Bevin says he lost because liberals are ‘good at harvesting votes’ in urban areas

Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin (R) said he lost his reelection bid last month because liberals are “good at harvesting votes” in urban areas.

Bevin used the word “harvest” or a version of it several times in at least three radio interviews Wednesday morning, the Courier-Journal reported.

It is unclear if Bevin was referring to ballot harvesting, an illegal activity in Kentucky in which volunteers collect and send in absentee or mail-in voter ballots.

The Kentucky governor attributed his loss to increased voter turnout in cities like Louisville and Lexington, saying in one interview that liberals are “very good at harvesting votes in densely populated urban areas.”

Bevin lost the 2019 gubernatorial race to Gov.-elect Andy Beshear (D). He did not initially concede and asked for a recanvass, citing claims of voter fraud. But the current governor eventually conceded the race.

A North Carolina House race in 2018 between Republican Mark Harris and Democrat Dan McCready experienced ballot harvesting, causing the district to conduct a new election.