1979 Kentucky gubernatorial election

{{Infobox election

| election_name = 1979 Kentucky gubernatorial election

| country = Kentucky

| type = Presidential

| ongoing = no

| previous_election = 1975 Kentucky gubernatorial election

| previous_year = 1975

| next_election = 1983 Kentucky gubernatorial election

| next_year = 1983

| election_date = November 6, 1979

| turnout = 54.3%

| image1 = File:John Y. Brown Jr. (KY).png

| image_size = x150px

| nominee1 = John Y. Brown Jr.

| party1 = Democratic Party (United States)

| popular_vote1 = 558,008

| percentage1 = 59.41%

| image2 = File:Louie-Nunn (cropped).jpg

| nominee2 = Louie Nunn

| party2 = Republican Party (United States)

| popular_vote2 = 381,278

| percentage2 = 40.59%

| map_image = {{switcher |300px |County results |300px |Congressional district results |default=1}}

| map_size = 300px

| map_caption = Brown: {{legend0|#7996e2|50–60%}} {{legend0|#6674de|60–70%}} {{legend0|#584cde|70–80%}}
Nunn: {{legend0|#e27f7f|50–60%}} {{legend0|#d75d5d|60–70%}} {{legend0|#d72f30|70–80%}}

| title = Governor

| before_election = Julian Carroll

| before_party = Democratic Party (United States)

| after_election = John Y. Brown Jr.

| after_party = Democratic Party (United States)

}}

The 1979 Kentucky gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 1979. Democratic nominee John Y. Brown Jr. defeated Republican nominee Louie Nunn with 59.41% of the vote.

Primary elections

Primary elections were held on May 29, 1979.{{cite web|url=https://elect.ky.gov/SiteCollectionDocuments/Election%20Results/1973-1979/76-79/79pgov_ltgov.txt |title=Primary Election |publisher=Elect.ky.gov |access-date=2019-01-12}}

=Democratic primary=

==Candidates==

John Y. Brown Jr., businessman
Harvey I. Sloane, former Mayor of Louisville
Terry McBrayer, former State Representative
Carroll Hubbard, U.S. Representative
Thelma Stovall, incumbent Lieutenant Governor
Lyle L. Willis
George L. Atkins, Kentucky State Auditor
Doris Shuja Binion
John J. Weikel

==Results==

[[File:1979 Kentucky gubernatorial election democratic primary results map by county.svg|thumb|center|350px|Democratic primary results by county.

{{collapsible list

|title=Map legend

|{{legend|#7996E2|Brown—50–60%}}

|{{legend|#A5B0FF|Brown—40–50%}}

|{{legend|#BDD3FF|Brown—30–40%}}

|{{legend|#DFEEFF|Brown—20–30%}}

|{{legend|#FF80B2|Sloane—50–60%}}

|{{legend|#FFAACC|Sloane—40–50%}}

|{{legend|#FFC5DA|Sloane—30–40%}}

|{{legend|#FFDCEC|Sloane—20–30%}}

|{{legend|#2ca02c|McBrayer—70–80%}}

|{{legend|#37c837|McBrayer—60–70%}}

|{{legend|#5fd35f|McBrayer—50–60%}}

|{{legend|#87de87|McBrayer—40–50%}}

|{{legend|#aae5aa|McBrayer—30–40%}}

|{{legend|#c0f0c0|McBrayer—20–30%}}

|{{legend|#EE8E50|Hubbard—60–70%}}

|{{legend|#FF9A50|Hubbard—50–60%}}

|{{legend|#FFB580|Hubbard—40–50%}}

|{{legend|#FFCCA9|Hubbard—30–40%}}

|{{legend|#FFDAC1|Hubbard—20–30%}}

|{{legend|#cc5e5d|Stovall—40–50%}}

}}

]]

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Democratic primary results

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = John Y. Brown Jr.

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 165,188

| percentage = 29.14

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Harvey I. Sloane

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 139,713

| percentage = 24.65

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Terry McBrayer

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 131,530

| percentage = 23.21

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Carroll Hubbard

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 68,577

| percentage = 12.10

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Thelma Stovall

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 47,633

| percentage = 8.40

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Lyle L. Willis

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 5,349

| percentage = 0.94

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = George L. Atkins

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 3,810

| percentage = 0.67

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Doris Shuja Binion

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 2,580

| percentage = 0.46

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = John J. Weikel

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 2,436

| percentage = 0.43

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 566,816

| percentage = 100.00

}}

=Republican primary=

==Candidates==

Louie Nunn, former Governor
Ray B. White
Elmer Begley Jr.
Thurman Jerome Hamlin

==Results==

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Republican primary results

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Louie Nunn

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 106,006

| percentage = 79.09

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Ray B. White

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 19,414

| percentage = 14.49

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Elmer Begley Jr.

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 5,106

| percentage = 3.81

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Thurman Jerome Hamlin

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 3,499

| percentage = 2.61

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 134,025

| percentage = 100.00

}}

General election

=Candidates=

John Y. Brown Jr., Democratic
Louie Nunn, Republican

=Results=

{{Election box begin | title=1979 Kentucky gubernatorial election{{cite web|url=https://elect.ky.gov/SiteCollectionDocuments/Election%20Results/1973-1979/76-79/79res_govltgov1.txt |title=General Election |publisher=Elect.ky.gov |access-date=2019-01-12}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| candidate = John Y. Brown Jr.

| votes = 558,008

| percentage = 59.41%

| change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Louie Nunn

| votes = 381,278

| percentage = 40.59%