# 2003 Kentucky gubernatorial election

"none" is preferred when the title is already sufficiently detailed; see [[WP:SDNONE]]
Elections in Kentucky :
Federal government
Presidential elections
1792
1796
1800
1804
1808
1812
1816
1820
1824
1828
1832
1836
1840
1844
1848
1852
1856
1860
1864
1868
1872
1876
1880
1884
1888
1892
1896
1900
1904
1908
1912
1916
1920
1924
1928
1932
1936
1940
1944
1948
1952
1956
1960
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992
1996
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
Presidential primaries
Democratic
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
Republican
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
U.S. Senate elections
1792
1793
1794
1798
1800
1804
1805 sp
1806
1806 sp
1811
1813
1814 sp
1815 sp
1816
1816 sp
1818
1819 sp
1820 sp
1823
1824 sp
1829
1831 sp
1835
1836
1841
1842
1842 sp
1843
1848
1849
1849 sp
1851
1851 sp
1854
1858
1859
1861 sp
1865
1867
1868 sp
1871
1872
1873 sp
1876
1879
1882
1884
1888
1890
1890 sp
1893 sp
1894
1897
1900
1902
1906
1908
1912
1914
1914 sp
1918
1920
1924
1926
1930
1930 sp
1932
1936
1938
1940 sp
1942
1944
1946 sp
1948
1950
1950 sp
1952 sp
1954
1956
1956 sp
1960
1962
1966
1968
1972
1974
1978
1980
1984
1986
1990
1992
1996
1998
2002
2004
2008
2010
2014
2016
2020
2022
2026
2028
U.S. House of Representatives elections
1792
1793
1795
1797
1799
1801
1803
1804
1806
1808
1810
5th sp
1812
1813
8th sp
1814
2nd sp
1815
2nd sp
1816
1st sp
1818
1820
1821
8th sp
1822
1824
1825
3rd sp
1826
5th sp
12th sp
1827
11th sp
1828
2nd sp
1829
1831
1833
1834
5th sp
1835
1837
1839
1841
1843
1845
1847
1849
1851
1853
1854
3rd sp
1855
1857
1859
1861
1862
2nd sp
1863
1865
1866
3rd sp
5th sp
6th sp
1867
3rd sp
1868
1870
3rd sp
1872
1874
1876
1878
1880
1882
1884
1886
1888
1890
6th sp
1892
1894
9th sp
10th sp
1896
1898
1899
7th sp
1900
1902
1904
1906
1908
1910
1912
1914
1916
1918
1920
1922
1923
7th sp
1924
9th sp
1925
3rd sp
1926
1928
1929
3rd sp
1930
2nd sp
1932
1934
1935
4th sp
1936
1937
2nd sp
1938
1940
1942
1943
4th sp
1944
1946
1948
2nd sp
9th sp
1950
1951
6th sp
1952
2nd sp
1953
2nd sp
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1964
1966
1968
1970
1971
6th sp
1972
1974
1976
1978
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
2nd sp
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
6th sp
2006
2008
2010
2012
4th sp
2014
2016
1st sp
2018
2020
2022
2024 :
State government
State elections
2007
2008
2010
2011
2012
2014
2015
2016
2018
2019
2020
2022
2023
2024
Gubernatorial elections
1792
1796
1800
1804
1808
1812
1816
1820
1824
1828
1832
1836
1840
1844
1848
1851
1855
1859
1863
1867
1868 sp
1871
1875
1879
1883
1887
1891
1895
1899
1900 sp
1903
1907
1911
1915
1919
1923
1927
1931
1935
1939
1943
1947
1951
1955
1959
1963
1967
1971
1975
1979
1983
1987
1991
1995
1999
2003
2007
2011
2015
2019
2023
2027
Secretary of State elections
2007
2011
2015
2019
2023
Attorney General elections
2007
2011
2015
2019
2023
State Treasurer elections
2007
2011
2015
2019
2023
State Auditor elections
2007
2011
2015
2019
2023
Agriculture Commissioner elections
2007
2011
2015
2019
2023
Senate elections
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
Special
House of Representatives elections
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
Special
Supreme Court elections
2008
2010
2012
2014
2015 sp
2016
2018
2019 sp
2020
2022
2024 :
Ballot measures
2004Amendment 1
2022Amendment 2
2024Amendment 2 :
Lexington
Mayoral elections
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022 :
Louisville
Mayoral elections
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022 :
Government :
vte :
The 2003 Kentucky gubernatorial election was held to elect the Governor of Kentucky on November 4, 2003. Republican candidate Ernie Fletcher defeated Democrat Ben Chandler and became the first Republican governor of Kentucky in 36 years.

