
- 1988 President, Senate and governors Results
- 1987 governors Results
- 1986 Senate and governors Results
- 1985 governors Results
- 1984 President, Senate and governors Results
- 1983 governors Results
- 1982 Senate and governors Results
- 1981 governors Results
- 1980 President, Senate and governors Results
- 1979 governors Results
- 1978 Senate and governors Results
- 1977 governors Results
- 1976 President, Senate and governors Results
- 1975 governors Results
- 1974 Senate and governors Results
- 1973 governors Results
- 1972 President, Senate and governors Results
- 1971 governors Results
- 1970 Senate and governors Results
- 1969 governors Results
- 1968 President, Senate and governors Results
- 1967 governors Results
- 1966 Senate and governors Results
- 1965 governors Results
- 1964 President, Senate and governors Results
- 1963 governors Results
- 1962 Senate and governors Results
- 1961 governors Results
- 1960 President, Senate and governors Results
- 1959 governors Results
- 1958 Senate and governors Results
- 1957 governors Results
- 1956 President, Senate and governors Results
- 1955 governors Results
- 1954 Senate and governors Results
- 1953 governors Results
- 1952 President, Senate and governors Results
- 1951 governors Results
- 1950 Senate and governors Results
- 1949 governors Results
- 1948 President, Senate and governors Results
- 1947 governors Results
- 1946 Senate and governors Results
- 1945 governors Results
- 1944 President, Senate and governors Results
- 1943 governors Results
- 1942 Senate and governors Results
- 1941 governors Results
- 1940 President, Senate and governors Results
- 1939 governors Results
- 1938 Senate and governors Results
- 1937 governors Results
- 1936 President, Senate and governors Results
- 1935 governors Results
- 1934 Senate and governors Results
- 1933 governors Results
- 1932 President, Senate and governors Results
- 1931 governors Results
- 1930 Senate and governors Results
- 1929 governors Results
- 1928 President, Senate and governors Results
- 1927 governors Results
- 1926 Senate and governors Results
- 1925 governors Results
- 1924 President, Senate and governors Results
- 1923 governors Results
- 1922 Senate and governors Results
- 1921 governors Results
- 1920 President, Senate and governors Results
- 1919 governors Results
- 1918 Senate and governors Results
- 1917 governors Results
- 1916 President, Senate and governors Results
- 1915 governors Results
- 1914 Senate and governors Results
- 1913 governors Results
- 1912 President and governors Results
- 1911 governors Results
- 1910 governors Results
- 1909 governors Results
- 1908 President and governors Results
- 1907 governors Results
- 1906 governors Results
- 1905 governors Results
- 1904 President and governors Results
- 1903 governors Results
- 1902 governors Results
- 1901 governors Results
- 1900 President and governors Results
- 1899 governors Results
- 1898 governors Results
- 1897 governors Results
- 1896 President and governors Results
- 1895 governors Results
- 1894 governors Results
- 1893 governors Results
- 1892 President and governors Results
- 1891 governors Results
- 1890 governors Results
- 1889 governors Results
- 1888 President and governors Results
- 1887 governors Results
- 1886 governors Results
- 1885 governors Results
- 1884 President and governors Results
- 1883 governors Results
- 1882 governors Results
- 1881 governors Results
- 1880 President and governors Results
- 1879 governors Results
- 1878 governors Results
- 1877 governors Results
- 1876 President and governors Results
- 1875 governors Results
- 1874 governors Results
- 1873 governors Results
- 1872 President and governors Results
- 1871 governors Results
- 1870 governors Results
- 1869 governors Results
- 1868 President and governors Results
- 1867 governors Results
- 1866 governors Results
- 1865 governors Results
1979 Kentucky governor election
John Y. Brown Jr. (Democrat) beat Louie B. Nunn (Republican) in Kentucky in 1979, 59.5% to 40.5%, a margin of 19.0 points and 178,003 votes.
The Democratic hold continued from 1975, when Julian Carroll won.
