'If people vote their values, we will win this race handily' - Matt Bevin for Kentucky Governor

November 03, 2015

Editor

It's election day 2015 and one of the races worth paying attention to is in Kentucky, where Republican candidate Matt Bevin is attempting to win the Democrat-occupied governor seat.

Bevin joined Glenn's radio program Tuesday to talk about why Kentucky residents should vote values over party.

"Kentuckians have core Christian values. Solid values. Good work ethic. Respect for the law. Respect for the Constitution," Bevin said. "What now passes for the Democrat Party nationally, when you have Hillary Clinton duking it out with Bernie Sanders to see who can lean the farthest to the left, this is what has become of that party. It does not represent who we are in Kentucky."

Listen to the full exchange or read the transcript below.

Below is a rush transcript of this segment, it might contain errors.

GLENN: Let's go to Matt Bevin who is in Kentucky and running for governor. Are we going to be calling you Mr. Governor tomorrow, sir?

MATT: That is up to the individuals that are voting. Actually, the polls have been open now for a couple of hours. And it is going to be some time this evening that we will determine who the next governor is. But I'll tell you what, I have faith that the adults among us will come out to vote. And if you are in Kentucky, if you are listening, for two reasons, number one, we need a conservative. We need a noncareer politicians.

PAT: Yeah.

MATT: And, finally, we don't want to be dead to Glenn Beck. So please get out and do your --

GLENN: Honestly, I don't think it's in that order. But, you know, whatever.

(laughter)

So tell us, have you been -- have you -- do you go -- did you go to bed last night saying, "Honey, I did absolutely everything I can?"

MATT: Absolutely. I mean we toured the state. We went to half a dozen spots around the state with the entire ticket. I took the whole ticket. We started in Louisville. Went to Lexington. To Northern Kentucky. To Ashland. Down to Bowling Green. To Paducah. Down to Owensboro.

GLENN: What did you learn in all that time?

MATT: What we learned is that there's passion and enthusiasm in our base. And it is going to be a function of whose base turns out. This is a close race. We've only elected two Republicans in the last 75 years for governor. It rarely happens, but we have an opportunity. I do believe that we will win. Because, frankly, conservative values outside values, business principles, these things matter. And I do believe the people of Kentucky will do the right thing today.

GLENN: It's tied, 44-44, according to polls.

MATT: It's right down to the wire. And if people would just go to, say, mattbevin.com -- now, in all seriousness, at this point, people either know or don't know what they're going to know going into the vote. But I encourage people, vote your values and not your party. If you are listening this morning and you have not voted, vote your values. If you respect human life, we've had the endorsement of the National Right to Life, the Kentucky Right to Life. We have the endorsement of the NRA and of Gun Owners of America. We have the endorsement of the National Federation of Independent Businesses. And any number of individuals who value the things we value. Vote your values, not your party. And we will win this going away.

GLENN: I will tell you that I'm -- you know, I understand -- like in my grandparents' day, they had FDR. And they thought they got him through the big one and everything else. So they had that. And the Democrats hadn't really exposed themselves for being who they are now. I mean, they are full-fledged socialists. And I lived in Kentucky, Matt. I mean, those aren't socialists. I mean, obviously there are some. I lived on St. James Court. So I'm sure there are some socialists there. But the average person in Kentucky, they might be Democrat, but they're not socialists.

MATT: No. Kentuckians have core Christian values. Solid values. Good work ethic. Respect for the law. Respect for the Constitution. Only two-thirds of us care about these things. What now passes for the Democrat Party nationally, when you have Hillary Clinton duking it out with Bernie Sanders to see who can lean the farthest to the left, this is what has become of that party. It does not represent who we are in Kentucky, which is why I challenge people, think beyond your party. Look at the values you hold dear, the appreciation for the family values, traditional values, core values, individual responsibility, these things matter to Kentuckians. And if people vote their values, we will win this race handily.

PAT: So, Matt, what differentiates you from Jack Conway?

MATT: I tell you what, I would encourage, if people have not seen our last gracious, my gracious, he has no solutions to anything. He's a man who grew up in a very privileged environment. So he's not good at relating to people. I grew up as a guy well below the poverty level. We're very different there.

He went to all the best private schools. I had to pay 100 percent of my way through school in order to go to college. I'm a military veteran. He's not. I'm pro-life. He has Planned Parenthood phone banking for him even this morning and has been this week and has given him thousands of dollars.

You know, he's a guy who told our county clerks, they need to do their job, quit, or go to jail, when he himself didn't do his job. So on the value of First Amendment, freedom of religion, he and I are two very different people.

