Matt Bevin on Kentucky recanvass: 'I'm not gonna contest these numbers that have come in'

Show Caption Hide Caption Matt Bevin won't contest election loss to Andy Beshear "I truly wish the attorney general well as the next governor of this state as he assumes these responsibilities," Bevin said.

FRANKFORT — In a surprising turnaround to a bitterly fought election he had refused to concede, incumbent Republican Gov. Matt Bevin — even before the vote recanvass he requested was complete — announced Thursday that Democrat Andy Beshear will be the next governor.

"We're going to have a change in the governorship of Kentucky," said Bevin, speaking outside his office at the Capitol at a hastily called press conference. "I truly wish the attorney general well as the next governor of this state as he assumes these responsibilities."

And Bevin, contrary to previous statements in which he said he planned to fight the outcome over what he claimed without evidence were widespread voting irregularities, said he is dropping any challenge.

"I'm not gonna contest these numbers that have come in," said Bevin, who would have to take any challenge directly to the General Assembly, where some Republican leaders already had signaled that was not a welcome prospect. "It isn't fair to throw that on our legislature to try to find something that there just isn't."

However, in a departure from protocol, Bevin did not contact Beshear to concede or congratulate him.

Gov.-elect Andy Beshear: 'This was a tough race, but it is now over'

Kentucky governor's race: Andy Beshear, Jacqueline Coleman speak Governor Matt Bevin gave his concession speech and Andy Beshear and Jacqueline Coleman held a press conference.

Beshear, at a press conference later Thursday, said he had not heard from Bevin but didn't criticize him, saying the governor likely wants to spend time with his family after a grueling campaign.

"We haven't personally talked, but I fully understand that," Beshear said.

Bevin continued to maintain Thursday that there were irregularities with some absentee ballots but conceded there were weren't enough to change the outcome of the Nov. 5 election.

"We know of some things but not enough to know there's going to be meaningful change," he said.

Bevin ended the press conference without taking any questions from a throng of reporters and gave no indication of what his plans are when his term ends next month.

Shortly afterward, Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes met with reporters outside her office at the Capitol to announce the results of the recanvass of votes from all Kentucky counties was complete and it did not change the outcome of the Beshear-Bevin race.

“Attorney General Beshear will be the 63rd governor of the commonwealth of Kentucky, winning the general election by 5,136 votes,” she said.

The only change, she said, was the addition of a single vote from Casey County for write-in gubernatorial candidate Blackii Effing Whyte.

Grimes said she had no idea what Bevin was talking about when he referred to alleged voting irregularities. Bevin also said he hopes incoming Secretary of State Michael Adams, a Republican, will work to increase transparency and public confidence in Kentucky elections.

“We should make sure we have integrity in the election process,” Bevin said.

Recanvass updates: All counties report recanvass vote totals

Grimes said the biggest threat to elections are those who attempt to discredit or undermine the election process and that elected officials should work “to battle disinformation and misinformation."

The public appearances of Bevin, Grimes and Beshear capped off a day of whirlwind activity that began at 9 a.m. in 120 county clerks' offices across Kentucky, where local boards of elections gathered for the recanvass.

That nothing changed throughout Kentucky did not surprise Franklin County Clerk Jeff Hancock, who said the results already had been checked and submitted Friday.

"We've already done this once," he said. "There's nothing magical about this process."

Bevin had indicated previously he intended to fight the outcome of the Nov. 5 election, alleging vote fraud and saying in a speech over the weekend he didn't plan to lose a "dirty election."

But Thursday, Bevin said the recanvass was not surprising.

“What we’re seeing is about what we had expected, and it’s what typically we see in recanvasses,” he said.

Bevin touted his administration’s accomplishments and praised his staff.

"Words cannot express my gratitude to the men and women who have served this administration," he said.

And despite a reputation for speaking his mind, sometimes caustically, Bevin said he won't critique the next administration.

"I'm not going to publicly undermine or second-guess anything that is done," Bevin said.

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He also said he will advocate for a smooth transition of power.

Bevin's surprise announcement that he was dropping any challenge to the election followed comments by top Kentucky Republicans including U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell and state Senate President Robert Stivers suggesting the race was over and it was time for Bevin to move on.

Stivers said last week Bevin should concede his loss to Beshear if the recanvass did not significantly change the vote totals though he previously had said the dispute could end up before the General Assembly.

“It’s time to call it quits and go home, say he had a good four years and congratulate Gov.-elect Beshear,” Stivers said last Friday.

McConnell told reporters Monday that it appeared Bevin had lost the election.

McConnell, the Senate majority leader, said he was sorry Bevin came up short, but he had a good four years.

“And I think all indications are, barring some dramatic reversal on a recanvass, that we’ll have a different governor in three weeks,” McConnell said.

Earlier: Twitter denies 'bots' spread fake news about the Kentucky election being rigged

Following Bevin's press conference Thursday, the Republican Party of Kentucky said in a statement that Bevin had made Kentucky a better place and celebrated Republican wins across the state, including in the races for attorney general, agriculture commissioner, auditor, secretary of state and treasurer.

“Kentuckians can be proud of all Gov. Matt Bevin accomplished for our state in bringing jobs and opportunity to Kentucky in record-breaking fashion. Thanks to Gov. Matt Bevin’s leadership, Kentucky’s future is brighter than ever before," Republican Party of KentuckyChairman Mac Brown said in the statement.

House Democratic leaders Rocky Adkins, Derrick Graham and Joni Jenkins also issued a statement, saying that the Democrat community "congratulates Governor-elect Andy Beshear, Lt. Governor-elect Jacqueline Coleman and the other constitutional office winners today following the recanvass of the Nov. 5th election. We look forward to working with these elected officials in the years ahead as we build a stronger commonwealth. It’s time to get to work.”

Reach Deborah Yetter at dyetter@courier-journal.com or 502-582-4228. Find her on Twitter at @d_yetter. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: courier-journal.com/subscribe.

Reach breaking news reporter Sarah Ladd at sladd@courier-journal.com. Follow her on Twitter at @ladd_sarah. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: courier-journal.com/subscribe.