Kentucky Attorney General election, 2015

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2015 Kentucky Attorney General Election

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Table of Contents Candidates
Key deadlines
Duties
Race background
Polls
Campaign finance
Past elections
Recent news
See also
External links

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Primary Date:
May 19, 2015

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General Election Date:
November 3, 2015

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Incumbent prior to election:
Jack Conway

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The Kentucky Attorney General election took place on November 3, 2015, following a primary on May 19, 2015. Incumbent Jack Conway (D) was first elected in 2007 and was not eligible for re-election in 2015 due to term limits. Democratic candidate Andy Beshear was unopposed in the May primary, while Whitney Westerfield defeated Michael T. Hogan for the Republican nomination.[1] Beshear was elected attorney general in 2015.

While Democrats won this race, Republicans succeeded in making this race closer than the past two elections. In 2007 and 2011, Democrat Conway defeated Republican challengers by at least 10 percentage points. Learn more about past races for attorney general in the past elections section.

Ballotpedia's coverage of this race includes tracking of contributions and expenditures from the candidate filing deadline through the general election. See how much money the candidates received and spent by jumping to the campaign finance section.

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Kentucky utilizes a closed primary process, in which only registered party members can participate.[2]

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

## Election results[edit]

### General[edit]

Democrat Andy Beshear defeated Republican opponent, Whitney Westerfield, by 0.2 percentage points. Beshear was one of two Democrats to win statewide office in the 2015 Kentucky state executive official elections.[3]

Attorney General, 2015

Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes
| Republican  |  Whitney Westerfield | 49.9% | 477,735
| Democrat  | Andy Beshear | 50.1% | 479,929
Total Votes | 957,664
Election results via Kentucky Secretary of State

### Primary[edit]

#### Democratic[edit]

There was no Democratic primary in 2015 as only one candidate filed for the office.

#### Republican[edit]

Whitney Westerfield defeated Michael T. Hogan for the Republican nomination.

Kentucky Attorney General Republican Primary, 2015

Candidate | Vote % | Votes
Whitney Westerfield | 53.4% | 96,581
Michael T. Hogan | 46.6% | 84,364
Total Votes | 180,945
Election results via Kentucky State Board of Elections.

## Candidates[edit]

### Incumbent[edit]

Jack Conway
Note: Conway was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits and was running in the 2015 race for governor.[4]

### General election[edit]

Andy Beshear[5]
Whitney Westerfield[6]

### Lost in the primary[edit]

Michael T. Hogan

## Key deadlines[edit]

Deadline  | Event

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January 27, 2015 | Filing deadline for primary candidates
April 20, 2015 | Voter registration deadline for primary
May 19, 2015 | Primary election
August 11, 2015 | Filing deadline for petition candidates not involved in partisan primaries
October 5, 2015 | Voter registration deadline for general election
November 3, 2015 | General election
November 23, 2015 | Last day for state certification of election results[7]

### Voter registration[edit]

Voters in Kentucky can register to vote by printing off a voter registration card and mailing the completed card to the Kentucky State Board of Elections. A voter registration card can also be obtained from a county clerk.[8]

Applicants must identify their party registration on the card. Voters who identify as unaffiliated or as a third-party registrant can only vote in nonpartisan races during partisan primaries. Unaffiliated and third-party voters can vote for any candidate during general or special elections. Registered voters may switch party affiliation by December 31 without jeopardizing their registration for elections in the following year.[8]

The following criteria must be met to qualify as a registered voter in Kentucky:[8]

* U.S. citizenship

* Resident of Kentucky

* At least 18 years of age by the next general election

* Do not have a felony conviction or have been granted restored rights by executive pardon

* Have not been judged "mentally incompetent" in court

* Do not claim the right to vote in other states

## Debates[edit]

See also: State executive debates, 2015

### General election debate[edit]

Andy Beshear (D) and Whitney Westerfield (R) debated on KET's Kentucky Tonight. The debate took place on October 12, 2015. The candidates agreed on many political issues but criticized each other's experience and character.[9]

Westerfield accused Beshear of trying to buy the election by raising millions of dollars through his connection to his father, Governor Steve Beshear. Westerfield said he had heard stories that Andy Beshear received donations in exchange for state favors, including road projects.[9]