He's a guy who has always been a career politician. He's never created a single job in his entire life. I'm a guy who has created hundreds of jobs, so different there. I'm a guy who believes we need school choice. I think it's good for Kentucky. And that Common Core is not the solution for our students. He believes Common Core is good and that we should not have any competition.

PAT: Wow.

MATT: For education dollars.

STU: He sounds like the devil.

GLENN: He does. So your campaign slogan sounds like a vote for Conway is a vote for the plague. Is that --

MATT: I tell you, I think bubonic, perhaps.

GLENN: Really?

MATT: He or the Obama plague, perhaps.

GLENN: The Obama plague.

MATT: He truly is a rubber stamp. For those looking forward to the future of no Obama in the White House, we will have four more years of that rubber stamp here in Kentucky. And we do not need a rubber stamp for Barack Obama in the Kentucky governor's seat for the next four years. We can't afford it.

STU: Quick question, Governor.

GLENN: Might be a little premature.

MATT: A little premature, but I like how you're thinking.

STU: You talk about Planned Parenthood phone banking for your opponent. You're talking about Kentucky, a state where 67 percent of Kentuckians oppose abortion and want it to be illegal. I mean, 67 percent.

PAT: Is it really?

STU: This is not a borderline issue in this state.

PAT: Wow.

GLENN: I'm telling you, it is old school Democrat.

PAT: How is he getting past that, Matt?

GLENN: It's old-school Democrat.

PAT: Is he just saying that the governor doesn't decide that anyway? Is that how he's getting around that issue?

MATT: He refuses to answer that question when asked. He was asked point-blank, would he defund Planned Parenthood? He refuses to answer. I've made very clear that I would defund that, no question about it. There's no reason why our taxpayer dollars -- we spend a $500 million a year subsidizing an organization that turns around and spends millions of dollars electing liberals who are like Jack Conway. We don't need more liberals being paid with our tax dollars to jam ideology down our throats that we don't agree with. I think it's time to dismiss all of these people from their influence in wagging the dog of American politics.

GLENN: So you've run twice now? You've gotten our hopes up twice. There will be no third time, Matt.

(laughter)

JEFFY: Amen.

PAT: So are you saying Kentucky and Matt are dead to us?

GLENN: He's dead to us, if he loses.

MATT: You know, and I'm grateful to you because you do it the same every day. I have put my heart and soul into this. I've put every ounce of my time, talent, and treasure that I have on the line for this state and, frankly, for this nation. I believe in the exceptionalism of America. I served this nation. I served with guys who gave I went back. And it kills me that not even a third of us are going to even bother to vote today in Kentucky. That we're so apathetic that we don't take this seriously. I love America. And I have given what I can, some modern day equivalent of my life, fortune, and sacred honor to ensure that we have a better future. And I just challenge the listeners in Kentucky, get to the polls. For all of you not in Kentucky, when your time is at the ballot box, do your civic duty. Honor the legacy of those who have given everything for us to have this opportunity.

GLENN: And if I may say, if you're in Indiana or Ohio, just go vote anyway in Kentucky.

PAT: Maybe you've died in the past five years. Go ahead and vote.

GLENN: Maybe you have a dead relative who hasn't been taken off the books, I mean, there's no problem with that.

MATT: Sadly, it has been known to happen.

GLENN: I know.

PAT: I know.

GLENN: Matt, we wish you the best of luck.

PAT: Good luck. Please win.

GLENN: We hope to hear from you tomorrow giving us good news. And if we don't hear from you tomorrow, we'll know that you're dead to us.

PAT: And so is your state.

MATT: I'm still going to love you guys. I'm grateful to you. I really am. Thank you so much.

GLENN: We love you too. We really respect you, Matt.

PAT: All right. Thanks. Good luck. Yeah, Mattbevin.com. Check it out.

GLENN: Thanks a lot, Matt.

'Rage against the dying of the light': Charlie Kirk lived that mandate

PHILL MAGAKOE / Contributor | Getty Images

Kirk’s tragic death challenges us to rise above fear and anger, to rebuild bridges where others build walls, and to fight for the America he believed in.

I’ve only felt this weight once before. It was 2001, just as my radio show was about to begin. The World Trade Center fell, and I was called to speak immediately. I spent the day and night by my bedside, praying for words that could meet the moment.

Yesterday, I found myself in the same position. September 11, 2025. The assassination of Charlie Kirk. A friend. A warrior for truth.

Out of this tragedy, the tyrant dies, but the martyr’s influence begins.

