KENTUCKY - Governor Matt Bevin has been ranked the least popular governor in America in a Morning Consult Poll, and that was never more apparent than in Tuesday's Primary Election results. 

Bevin won re-election garnering just 52% of Republican primary voters, his closest opponent Republican State Rep. Robert Goforth, R-East Bernstadt, got 39% of the vote, and while that seems like an easy win, for a sitting governor that is a close race. 

The Kentucky Democratic Party highlighted the low vote total for Bevin after he was declared the winner.

“Bevin's inability to connect with voters and his controversial first term as Governor has left the Republican Party in Kentucky scrambling. Now, they head into the General Election with a weak, flawed, and vulnerable candidate at the top of the ticket,” said Marisa McNee, spokesperson for the Kentucky Democratic Party. “This is an embarrassment for the Republican Party, Mitch McConnell, and President Trump. They’re losing credibility by the day, even with their own Party.”

The Republican Party of Kentucky chose not to focus on how much he won by but rather his successes as Governor.

“Much like his career politician father, Andy Beshear represents more of the same we’ve come to expect from Kentucky Democrats for decades – raise taxes, increase spending and grow government just like Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama,” Republican Party of Kentucky spokesman Mike Lonergan said. “Governor Bevin’s leadership is bringing unprecedented economic growth and prosperity to Kentucky, and Andy Beshear and the Democrats want to turn back the clock on this progress.” 

During his victory speech for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, Attorney General Andy Beshear took time to reference the incumbents showing in the Republican primary.

"Look at the fact that our governor just barely got fifty percent of his vote tonight,” he said.

Many Democrats highlighted that Beshear received more votes than Bevin did, and while this is true, Andy Beshear received 149,348 votes to Matt Bevin's 136,060. More people voted in the Democratic primary--134,636 to be exact. 

For the General Election, President Donald Trump is going to play a huge role. 

Trump won Kentucky by double digits in 2016, and still remains extremely popular in the Bluegrass State. Trump is already getting involved in the race, tweeting out support for frequent White House visitor Matt Bevin ahead of the Primary Election Tuesday. This is likely just the beginning of national influence on Kentucky's governor's race. 

"You are going to hear a lot and see a lot about President Trump, the campaign will spent a lot of time focusing on if you believe in President Trump and his message and his vision for America he’s going to need Matt Bevin in Kentucky that make that possible,” said Les Fugate, a Republican Analyst and Executive Vice President of RunSwitch PR. “And that will be a prominent theme throughout the election.”

Due to the off year of Kentucky's elections, it offers a good insight into how voters are feeling heading into the presidential  and senate elections. 

National influence is already starting less than 24 hours after the unofficial results were declared. Super PAC American Bridge quickly posted an attack video on their YouTube channel, attacking Bevin for being corrupt.  Quickly after Beshear was announced as the winner, Susan B. Anthony List sent out a news release bashing Beshear for being pro-choice.

Attacks will not be saved for national super PAC’s, the two campaigns will begin attacking each other—and soon. Analysts predict Beshear will use past comments Bevin has said to highlight his unpopularity.

“That’s what all of these commercials, I anticipate, are going to be about, what he said about teachers, about union workers, just kind of go down the list of people he’s attacked; that is what you’re going to see back at Matt Bevin just to remind you of that,” said Sherman Brown, a democratic analyst and partner at McCarthy Strategic Solutions.  “It’s going to get nasty and it’s going to happen really fast.”

For the next couple months all eyes will be on Kentucky, and if Democrat Andy Beshear can beat out Republican Matt Bevin in state that is turning increasingly red.