Andy Beshear won the Kentucky gubernatorial race on Nov. 5, upsetting the incumbent, Trump-supported governor, Matt Bevin, and though Beshear has apparently won by roughly 5000 votes, Bevin hasn’t conceded and has called a re-canvass. 

MSNBC called the race in favor of Beshear at roughly 9:15, but several other powerful new organizations such as the Associated Press have not called the race. 

A critical part of Bevin’s loss was likely much heavier democratic support in the Northern Kentucky Cincinnati suburbs than in previous years.

Trump stated on Nov. 4 that a loss in Kentucky would go down as ”The worst defeat in world history. Don’t let that happen to me.” Bevin and Trump worked together closely in the race, with Trump speaking at a Bevin rally in Lexington the day before the election. 

Prior to the election, Bevin was 49 out of 50 for popularity among governors, and Mitch McConnell is in a similar position in terms of popularity. 

Bevin’s anti-public education and anti-pension plans spawned widespread teacher protests that closed JCPS schools for days last year and caused the government to cut a deal where some teachers would be allowed to go protest in the capitol in exchange for the rest returning to work so JCPS could remain open. The repercussions of this loss are not clear, but could be far reaching. 

Beshear appears to be making efforts to keep his promises if his victory speech is anything to go off of. In his speech, he thanked Kentucky police and educators along with the general populace for their support of his campaign. He focused on a message of unity between people and purpose. 

Beshear has focused on education, healthcare for every Kentuckian and creating new jobs in what he refers to as “agritech,” a business focused on new and less carbon-intensive agriculture. He promised to rescind the medicaid waiver in his first week, restore voting rights to over 140,000 citizens and make a brand-new board of education.

Beshear will also likely make strides towards creating new jobs in the industries of the future such as green energy rather than coal, and creating Healthcare for all in Kentucky. He will also work  towards ending the efforts of the Bevin administration to take away government employee pensions,