Moments like this make words feel inadequate. Yet sometimes, words from another time speak directly to our own. In 1947, Dylan Thomas, watching his father slip toward death, penned lines that now resonate far beyond his own grief:

Do not go gentle into that good night. / Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Thomas was pleading for his father to resist the impending darkness of death. But those words have become a mandate for all of us: Do not surrender. Do not bow to shadows. Even when the battle feels unwinnable.

Charlie Kirk lived that mandate. He knew the cost of speaking unpopular truths. He knew the fury of those who sought to silence him. And yet he pressed on. In his life, he embodied a defiance rooted not in anger, but in principle.

Picking up his torch

Washington, Jefferson, Adams — our history was started by men who raged against an empire, knowing the gallows might await. Lincoln raged against slavery. Martin Luther King Jr. raged against segregation. Every generation faces a call to resist surrender.

It is our turn. Charlie’s violent death feels like a knockout punch. Yet if his life meant anything, it means this: Silence in the face of darkness is not an option.

He did not go gently. He spoke. He challenged. He stood. And now, the mantle falls to us. To me. To you. To every American.

We cannot drift into the shadows. We cannot sit quietly while freedom fades. This is our moment to rage — not with hatred, not with vengeance, but with courage. Rage against lies, against apathy, against the despair that tells us to do nothing. Because there is always something you can do.

Even small acts — defiance, faith, kindness — are light in the darkness. Reaching out to those who mourn. Speaking truth in a world drowning in deceit. These are the flames that hold back the night. Charlie carried that torch. He laid it down yesterday. It is ours to pick up.

The light may dim, but it always does before dawn. Commit today: I will not sleep as freedom fades. I will not retreat as darkness encroaches. I will not be silent as evil forces claim dominion. I have no king but Christ. And I know whom I serve, as did Charlie.

Two turning points, decades apart

On Wednesday, the world changed again. Two tragedies, separated by decades, bound by the same question: Who are we? Is this worth saving? What kind of people will we choose to be?

Imagine a world where more of us choose to be peacemakers. Not passive, not silent, but builders of bridges where others erect walls. Respect and listening transform even the bitterest of foes. Charlie Kirk embodied this principle.

He did not strike the weak; he challenged the powerful. He reached across divides of politics, culture, and faith. He changed hearts. He sparked healing. And healing is what our nation needs.

At the center of all this is one truth: Every person is a child of God, deserving of dignity. Change will not happen in Washington or on social media. It begins at home, where loneliness and isolation threaten our souls. Family is the antidote. Imperfect, yes — but still the strongest source of stability and meaning.

Mark Wilson / Staff | Getty Images

Forgiveness, fidelity, faithfulness, and honor are not dusty words. They are the foundation of civilization. Strong families produce strong citizens. And today, Charlie’s family mourns. They must become our family too. We must stand as guardians of his legacy, shining examples of the courage he lived by.

A time for courage

I knew Charlie. I know how he would want us to respond: Multiply his courage. Out of this tragedy, the tyrant dies, but the martyr’s influence begins. Out of darkness, great and glorious things will sprout — but we must be worthy of them.

Charlie Kirk lived defiantly. He stood in truth. He changed the world. And now, his torch is in our hands. Rage, not in violence, but in unwavering pursuit of truth and goodness. Rage against the dying of the light.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

Glenn Beck resurrects the 9-12 Project to support Charlie Kirk's family

Glenn Beck is once again calling on his loyal listeners and viewers to come together and channel the same unity and purpose that defined the historic 9-12 Project. That movement, born in the wake of national challenges, brought millions together to revive core values of faith, hope, and charity.

Glenn created the original 9-12 Project in early 2009 to bring Americans back to where they were in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. In those moments, we weren't Democrats and Republicans, conservative or liberal, Red States or Blue States, we were united as one, as America. The original 9-12 Project aimed to root America back in the founding principles of this country that united us during those darkest of days.

This new initiative draws directly from that legacy, focusing on supporting the family of Charlie Kirk in these dark days following his tragic murder.

The revival of the 9-12 Project aims to secure the long-term well-being of Charlie Kirk's wife and children. All donations will go straight to meeting their immediate and future needs. If the family deems the funds surplus to their requirements, Charlie's wife has the option to redirect them toward the vital work of Turning Point USA.

This campaign is more than just financial support—it's a profound gesture of appreciation for Kirk's tireless dedication to the cause of liberty. It embodies the unbreakable bond of our community, proving that when we stand united, we can make a real difference.
Glenn Beck invites you to join this effort. Show your solidarity by donating today and honoring Charlie Kirk and his family in this meaningful way.

You can learn more about the 9-12 Project and donate HERE

The critical difference: Rights from the Creator, not the state

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

When politicians claim that rights flow from the state, they pave the way for tyranny.

