Breathitt, Kentucky — Presidential Election Results
Breathitt, Kentucky has voted Republican in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). It most recently flipped to Republican in 2008. In 2024, it was 29.2 pts more Rep. than Kentucky overall.
Jump to year: 2000 · 2004 · 2008 · 2012 · 2016 · 2020 · 2024
Full Election History, 2000–2024
| Year | Winner | Party | Votes | Vote Share | Margin | Total Votes Cast | Swing | Vs. Kentucky |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Al Gore | Democratic | 2,902 | 57.2% | 16.1 pts (818 votes) | 5,073 | — | 31.9 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 3,327 | 56.0% | 13.2 pts (785 votes) | 5,944 | -3.0 pts | 33.4 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | John McCain | Republican | 2,671 | 53.1% | 9.3 pts (466 votes) | 5,030 | -22.9 pts | 6.9 pts more Dem. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 3,318 | 66.3% | 35.1 pts (1,756 votes) | 5,008 | -26.4 pts | 12.9 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 3,991 | 69.6% | 42.8 pts (2,454 votes) | 5,738 | -8.4 pts | 13.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 4,265 | 75.3% | 52.4 pts (2,964 votes) | 5,661 | -8.9 pts | 26.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 4,036 | 78.9% | 59.3 pts (3,034 votes) | 5,113 | -7.0 pts | 29.2 pts more Rep. |
Population Context
Total Census Bureau population estimate for the county that year, and recorded votes as a share of that total population. This is a population-based figure, not a turnout rate against eligible or registered voters, which this site does not calculate.
| Year | County Population | Votes Cast (% of Population) |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 15,999 | 31.7% of population |
| 2004 | 14,975 | 39.7% of population |
| 2008 | 14,249 | 35.3% of population |
| 2012 | 13,612 | 36.8% of population |
| 2016 | 13,177 | 43.5% of population |
| 2020 | 13,701 | 41.3% of population |
| 2024 | 12,804 | 39.9% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Breathitt shifted 76.6 points toward the Republican candidate, based on recorded county returns. This reflects the vote totals in this dataset only; no claim is made here about the causes of that shift.
Margin Over Time
Democratic candidate's margin (percentage points, two-party vote share). Positive values favor the Democratic candidate; negative values favor the Republican candidate.
Bellwether Status
Breathitt has matched the national popular winner in 2 of the last 7 presidential elections (29%), and Kentucky's own statewide winner in 5 of 7 (71%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Kentucky Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Breathitt voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Breathitt has voted Democratic in 2 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 5 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Breathitt?
Breathitt's closest recorded margin was in 2008, when John McCain (Republican) won by 9.6 points (466 votes) out of 5,030 total votes cast.
Has Breathitt ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Breathitt changed which party won the county in: 2008, based on the 2000-2024 record on this page.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Breathitt?
The widest margin on record for Breathitt was in 2024, when Donald J Trump (Republican) won by 60.2 points.
How many votes were cast in Breathitt relative to its population?
In 2024, 5,113 votes were recorded in Breathitt against a total population of 12,804 (39.9% of the total population). This is a population-based figure, not a turnout rate against eligible or registered voters, which this site does not calculate.
Is Breathitt a presidential bellwether county?
Breathitt has matched the national popular winner in 2 of the last 7 presidential elections (29%), and Kentucky's own statewide winner in 5 of 7 (71%).