Beshear defended himself against Westerfield's charges. "No contribution, no matter how big or how small, would ever influence a decision I made in that office," he said.[9]

Beshear responded by comparing his experience to Westerfield's, calling Westerfield a "full-time debt collector" for payday lenders and others, as well as a "part-time prosecutor."[9] Beshear stated that Westerfield's performance had been criticized by his superior, the Commonwealth's Attorney for Christian County. Beshear said his own experience as a nationally respected attorney at Stites & Harbison was superior to Westerfield's.[9]

The two candidates largely agreed on issues such as the prohibition of marijuana and heroin, restoring nonviolent felons' voting rights, and the role of the attorney general.[9]

One issue they disagreed on was Governor Beshear's response to the controversy surrounding Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis, who refused to issue same-sex marriage licenses after the Obergefell v. Hodges Supreme Court decision. Westerfield said the governor broke the law by not protecting the clerk's religious liberties. Andy Beshear defended his father's decision to instruct clerks to obey Obergefell.[9]

## Duties[edit]

See also: Attorney General of Kentucky

The attorney general is the chief law officer, chief law enforcement officer, and legal adviser for the Commonwealth of Kentucky. He provides legal counsel to state officials regarding their official duties on request and prepares legal instruments and documents for public use. He also represents the state of Kentucky and its officials and agencies in litigation.[10]

Beyond providing legal representation to the state, the attorney general oversees or participates in a variety of advisory or regulatory institutions. He is the chairman of the Kentucky Prosecutors Advisory Council, which establishes standards for Kentucky's district attorneys, and the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council, which performs a similar role for state law enforcement.

Besides his advisory duties, the attorney general oversees the Department of Law, which has a mandate to "prevent or remedy damage to the environment" and to "enforce any statute, ordnance, bylaw or regulation." This encompasses the attorney general's direct prosecutorial duties as the chief law and chief law enforcement officer of the state.[11] He may designate specific task forces devoted to different law enforcement issues, such as cyber-security, drug enforcement, or consumer protection.

## Race background[edit]

##### Senate debate over outside legal representation[edit]

In March 2015, Republican candidate and state Sen. Whitney Westerfield sponsored a bill to increase transparency and limit contracts between the state Department of Justice and law firms representing the state. Westerfield's bill proposed greater clarity for state residents interested in which law firms represent the state and how much money was given to these firms under contingency agreements. Senate Minority Leader Ray Jones (D) asked Westerfield about the size of the department's budget and how often the state uses outside law firms. Westerfield was unable to answer budget questions, stating, "Right now I don't know, I can't recall that line from the budget." In an interview following a debate over SB 118, Westerfield noted that, "I think it's crossing a line allowing someone who's got the prosecution power of the entire state to have a pecuniary interest in pushing extra hard to get the penalties and the fees."[12]

Jones unsuccessfully attempted to remove a provision from the bill that limited the amount law firms collect when damages are awarded to the state. According to Jones, this limitation would have discouraged law firms from assisting the state with highly specialized legal cases and would only attract firms with higher rates. Democratic candidate Andy Beshear supported Jones following the debate, indicating that recent cuts in the department's budget made financial flexibility all the more important. Allison Martin, a spokesperson for Attorney General Jack Conway (D), argued that the state had only used outside lawyers on contingency agreements eight times in the past seven years.[12]

##### Early funding advantage for Beshear[edit]

Beshear jumped out to a strong financial advantage before facing any official opposition to replace Jack Conway in 2015. Beshear, the son of Gov. Steve Beshear, reported $1.48 million in contributions through September 30, 2014. These contributions were received at 87 fundraisers and included donations from executives at Philip Morris, Daymar College, and Louisville Gas & Electric. By comparison, Conway spent a total of $1.9 million during his election bids in 2007 and 2011.[13]

Beshear's fundraising prowess drew criticism due to potential conflicts of interest in the attorney general's office. The Attorney General of Kentucky often has an adversarial role with utilities if they request increases in energy prices. Beshear's campaign received $1,000 donations from three executives at Carespring Health Care Management, which settled state and federal investigations into patient injuries and deaths in 2013. Beshear's experience representing corporate clients at Stites & Harbison and his connections in his father's administration also raised concerns about conflicts of interest.[13]