Democrats led in 85 of the 120 counties as they stood then and Republicans in 35. The largest, Jefferson, cast 187,663 votes and went to the Democrat by 33.3 points. The closest was Taylor, where 36 votes separated the two parties.
Early projection, based on early and incomplete polling: the likely matchups, each weighted by the betting markets' odds of both nominations, not a result. Each county is its 2024 presidential margin moved by its state's projected swing; set a national vote and every state, district and county moves by the same amount from our projection. Colours run in 100 steps from a safe Republican to a safe Democratic margin. Boundaries: US Census Bureau.
Governor
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Y. Brown Jr. won | Democratic | 558,088 | 59.5% |
| Louie B. Nunn | Republican | 380,085 | 40.5% |
| Total | 938,173 |
Every county
| County | Democrat | Republican | Others | Total | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson | 125,112 66.7% | 62,551 33.3% | 187,663 | D+33.3 | |
| Fayette | 32,418 61.5% | 20,259 38.5% | 52,677 | D+23.1 | |
| Kenton | 16,422 52.5% | 14,839 47.5% | 31,261 | D+5.1 | |
| Campbell | 12,385 54.4% | 10,383 45.6% | 22,768 | D+8.8 | |
| Daviess | 12,341 60.2% | 8,147 39.8% | 20,488 | D+20.5 | |
| Pike | 10,026 55.5% | 8,048 44.5% | 18,074 | D+10.9 | |
| Boyd | 10,418 62.4% | 6,279 37.6% | 16,697 | D+24.8 | |
| McCracken | 12,308 73.7% | 4,388 26.3% | 16,696 | D+47.4 | |
| Franklin | 11,458 69.5% | 5,032 30.5% | 16,490 | D+39.0 | |
| Warren | 10,005 65.6% | 5,257 34.4% | 15,262 | D+31.1 | |
| Floyd | 9,799 70.2% | 4,169 29.8% | 13,968 | D+40.3 | |
| Hardin | 8,218 60.4% | 5,385 39.6% | 13,603 | D+20.8 | |
| Pulaski | 5,309 41.7% | 7,435 58.3% | 12,744 | R+16.7 | |
| Madison | 7,591 62.8% | 4,489 37.2% | 12,080 | D+25.7 | |
| Greenup | 6,873 61.5% | 4,295 38.5% | 11,168 | D+23.1 | |
| Harlan | 6,886 62.1% | 4,203 37.9% | 11,089 | D+24.2 | |
| Barren | 4,521 45.1% | 5,498 54.9% | 10,019 | R+9.8 | |
| Graves | 6,080 64.7% | 3,323 35.3% | 9,403 | D+29.3 | |
| Christian | 6,372 68.7% | 2,898 31.3% | 9,270 | D+37.5 | |
| Hopkins | 5,591 61.9% | 3,436 38.1% | 9,027 | D+23.9 | |
| Bell | 5,092 57.3% | 3,799 42.7% | 8,891 | D+14.5 | |
| Boone | 4,928 56.4% | 3,809 43.6% | 8,737 | D+12.8 | |
| Henderson | 6,083 70.8% | 2,503 29.2% | 8,586 | D+41.7 | |
| Laurel | 3,512 42.4% | 4,775 57.6% | 8,287 | R+15.2 | |
| Muhlenberg | 5,481 67.0% | 2,703 33.0% | 8,184 | D+33.9 | |
| Bullitt | 5,471 67.6% | 2,625 32.4% | 8,096 | D+35.2 | |
| Perry | 3,895 53.4% | 3,405 46.6% | 7,300 | D+6.7 | |
| Calloway | 4,901 68.0% | 2,303 32.0% | 7,204 | D+36.1 | |
| Marshall | 5,185 72.1% | 2,010 27.9% | 7,195 | D+44.1 | |