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) recently delivered a lecture that should alarm every American. During a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, he argued that believing rights come from a Creator rather than government is the same belief held by Iran’s theocratic regime.

Kaine claimed that the principles underpinning Iran’s dictatorship — the same regime that persecutes Sunnis, Jews, Christians, and other minorities — are also the principles enshrined in our Declaration of Independence.

In America, rights belong to the individual. In Iran, rights serve the state.

That claim exposes either a profound misunderstanding or a reckless indifference to America’s founding. Rights do not come from government. They never did. They come from the Creator, as the Declaration of Independence proclaims without qualification. Jefferson didn’t hedge. Rights are unalienable — built into every human being.

This foundation stands worlds apart from Iran. Its leaders invoke God but grant rights only through clerical interpretation. Freedom of speech, property, religion, and even life itself depend on obedience to the ruling clerics. Step outside their dictates, and those so-called rights vanish.

This is not a trivial difference. It is the essence of liberty versus tyranny. In America, rights belong to the individual. The government’s role is to secure them, not define them. In Iran, rights serve the state. They empower rulers, not the people.

From Muhammad to Marx

The same confusion applies to Marxist regimes. The Soviet Union’s constitutions promised citizens rights — work, health care, education, freedom of speech — but always with fine print. If you spoke out against the party, those rights evaporated. If you practiced religion openly, you were charged with treason. Property and voting were allowed as long as they were filtered and controlled by the state — and could be revoked at any moment. Rights were conditional, granted through obedience.

Kaine seems to be advocating a similar approach — whether consciously or not. By claiming that natural rights are somehow comparable to sharia law, he ignores the critical distinction between inherent rights and conditional privileges. He dismisses the very principle that made America a beacon of freedom.

Jefferson and the founders understood this clearly. “We are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights,” they wrote. No government, no cleric, no king can revoke them. They exist by virtue of humanity itself. The government exists to protect them, not ration them.

This is not a theological quibble. It is the entire basis of our government. Confuse the source of rights, and tyranny hides behind piety or ideology. The people are disempowered. Clerics, bureaucrats, or politicians become arbiters of what rights citizens may enjoy.

John Greim / Contributor | Getty Images

Gifts from God, not the state

Kaine’s statement reflects either a profound ignorance of this principle or an ideological bias that favors state power over individual liberty. Either way, Americans must recognize the danger. Understanding the origin of rights is not academic — it is the difference between freedom and submission, between the American experiment and theocratic or totalitarian rule.

Rights are not gifts from the state. They are gifts from God, secured by reason, protected by law, and defended by the people. Every American must understand this. Because when rights come from government instead of the Creator, freedom disappears.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

POLL: Is America’s next generation trading freedom for equity?

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A recent poll conducted by Justin Haskins, a long-time friend of the show, has uncovered alarming trends among young Americans aged 18-39, revealing a generation grappling with deep frustrations over economic hardships, housing affordability, and a perceived rigged system that favors the wealthy, corporations, and older generations. While nearly half of these likely voters approve of President Trump, seeing him as an anti-establishment figure, over 70% support nationalizing major industries, such as healthcare, energy, and big tech, to promote "equity." Shockingly, 53% want a democratic socialist to win the 2028 presidential election, including a third of Trump voters and conservatives in this age group. Many cite skyrocketing housing costs, unfair taxation on the middle class, and a sense of being "stuck" or in crisis as driving forces, with 62% believing the economy is tilted against them and 55% backing laws to confiscate "excess wealth" like second homes or luxury items to help first-time buyers.

This blend of Trump support and socialist leanings suggests a volatile mix: admiration for disruptors who challenge the status quo, coupled with a desire for radical redistribution to address personal struggles. Yet, it raises profound questions about the roots of this discontent—Is it a failure of education on history's lessons about socialism's failures? Media indoctrination? Or genuine systemic barriers? And what does it portend for the nation’s trajectory—greater division, a shift toward authoritarian policies, or an opportunity for renewal through timeless values like hard work and individual responsibility?

Glenn wants to know what YOU think: Where do Gen Z's socialist sympathies come from? What does it mean for the future of America? Make your voice heard in the poll below:

Do you believe the Gen Z support for socialism comes from perceived economic frustrations like unaffordable housing and a rigged system favoring the wealthy and corporations?

Do you believe the Gen Z support for socialism, including many Trump supporters, is due to a lack of education about the historical failures of socialist systems?

Do you think that these poll results indicate a growing generational divide that could lead to more political instability and authoritarian tendencies in America's future?

Do you think that this poll implies that America's long-term stability relies on older generations teaching Gen Z and younger to prioritize self-reliance, free-market ideals, and personal accountability?

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