Matt Bevin served as the governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky from 2015 to 2019. A Republican, he has been affiliated with the hard-right wing of the party. Shortly before leaving office, he received particular attention for a number of highly controversial pardons he issued. The Federal Bureau of Investigation would become involved in the matter.
Bevin lost his bid for re-election as Kentucky governor in 2019. He was narrowly defeated by Democratic Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear. Beshear's father, Steve, is a former governor and attorney general of Kentucky.
But Bevin could be looking to try for a re-match between himself and the younger Beshear.
Reportedly considering launching another gubernatorial campaign
Matt Bevin could be headed towards making another run for governor of Kentucky. The next scheduled gubernatorial election in Kentucky is slated for 2023. Speculation has been circling around Bevin for some time. More recently, other Kentucky officials have indicated he's thinking about it. Including State Senator Ralph Alvarado and State Auditor Mike Harmon. Harmon is already a candidate in the Republican primary for the 2023 gubernatorial nomination. Alvarado would've been Bevin's lieutenant governor if he'd won in 2019 and may also run for governor next year.
As indicated by the Lexington Herald-Leader, the race for the Republican nomination could be shaping up to be a crowded one. Along with Harmon, three other candidates are officially in the running in the primary. Attorney General Daniel Cameron, State Representative Savannah Maddox and Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles.
The Courier-Journal reports that Kelly Craft is expected to enter the race. Craft is a former United States ambassador to the United Nations and to Canada. And aside from Bevin and Alvarado, U.S. Representative Andy Barr and State Senator Max Wise are also apparently interested. With more possible to come.
It's not necessarily all anecdotal as to why onlookers think Bevin might be ready to give it another go.
He's been making the rounds at events often populated by would-be candidates for high political office. Such as at the annual country ham breakfast hosted by the Kentucky Farm Bureau. There, he was asked if he intended to run for governor again. His response, "I am planning to eat ham." Bevin was similarly responsive when asked if he'd been encouraged to move forward with another campaign. "You get a lot of encouragement to do a lot of things in life, I'm sure you guys do, too. So, it's all good."
Has challenged Mitch McConnell in the past
The 2015 election for governor was not the first time Matt Bevin sought a high-profile political office. One year before, he challenged U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell in the Republican primary during that election cycle.
Bevin's campaign would be dogged by a number of stumbles. Including at one point seeming to give an endorsement for cockfighting. For which he eventually issued an apology. Adding, "I am not and never have been a supporter of cockfighting or any other forms of animal cruelty."
In the end, McConnell trounced Bevin in the primary. And 2014 would turn out to be a pretty solid year for McConnell. He easily won another Senate term in the general election. And he led Republicans to winning a majority in the United States Senate. In turn, achieving his longtime dream of becoming the Senate majority leader.
Subsequently to losing his U.S. Senate bid, Bevin quickly set his sights on the governorship of Kentucky.
In the Republican primary, he prevailed over U.S. Representative James Comer by less than 100 votes. Comer has since become the ranking member of the Oversight Committee of the United States House of Representatives. In the general election, Beven defeated Democratic Attorney General Jack Conway.
Was a military officer
Matt Bevin was born in Denver, Colorado. He would go on to be raised in eastern New Hampshire and western Maine. Later, Bevin joined the United States Army. He was trained at Fort Knox, located in Kentucky. Reportedly, Bevin would state it was during this time that he decided he'd like to raise a family in the area.
Bevin's Army career included assignments with the 25th Field Artillery Regiment.
At the time of his retirement, he held the rank of captain. Decorations he was awarded included the Army Commendation Medal with an oak leaf cluster.
Civilian life would include Bevin working for SEI Investments Company and Putnam Investments. Eventually, he joined his family's business Bevin Brothers Manufacturing Company. A bell manufacturing business based in East Hampton in central Connecticut. Matt would be named the company's president, thought accounts differ as to when exactly this happened.