| Knox | 3,338 46.9% | 3,781 53.1% | 7,119 | R+6.2 | |
| Whitley | 3,190 45.4% | 3,831 54.6% | 7,021 | R+9.1 | |
| Grayson | 3,049 44.9% | 3,743 55.1% | 6,792 | R+10.2 | |
| Boyle | 4,203 62.6% | 2,514 37.4% | 6,717 | D+25.1 | |
| Hart | 2,936 45.1% | 3,573 54.9% | 6,509 | R+9.8 | |
| Ohio | 3,390 52.1% | 3,111 47.9% | 6,501 | D+4.3 | |
| Clark | 4,493 69.3% | 1,994 30.7% | 6,487 | D+38.5 | |
| Nelson | 4,312 67.5% | 2,077 32.5% | 6,389 | D+35.0 | |
| Johnson | 2,449 38.7% | 3,887 61.3% | 6,336 | R+22.7 | |
| Carter | 3,275 53.5% | 2,851 46.5% | 6,126 | D+6.9 | |
| Adair | 2,421 40.4% | 3,569 59.6% | 5,990 | R+19.2 | |
| Taylor | 2,947 49.7% | 2,983 50.3% | 5,930 | R+0.6 | |
| Shelby | 3,802 64.2% | 2,116 35.8% | 5,918 | D+28.5 | |
| Clay | 2,437 41.4% | 3,452 58.6% | 5,889 | R+17.2 | |
| Wayne | 2,940 50.5% | 2,881 49.5% | 5,821 | D+1.0 | |
| Oldham | 3,492 60.1% | 2,322 39.9% | 5,814 | D+20.1 | |
| Letcher | 3,338 57.9% | 2,427 42.1% | 5,765 | D+15.8 | |
| Mercer | 3,384 59.0% | 2,355 41.0% | 5,739 | D+17.9 | |
| Breckinridge | 2,898 51.7% | 2,707 48.3% | 5,605 | D+3.4 | |
| Monroe | 1,356 25.5% | 3,963 74.5% | 5,319 | R+49.0 | |
| Rowan | 3,181 62.7% | 1,892 37.3% | 5,073 | D+25.4 | |
| Jessamine | 2,810 55.5% | 2,255 44.5% | 5,065 | D+11.0 | |
| Logan | 2,791 55.3% | 2,257 44.7% | 5,048 | D+10.6 | |
| Lincoln | 2,559 51.5% | 2,407 48.5% | 4,966 | D+3.1 | |
| Woodford | 3,209 64.6% | 1,756 35.4% | 4,965 | D+29.3 | |
| Russell | 2,049 41.4% | 2,898 58.6% | 4,947 | R+17.2 | |
| Magoffin | 2,324 47.3% | 2,589 52.7% | 4,913 | R+5.4 | |
| Marion | 3,534 72.7% | 1,325 27.3% | 4,859 | D+45.5 | |
| Scott | 3,173 67.6% | 1,520 32.4% | 4,693 | D+35.2 | |
| Mason | 2,977 65.5% | 1,566 34.5% | 4,543 | D+31.1 | |
| Caldwell | 2,585 57.1% | 1,943 42.9% | 4,528 | D+14.2 | |
| Allen | 1,990 44.2% | 2,512 55.8% | 4,502 | R+11.6 | |
| Bourbon | 3,189 71.0% | 1,301 29.0% | 4,490 | D+42.0 | |
| Green | 2,114 47.1% | 2,370 52.9% | 4,484 | R+5.7 | |
| Casey | 1,284 29.6% | 3,049 70.4% | 4,333 | R+40.7 | |
| Montgomery | 2,754 63.7% | 1,568 36.3% | 4,322 | D+27.4 | |
| Meade | 2,649 61.5% | 1,656 38.5% | 4,305 | D+23.1 | |
| Edmonson | 1,745 42.0% | 2,405 58.0% | 4,150 | R+15.9 | |
| Anderson | 2,412 59.6% | 1,634 40.4% | 4,046 | D+19.2 | |
| Knott | 2,967 73.6% | 1,063 26.4% | 4,030 | D+47.2 | |
| Rockcastle | 1,518 37.9% | 2,490 62.1% | 4,008 | R+24.3 | |
| Clinton | 1,086 27.4% | 2,875 72.6% | 3,961 | R+45.2 | |
| Breathitt | 2,853 72.6% | 1,079 27.4% | 3,932 | D+45.1 | |
| Metcalfe | 1,893 49.4% | 1,937 50.6% | 3,830 | R+1.1 | |
| Estill | 1,695 44.4% | 2,125 55.6% | 3,820 | R+11.3 | |
| Garrard | 1,605 42.3% | 2,191 57.7% | 3,796 | R+15.4 | |
| Henry | 2,598 68.8% | 1,180 31.2% | 3,778 | D+37.5 | |
