- Kentucky’s Democratic Governor Andy Beshear is expected to win re-election in the deep-red southern state
- Beshear faced the state’s Republican attorney general, Daniel Cameron
- Cameron is said to have been the state’s first black governor
Democrats scored a major victory on Tuesday, with Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear expected to win re-election over Republican Daniel Cameron, the state’s attorney general.
The race was on called from NBC News before Beshear, shortly before 9 p.m., Beshear led Cameron — considered a rising star of the Republican Party — by about 4 points.
The race in Kentucky was one of two tests for Democrats in this off-year election to determine whether they can win in deep-red Southern states.
In the other race – in Mississippi – incumbent Republican Governor Tate Reeves is running against Elvis Presley’s second cousin, Brandon.
Furthermore, for the past five election cycles, the winner of Kentucky’s gubernatorial race has predicted which party will win the following year’s presidential race.
Andy Beshear, Kentucky’s Democratic governor, is one of only two statewide elected Democrats in the state
The Republican gubernatorial candidate, Attorney General Daniel Cameron, was a candidate who made history for the Republican Party
Beshear is Kentucky political royalty, the son of the state’s former Democratic governor, Steve Beshear.
He was first elected in 2019 — a race that predicted President Joe Biden’s 2020 victory.
Beshear and Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman are the only Democratic statewide elected officials.
The state has two Republican senators — Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Sen. Rand Paul — and went for former President Donald Trump by about 26 points over President Joe Biden in the 2020 election.
Cameron, the state’s first black attorney general, would have made history as the first black governor of the Bluegrass State.
Beshear is popular in the state and has kept President Joe Biden – who is unpopular in Kentucky – at arm’s length.
Beshear told Fox News on Monday that his gubernatorial race has “nothing to do” with the unpopular Democratic president.
“The governor’s race has nothing to do with who is in the White House. It has to do with what’s happening in your home. It has to do with getting good jobs. We are having the second and third best payroll years in our history. “It’s about expanding health care so you don’t have to drive two hours or take two buses to see a doctor,” Beshear told Fox.
Republicans had better luck in down-ticket races, with Republican Russell Coleman winning the attorney general’s race over Democrat Pamela Stevenson.
In addition, Republican Michael Adams defeated Democrat Charles Wheatley in the election for Kentucky Secretary of State.
