Matthew Griswold "Matt" Bevin (9 January 1967-) was Governor of Kentucky (R) from 8 December 2015 to 10 December 2019, succeeding Steve Beshear and preceding Andy Beshear.
Biography[]
Matt Bevin was born in Denver, Colorado on 9 January 1967, and he was raised in Shelburne, New Hampshire. Bevin earned a bachelor's degree at Washington and Lee University in 1989 before serving four years in the US Army, attaining the rank of captain. He became wealthy in the investment business before moving to Louisville, Kentucky in 1999. In 2011, he became President of the Bevin Brothers Manufacturing Company, the last remaining bell manufacturing company in the United States. Bevin revived his family company (which had been founded in 1832) and restored its profitability, proving his business skills. In 2013, he failed to challenge the incumbent Republican Mitch McConnell for his seat in the US Senate from Kentucky, despite having the support of the Tea Party movement. In 2015, however, he won the Kentucky gubernatorial election. Bevin advocates sales taxes instead of income taxes, opposed gay rights and abortion, and opposed the entry of Syrian refugees into the USA. On 5 November 2019, he lost re-election to Democratic candidate Andy Beshear, who narrowly defeated him 49.2% to 48.8% in an upset victory.