| Harrison | 2,749 72.9% | 1,021 27.1% | 3,770 | D+45.8 | |
| Webster | 2,583 69.5% | 1,134 30.5% | 3,717 | D+39.0 | |
| Leslie | 1,159 31.2% | 2,557 68.8% | 3,716 | R+37.6 | |
| Union | 2,520 69.0% | 1,132 31.0% | 3,652 | D+38.0 | |
| Larue | 1,827 52.3% | 1,665 47.7% | 3,492 | D+4.6 | |
| Fleming | 2,020 58.0% | 1,460 42.0% | 3,480 | D+16.1 | |
| Butler | 1,262 37.2% | 2,133 62.8% | 3,395 | R+25.7 | |
| Lawrence | 1,551 46.2% | 1,803 53.8% | 3,354 | R+7.5 | |
| Lewis | 1,319 39.6% | 2,008 60.4% | 3,327 | R+20.7 | |
| Washington | 1,957 59.2% | 1,348 40.8% | 3,305 | D+18.4 | |
| Powell | 2,002 61.9% | 1,231 38.1% | 3,233 | D+23.8 | |
| Trigg | 2,229 69.1% | 995 30.9% | 3,224 | D+38.3 | |
| Morgan | 1,776 55.3% | 1,436 44.7% | 3,212 | D+10.6 | |
| Cumberland | 835 27.5% | 2,196 72.5% | 3,031 | R+44.9 | |
| Bath | 2,210 72.9% | 820 27.1% | 3,030 | D+45.9 | |
| Simpson | 1,610 54.4% | 1,352 45.6% | 2,962 | D+8.7 | |
| Jackson | 593 20.3% | 2,329 79.7% | 2,922 | R+59.4 | |
| Crittenden | 1,353 47.3% | 1,508 52.7% | 2,861 | R+5.4 | |
| Livingston | 1,932 69.4% | 850 30.6% | 2,782 | D+38.9 | |
| Grant | 1,746 63.3% | 1,014 36.7% | 2,760 | D+26.5 | |
| Ballard | 1,999 77.0% | 598 23.0% | 2,597 | D+53.9 | |
| McCreary | 1,072 41.4% | 1,520 58.6% | 2,592 | R+17.3 | |
| McLean | 1,733 67.2% | 845 32.8% | 2,578 | D+34.4 | |
| Pendleton | 1,576 61.6% | 982 38.4% | 2,558 | D+23.2 | |
| Todd | 1,479 58.8% | 1,036 41.2% | 2,515 | D+17.6 | |
| Owen | 1,722 71.1% | 701 28.9% | 2,423 | D+42.1 | |
| Lee | 1,057 44.3% | 1,329 55.7% | 2,386 | R+11.4 | |
| Martin | 1,150 48.9% | 1,203 51.1% | 2,353 | R+2.3 | |
| Carroll | 1,683 72.5% | 639 27.5% | 2,322 | D+45.0 | |
| Fulton | 1,448 62.6% | 865 37.4% | 2,313 | D+25.2 | |
| Wolfe | 1,037 46.5% | 1,191 53.5% | 2,228 | R+6.9 | |
| Bracken | 1,329 64.6% | 727 35.4% | 2,056 | D+29.3 | |
| Hickman | 1,171 57.3% | 871 42.7% | 2,042 | D+14.7 | |
| Hancock | 1,135 60.3% | 746 39.7% | 1,881 | D+20.7 | |
| Lyon | 1,256 67.0% | 618 33.0% | 1,874 | D+34.0 | |
| Carlisle | 1,177 63.2% | 686 36.8% | 1,863 | D+26.4 | |
| Elliott | 1,180 64.8% | 641 35.2% | 1,821 | D+29.6 | |
| Nicholas | 1,220 69.8% | 528 30.2% | 1,748 | D+39.6 | |
| Trimble | 990 63.8% | 562 36.2% | 1,552 | D+27.6 | |
| Owsley | 444 28.8% | 1,095 71.2% | 1,539 | R+42.3 | |
| Spencer | 914 59.4% | 624 40.6% | 1,538 | D+18.9 | |
| Gallatin | 831 68.4% | 384 31.6% | 1,215 | D+36.8 | |
| Menifee | 805 68.9% | 363 31.1% | 1,168 | D+37.8 | |
| Robertson | 572 65.1% | 306 34.9% | 878 | D+30.3 |
Counties as they stood in 1979; some have since been split, merged or renamed. Margin: the Democrat's share of all votes minus the Republican's. Sources and how the results were checked.
