Democrats saw a big win Tuesday with Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear winning reelection over Republican Daniel Cameron, the state’s attorney general.
The race was called for Beshear before 9 p.m. Tuesday, with Beshear leading Cameron by more than five points.
The Kentucky race was one of two tests for Democrats in these off-off-year elections on whether they can win in deep red southern states.
The other race – in Mississippi – is pitting Republican incumbent Gov. Tate Reeves against Elvis Presley’s second cousin, Brandon.
Additionally, the winner of the Kentucky governor’s race has predicted which party will win the presidential race the following year for the past five election cycles.
Kentucky’s Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear was reelected Tuesday night in a good sign for the Democratic Party in deep red parts of the south
Republican gubernatorial candidate, Attorney General Daniel Cameron, was a history-making candidate for the GOP and would have been Kentucky’s first black governor
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 win.
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 around 26 points over President Joe Biden in the 2020 election.
Cameron, the state’s first black attorney general, would have made history as the Bluegrass State’s first black governor.
Beshear has been popular in the state and has held President Joe Biden – who isn’t popular in Kentucky – at arm’s length.
Beshear told Fox News Monday that his gubernatorial race ‘has nothing to do’ with the unpopular Democratic president.
‘The governor’s race has nothing to do with who’s in the White House. It has to do with what’s going on in your house. It has to do with bringing in good jobs. We’ve got the second and third-best years for wages 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.
Additionally, Republican Michael Adams beat Democrat Charles Wheatley in Kentucky’s secretary of state race.
