States take up governor’s races debating key issues such as abortion
Voters will head to the polls to decide on governor’s races to abortion. This election can give a look into what the 2024 presidential race holds.
- Andy Beshear is Kentucky’s current governor, a Democrat who has promoted his economic wins and bipartisan appeal during the campaign.
- Daniel Cameron is Kentucky’s attorney general, a Republican with former President Donald Trump’s endorsement who worked to tie his opponent to President Joe Biden.
In the blue corner, an incumbent Democrat governor hoping a series of economic wins and familiarity with voters drive him to a victory. And in the red corner, an attorney general hoping rising GOP registration numbers and four years of promoting Republican policies help him win.
Election Day is here, and one of these two candidates — Democrat Andy Beshear or Republican Daniel Cameron — is set to spend the next four years as Kentucky’s governor.
At 7:15 pm, election night reporting from the secretary of state’s office had Beshear leading with 60% support, with just about 178,000 total votes counted.
Beshear is the Democrats’ nominee — he’s spent the past four years as governor leading the state through the COVID-19 pandemic and through the aftermath of the 2021 tornadoes in Western Kentucky and 2022 floods in the east, while working to bring new business to the commonwealth.
Cameron, meanwhile, is his Republican challenger — as the state’s attorney general, he pushed back against some of Beshear’s moves during the pandemic and promoted himself as a candidate who has strong relationships with the legislature and a plan to reduce crime in Kentucky.
Polls close Tuesday at 6 pm across the state, with a winner likely to be announced that night. The Courier Journal will update this story with results and reactions.
Election results: Follow the race for governor and other offices here
Cameron and Beshear took part in five debates leading up to Tuesday’s election, with Beshear framing his opponent as “the most partisan candidate we have seen in a long time” and Cameron describing the race as one that pits “crazy vs. normal.”
Beshear has led in most polls, but his perceived advantage is tightening. While an aggregation of polls at fivethirtyeight.com has had Beshear in the lead for most of the summer and fall, a new poll released Friday by Emerson College Polling found the two are in a dead heat.
Cameron has worked to tie his opponent to President Joe Biden, an unpopular figure in Kentucky, while touting his endorsement from former President Donald Trump, who took part in a tele-rally Monday night for the GOP. In turn, Beshear has tried to promote a message that Kentucky voters are familiar with him and his “Team Kentucky” bipartisan track record.
Election results: Follow state and Louisville races by clicking here
The stakes are high for each candidate. A win by either would secure them as a potential rising star in their party who could someday seek national office or a role in Washington, DC Both have publicly committed to serving all four years as governor if elected.
This story will be updated.
Reach Lucas Aulbach at [email protected].
