Republican gubernatorial candidate Daniel Cameron made a campaign stop in Bowling Green Monday afternoon and made his case for why he should replace incumbent Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear.
The Kentucky attorney general spoke to supporters at the Hyatt Place Hotel, near the campus of Western Kentucky University. The Republican attacked Gov. Beshear, calling him the “shutdown governor,” for his pandemic policies related to the closings of businesses, churches, and schools.
“Since he became governor, violent crime has been high, and the workforce participation rate has been low,” Cameron said of Beshear.
Speaking to reporters after the event, Cameron was asked how he plans to appeal to teachers, many of whom supported Beshear in the 2019 gubernatorial contest.
“We certainly believe that teachers have a home in the Republican Party and want to make sure that we do everything we possibly can to let them know that. That’s why we put out a framework for an education plan here in Kentucky, one in which we want to increase starting pay for teachers. We want to remove some of the bureaucracy that they have to deal with, and some of the paperwork they have to deal with as well.”
Cameron also made a stop Morning morning at Vibe Coffee in Elizabethtown and spoke to supporters at Reid’s Orchard in Owensboro following his stop in Bowling Green.
Both candidates for governor have now visited Bowling Green since last month’s primary, with Gov. Beshear making a campaign stop May 19 at Spencer’s coffeeshop in the city’s downtown.
Impact of Breonna Taylor death, investigation
Kentucky’s Republican nominee for governor is coming under fire from racial justice advocates on what would have been the 30th birthday of Breonna Taylor.
The unarmed Black Louisville resident was shot by police during a botched raid on her apartment in 2020. None of the three officers who fired their weapons was charged in Taylor’s death following an investigation by Attorney General Cameron.
A group of local and national activists, and Taylor’s mother, have announced a voter engagement effort aimed against Cameron’s bid for governor.
Cameron was asked about the issue Monday in Bowling Green.
“What happened to Ms. Taylor — I haven’t heard a person in Kentucky who does not describe what happened as a tragedy. My responsibility as the attorney general is to defend the laws and apply the laws that exist here in the commonwealth of Kentucky. I’ve often told people I’m going to do my job without fear or favor,” Cameron said.
The decision by Cameron’s office to not bring charges in connection with Taylor’s death came under increased scrutiny following an August announcement by the U.S. Department of Justice that the federal agency would bring charges against four officers involved Taylor’s death, including obstruction and civil rights violations.
The statewide effort announced by Taylor’s mother and activists is aimed at registering new voters.
Organizers say they plan to open two offices in Louisville and Lexington.
This story is republished with permission from WKYU. Read the original.
Kevin Willis is the news director at WKYU Public Radio at Western Kentucky University. He has been with the station since 1999. He is a broadcast journalism graduate of WKU and has won numerous awards for his reporting and feature production.
