Democrats Flip County Donald Trump Won by Nearly 60 Points

Democratic Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear looks set to pull off a big win in Letcher County, which former President Donald Trump won by nearly 60 points in 2020, as he fended off a challenge from Republican Daniel Cameron to secure a second term in office.

With more than 95 percent of the votes cast in Kentucky counted, Beshear had 53 percent of the vote to Cameron's 47 percent, with the Associated Press calling the race for the Democratic incumbent.

Beshear's victory looked particularly impressive in Letcher County, in the east of Kentucky, which voted for Trump by 79.1 percent of the vote versus 19.7 percent for Joe Biden in 2020. By contrast, in 2023 Beshear is leading in the county with 52 percent of the vote against 48 percent for Cameron, the Kentucky attorney general.

The apparent win in Letcher County was highlighted on X, formerly Twitter, by MeidasTouch, a self-styled "pro-democracy" media outlet. It posted: "Andy Beshear just flipped Letcher County, Kentucky, a county Donald Trump won in 2020 by nearly 60 points."

This post went viral, receiving more than 2,500 retweets and 10,000 likes, along with over 773,000 views.

Posting on X after AP called his victory, Beshear commented: "Tonight, our Commonwealth rejected anger politics and proved there is more that unites us than can ever divide us."

Newsweek has reached out to Governor Beshear and the Trump campaign for comment by email.

Cameron had been endorsed by the 2024 Republican presidential frontrunner in the polls, Donald Trump. Speaking after his primary win was confirmed in May, he said: "The Trump culture of winning is alive and well in Kentucky."

Speaking to Newsweek on Tuesday, D. Stephen Voss, an associate professor of political science at the University of Kentucky, said observers should be cautious about assuming the state's result reflects the national picture. He said: "Kentucky is a quirky state, outsiders should hesitate to read much into the governor's election. There is a degree to which Kentucky is caught up in national moods and some signs could indicate how voters feel. But a year is far to speculate on the 2024 presidential election."

Beshear's win came after a preelection poll, released on November 3, recorded the governor and Cameron were tied at 47 percent. This survey of 1,000 likely voters, by Emerson College, was conducted between October 30 and November 2. A previous survey from the same pollster, of 450 registered voters between October 1 and 3, had given Beshear a 16-point lead over his Republican challenger.

Ahead of the vote, U.K.-based bookies Betfair Exchange recorded Beshear was the clear frontrunner in the contest. Speaking to Newsweek last week, the company's spokesperson Sam Rosbottom said: "For the Kentucky governor election, Andy Beshear is the clear 1/5 frontrunner to serve a second term, with Republican Daniel Cameron 7/2 to upset the odds in the race."

President Biden celebrated Thursday's results, which saw a number of prominent Democratic wins, and Ohio voters entrenching abortion rights in the state constitution, on X.

He wrote: "Across the country tonight, democracy won and MAGA lost. Voters vote. Polls don't. Now let's go win next year."