## Democratic primary
### Candidates
#### Declared

* Ben Chandler - Kentucky Attorney General, 1995–present; former Kentucky Auditor of Public Accounts, 1991–1995.
   * Running mate: Charlie Owen, Louisville entrepreneur; former head of the Kentucky Crime Commission, 1969–1973; candidate in 1998 U.S. Senate race in Kentucky who received 29% of the vote in the primary.
* Jody Richards – State Representative, 1975–present (Speaker of the House, 1996–present).
   * Running mate: Tony Miller, Jefferson County Circuit Court Clerk, 1988-present.
* Otis Hensley – Private contractor from Wallins Creek, Kentucky.
   * Running mate: Richard Robbins

#### Withdrawn

* Bruce Lunsford – prominent Louisville businessman; former Kentucky Secretary of Commerce, 1981–1983
   * Running mate: Barbara Edelman, litigation lawyer; former Assistant Kentucky Attorney General, 1977–1979; former Assistant U.S. Attorney for Eastern District of Kentucky

### Campaign

Incumbent Democratic Governor Paul E. Patton was term limited from seeking a third term of office and was facing investigations after admitting to an affair. This led to the other Democratic candidates distancing themselves from him. State Attorney General Ben Chandler won the primary narrowly defeating the Speaker of the Kentucky House of Representatives Jody Richards, whose running mate was Tony Miller. He had led in the polls for several months before the primary.
Earlier businessman Bruce Lunsford had dropped out of the primary after Chandler launched adverts talking of abuse at nursing homes run by Lunsford's company. Lunsford had spent 8 million dollars of his own money during the primary campaign and after his withdrawal backed Richards against Chandler and said he would vote against Chandler in the general election if he won the primary.

### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Ben Chandler | 143,150 | 50.20% |
| | Democratic | Jody Richards | 132,627 | 46.51% |
| | Democratic | Otis Hensley | 9,372 | 3.29% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 285,149 | 100.00% |

## Republican primary
### Candidates
#### Declared

* Ernie Fletcher - U.S. Representative for Kentucky's 6th congressional district, 1999–present; former State Representative, 1995–1997.
   * Running mate: Steve Pence, former U.S. Attorney for Western District of Kentucky, 2001–2003; previously former Assistant U.S. Attorney for Western District of Kentucky, 1990–1995
   ** Former running mate: G. Hunter Bates, former Chief of Staff to Mitch McConnell, 2000–2002, McConnell's campaign manager in 2002 Senate race, removed from ballot after primary due to not meeting constitutional residency requirements
* Rebecca Jackson - former Jefferson County Judge/Executive, 1998–2002
   * Running mate: Robbie Rudolph, Murray businessman; founder and owner of Rudolph Tire Inc. (later served on Fletcher's transition team, appointed Secretary of Finance, later State Secretary of Executive Cabinet in 2006, and eventually became Fletcher's running mate in 2007)
* Steve Nunn - son of former governor Louie B. Nunn; State Representative, 1990–present
   * Running mate: Bob Heleringer, former State Representative, 1980–2002
* Virgil Moore - State Senator, 1992–present
   * Running mate: Don Bell, retired United States Secret Service agent

### Campaign

Physician and former Air Force pilot Ernie Fletcher won the Republican primary easily. Earlier Fletcher had to replace his running mate for lieutenant governor, Hunter Bates, as he did not meet the residency requirements. Fletcher was backed by U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell and led in most polls before the primary.

### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Ernie Fletcher | 90,912 | 57.31% |
| | Republican | Rebecca Jackson | 44,084 | 27.79% |
| | Republican | Steve Nunn | 21,267 | 13.41% |
| | Republican | Virgil Moore | 2,365 | 1.49% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 158,628 | 100.00% |

## General election
### Campaign

Fletcher tried to link Chandler with the scandals that incumbent governor Patton's administration had been racked with. However Chandler attempted to distance himself from the governor, calling for him to resign and describing himself as a maverick.
Chandler meanwhile attacked President George Bush for his handling of the economy and linked Fletcher with his policies. Nevertheless, Fletcher was assisted late in the campaign by President Bush, who made five visits to Kentucky to support him. Fletcher led in the polls throughout the campaign and towards the end pulled out a lead of 7 to 9 percent over Chandler.
Just before the election the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed lawsuits for some residents of largely Democratic districts in West Louisville to try to get an injunction to stop Republicans from putting challengers in their precincts. Kentucky law allowed challengers to be stationed in precincts to question whether voters were eligible but the ACLU claimed they were targeting black voters and could intimidate people. However a judge refused to issue the injunction and allowed the challengers to go ahead.
Exit polls showed that Fletcher got a quarter of Democrats to support him as well as a majority of independents. Male voters backed Fletcher over Chandler by 59% to 41%, while women split almost equally. They also showed that 18% of voters used their votes to express opposition to the incumbent governor Paul Patton.

### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Ernie Fletcher (R) | Ben Chandler (D) | Other / Undecided |
| SurveyUSA | October 30 – November 1, 2003 | 755 (LV) | ± 3.6% | 52% | 44% | 4% |

### Predictions

| Source | Ranking | As of |
| Sabato | Lean R (flip) | September 2, 2003 |

### Results

2003 Kentucky gubernatorial election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Ernie Fletcher | 596,284 | 55.04% | +32.84% |
| | Democratic | Ben Chandler | 487,159 | 44.96% | −15.74% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 1,083,443 | 100.00% | +19.8% |
| | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic |

#### Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

* Adair (Largest city: Columbia)
* Allen (Largest city: Scottsville)
* Anderson (Largest city: Lawrenceburg)
* Barren (Largest city: Glasgow)
* Bell (Largest city: Middlesboro)
* Boone (Largest city: Florence)
* Bourbon (Largest city: Paris)
* Boyle (Largest city: Danville)
* Bracken (Largest city: Augusta)
* Breckinridge (Largest city: Hardinsburg)
* Bullitt (Largest city: Mount Washington)
* Butler (Largest city: Morgantown)
* Caldwell (Largest city: Princeton)
* Calloway (Largest city: Murray)
* Campbell (Largest city: Fort Thomas)
* Carlisle (Largest city: Bardwell)
* Casey (Largest city: Liberty)
* Christian (Largest city: Hopkinsville)
* Clark (Largest city: Winchester)
* Clinton (Largest city: Albany)
* Crittenden (Largest city: Marion)
* Cumberland (Largest city: Burkesville)
* Daviess (Largest city: Owensboro)
* Edmonson (Largest city: Brownsville)
* Estill (Largest city: Irvine)
* Fayette (Largest city: Lexington)
* Fleming (Largest city: Flemingsburg)
* Gallatin (Largest city: Warsaw)
* Garrard (Largest city: Lancaster)
* Grant (Largest city: Williamstown)
* Graves (Largest city: Mayfield)
* Grayson (Largest city: Leitchfield)
* Green (Largest city: Greensburg)
* Hardin (Largest city: Elizabethtown)
* Harrison (Largest city: Cynthiana)
* Hart (Largest city: Horse Cave)
* Henry (Largest city: Eminence)
* Hickman (Largest city: Clinton)
* Hopkins (Largest city: Madisonville)
* Jessamine (Largest city: Nicholasville)
* Johnson (Largest city: Paintsville)
* Kenton (Largest city: Covington)
* Knox (Largest city: Barbourville)
* LaRue (Largest city: Hodgenville)
* Laurel (Largest city: London)
* Lee (Largest city: Beattyville)
* Lewis (Largest city: Vanceburg)
* Lincoln (Largest city: Stanford)
* Logan (Largest city: Russellville)
* Madison (Largest city: Richmond)
* Marshall (Largest city: Benton)
* Mason (Largest city: Maysville)
* McCracken (Largest city: Paducah)
* McCreary (Largest city: Pine Knot)
* Meade (Largest city: Brandenburg)
* Mercer (Largest city: Harrodsburg)
* Metcalfe (Largest city: Edmonton)
* Monroe (Largest city: Tompkinsville)
* Montgomery (Largest city: Mount Sterling)
* Nelson (Largest city: Bardstown)
* Nicholas (Largest city: Carlisle)
* Ohio (Largest city: Beaver Dam)
* Oldham (Largest city: La Grange)
* Owen (Largest city: Owenton)
* Owsley (Largest city: Booneville)
* Pendleton (Largest city: Falmouth)
* Powell (Largest city: Stanton)
* Pulaski (Largest city: Somerset)
* Robertson (Largest municipality: Mount Olivet)
* Rockcastle (Largest city: Mount Vernon)
* Russell (Largest city: Russell Springs)
* Scott (Largest city: Georgetown)
* Shelby (Largest city: Shelbyville)
* Simpson (Largest city: Franklin)
* Spencer (Largest city: Taylorsville)
* Taylor (Largest city: Campbellsville)
* Todd (Largest city: Elkton)
* Trigg (Largest city: Cadiz)
* Warren (Largest city: Bowling Green)
* Washington (Largest city: Springfield)
* Wayne (Largest city: Monticello)
* Whitley (Largest city: Corbin)

#### Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

* Harlan (Largest city: Cumberland)
* Letcher (Largest city: Jenkins)
* Perry (Largest city: Hazard)