Beshear issued the following statement in response to a report by the Lexington Herald-Leader on his campaign finances:

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Provided I am elected attorney general, I will have only two clients, the commonwealth and its citizens. All decisions will start and end with the law and what is best for Kentucky's families. [14]

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—Lexington Herald-Leader, (2014)

[13]

In considering a potential candidacy in early January, Westerfield criticized Beshear by stating:

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I refuse to let someone who I don’t believe is qualified for the office, who I don’t believe has the practice experience or policy experience for the office, to have that and a walk...And I frankly think there are plenty of people out there who aren’t prepared to have another Beshear at state level government in Frankfort. [14]

| ”

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—WEKU, (2015)

[15]

Beshear was running unopposed prior to Westerfield filing his candidacy on January 9, 2015.[6]

## Debates[edit]

See also: State executive debates, 2015

April 20 Republican forum
Michael Hogan and State Sen. Whitney Westerfield sought to distance themselves from attorney general and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jack Conway during a debate televised on Kentucky Educational Television. Both criticized Conway’s refusal to appeal the ruling from U.S. District Judge John Heyburn striking down Kentucky’s ban on same-sex marriage in 2014. Conway claimed that Kentucky’s law was discriminatory and would not file an appeal to uphold the ban. Westerfield also attacked Conway for his failure to engage with the General Assembly, claiming that Conway has not worked hard to push legislation. Hogan offered Conway praise for his work in prosecuting child predators and Internet crimes.

Although the candidates were in agreement on most issues, Hogan did criticize Westerfield’s vote against a bill that would have set a floor for the state gas tax. This tax was based on the wholesale price of gasoline and was tied to Kentucky’s road fund, the main source of funds for the state’s roadway system. The decline of gas prices in Kentucky could have led to insufficient revenue to meet the needs of Kentucky’s transportation infrastructure, according to a Kentucky Transportation Center report in May 2015.[16] Hogan also questioned Westerfield’s vote to double the amount of money individuals can contribute to political campaigns, which Westerfield defended by claiming that funds from individual donors would most likely go towards candidate-run campaigns that must disclose donors, rather than political action committees (PACs) which often do not have to report donors.[17]

## Polls[edit]

General election

Kentucky Attorney General

Poll | Andy Beshear (D) | Whitney Westerfield (R)| Undecided| Margin of error| Sample size
Mason-Dixon Polling & Research
October 6-8, 2015 | 45%| 39%| 16%| +/-4| 625
SurveyUSA/Bluegrass Poll
July 22-28, 2015 | 40%| 33%| 27%| +/-3.8| 685
Public Policy Polling
June 18-21, 2015 | 36%| 41%| 23%| +/-2.9| 1,108
AVERAGES|  40.33%|  37.67%|  22%|  +/-3.57|  806
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.

Republican primary

Kentucky Attorney General, Republican Primary

Poll | Michael T. Hogan (R) | Whitney Westerfield (R)| Undecided| Margin of error| Sample size
Triumph Campaigns
March 24, 2015 | 21.6%| 14.5%| 60.9%| +/-4| 601
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.

## Campaign media[edit]

#### Jack Conway[edit]

Jack Conway ad: Kentucky First (September 21, 2015)

## Campaign finance[edit]

First quarter report (2015)
Comprehensive donor information for this election was collected from the state's campaign finance authority. Based on available campaign finance records, the candidates raised a total of $425,374 and spent a total of $117,774.29 during this reporting period. This information was last updated on May 4, 2015.[18]

Campaign Contributions and Expenditures

Candidate | Office | Beginning balance | Contributions | Expenditures | Ending balance
Andy Beshear | Kentucky Attorney General | $1,268,131.13 | $355,730.00 | $109,617.99 | $1,514,243.14
Whitney Westerfield | Kentucky Attorney General | $0 | $64,244.00 | $4,156.93 | $60,087.07
Michael T. Hogan | Kentucky Attorney General | $0 | $5,400.00 | $3,999.37 | $1,400.63
Grand Total Raised | $425,374
Grand Total Spent | $117,774.29