Kentucky governor elections we hold
| Year | Winner | Margin |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Andy Beshear (D) | D+5.1 |
| 2019 | Andy Beshear (D) | D+0.4 |
| 2015 | Matt G. Bevin (R) | R+8.7 |
| 2011 | Steven L. Beshear (D) | D+20.4 |
| 2007 | Steven L. Beshear (D) | D+17.4 |
| 2003 | Ernest Fletcher (R) | R+10.1 |
| 1999 | Paul E. Patton (D) | D+38.5 |
| 1995 | Paul E. Patton (D) | D+2.2 |
| 1991 | Brereton C. Jones (D) | D+29.5 |
| 1987 | Wallace G. Wilkinson (D) | D+29.6 |
| 1983 | Martha Layne Collins (D) | D+10.4 |
| 1979 | John Y. Brown Jr. (D) | D+19.0 |
| 1975 | Julian Carroll (D) | D+25.7 |
| 1971 | Wendell H. Ford (D) | D+6.2 |
| 1967 | Louie B. Nunn (R) | R+3.2 |
| 1963 | Edward T. Breathitt (D) | D+1.5 |
| 1959 | Bert T. Combs (D) | D+21.1 |
| 1955 | Happy Chandler (D) | D+16.6 |
| 1951 | Lawrence W. Wetherby (D) | D+9.2 |
| 1947 | Earle C. Clements (D) | D+14.8 |
| 1943 | Simeon S. Willis (R) | R+1.6 |
| 1939 | Keen Johnson (D) | D+13.0 |
| 1935 | Happy Chandler (D) | D+9.3 |
| 1931 | Ruby Laffoon (D) | D+8.9 |
| 1927 | Flem D. Sampson (R) | R+4.2 |
| 1923 | William J. Fields (D) | D+7.4 |
| 1919 | Edwin P. Morrow (R) | R+8.5 |
| 1915 | Augustus O. Stanley (D) | D+0.1 |
| 1911 | James B. McCreary (D) | D+7.1 |
| 1907 | Augustus E. Willson (R) | R+4.3 |
| 1903 | John C.W. Beckham (D) | D+6.0 |
| 1900 | J. C. W. Beckham (D) | D+0.8 |
| 1899 | William S. Taylor (R) | R+0.6 |
| 1895 | William O. Bradley (R) | R+2.5 |
| 1891 | John Young Brown (D) | D+9.7 |
| 1887 | Simon B. Buckner (D) | D+5.9 |
| 1883 | J. Proctor Knott (D) | D+19.9 |
| 1879 | Luke P. Blackburn (D) | D+19.2 |
| 1875 | James B. McCreary (D) | D+16.6 |
| 1871 | Preston H. Leslie (D) | D+17.2 |
| 1867 | John Larue Helm (D) | D+41.0 |