The Atlantic

The Kentucky Governor’s Race Is a Warning to Republicans

The Republican incumbent couldn’t overcome the unpopularity of the party’s agenda. That doesn’t bode well for the GOP in 2020.
Source: Timothy D. Easley / AP

Updated at 11:30 a.m. EST on November 6, 2019

Donald Trump wants his party to believe that he was the hero of the campaign in Kentucky, who almost—but not quite—rescued a deeply unpopular governor from defeat.

But to understand why November 2019 is so ominous for Republicans, you need to understand why Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin was so unpopular in the first place.

Yes, Bevin is a loudmouthed jerk who made ridiculous statements. For example, in the final week of the campaign.

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