Fourth quarter report (2014)
Comprehensive donor information for this election was collected from the state's campaign finance authority. Based on available campaign finance records, the candidates raised a total of $100,870.97 and spent a total of $62,132.26 during this reporting period. This information was last updated on January 27, 2015.[19]

Campaign Contributions and Expenditures

Candidate | Office | Beginning balance | Contributions | Expenditures | Ending balance
Andy Beshear | Kentucky Attorney General | $1,229,392.42 | $100,870.97 | $62,132.26 | $1,268,131.13
Whitney Westerfield | Kentucky Attorney General | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0
Michael T. Hogan | Kentucky Attorney General | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0
Grand Total Raised | $100,870.97
Grand Total Spent | $62,132.26

## Past elections[edit]

### 2011[edit]

Attorney General of Kentucky, 2011

Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes
| Democratic  | Jack Conway Incumbent | 55% | 449,638
| Republican  |  Todd P'Pool | 45% | 367,661
Total Votes | 817,299
Election results via Kentucky Secretary of State

### 2007[edit]

Kentucky Attorney General, 2007

Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes
| Democratic  | Jack Conway Incumbent | 60.5% | 612,689
| Republican  |  Stan Lee | 39.5% | 399,603
Total Votes | 1,012,292
Election results via Kentucky Secretary of State

### 2003[edit]

Kentucky Attorney General, 2003

Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes
| Democratic  | Gregory Stumbo | 47.7% | 492,540
| Republican  |  Jack D. Wood  | 41.7% | 430,153
| Independent  |  Gatewood Galbraith  | 10.6% | 109,498
Total Votes | 1,032,191
Election results via Kentucky Secretary of State

## Recent news[edit]

This section links to a Google news search for the term "Kentucky + Attorney + General + election + 2015"

2015 Kentucky Attorney General Election News Feed

## See also[edit]

* Kentucky Attorney General
* State executive official elections, 2015
* Kentucky state executive official elections, 2015

## External links[edit]

| Suggest a link

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* Kentucky Office of the Attorney General

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ Kentucky Secretary of State, "Information for Michael T. Hogan, Candidate for Attorney General," January 12, 2015
2. ↑ Kentucky General Assembly, "Ky. Rev. Stat. § 116.055," accessed October 20, 2025
3. ↑ Kentucky Secretary of State, "Attorney General," accessed Nov. 4, 2015
4. ↑ Lexington Herald-Leader, "Jack Conway announces bid for governor, with state Rep. Sannie Overly as running mate," May 6, 2014
5. ↑ Kentucky Secretary of State, "Information for Andy Beshear, Candidate for Attorney General," November 7, 2014
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Kentucky Secretary of State, "Information for Whitney H. Westerfield, Candidate for Attorney General," January 9, 2015
7. ↑ Kentucky Secretary of State, "2015 Kentucky Election Calendar," accessed December 4, 2014
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Kentucky Secretary of State, "Register to Vote," accessed December 4, 2014
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 John Cheves, Kentucky.com, "Attacks on experience, character upstage issues as Kentucky attorney general candidates debate," October 12, 2015
10. ↑ Kentucky Revised Statutes 15-020," accessed May 7, 2011
11. ↑ Kentucky Revised Statutes 15-255," accessed May 7, 2011
12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 The Courier-Journal, "Questions stump AG candidate on Senate floor," March 5, 2015
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Lexington Herald-Leader, "Andrew Beshear raises $1.5 million for AG race, but critics question his donor list," November 15, 2014
14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
15. ↑ WEKU, "Hopkinsville's Whitney Westerfield May Run For Attorney General," January 8, 2015
16. ↑ ‘’Kentucky Transportation Center,’’ “Assessment of Kentucky’s Road Fund,” accessed May 15, 2015
17. ↑ ‘’The Courier Journal,’’ GOP Attorney General candidates attack Conway,” April 20, 2015
18. ↑ Kentucky Registry of Election Finance, "Candidate Search Results," accessed May 4, 2015
19. ↑ Kentucky Registry of Election Finance, "Candidate Search Results," accessed January 24, 2015

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