LOUISVILLE — After a heated and expensive campaign, Kentucky voters have decided — they’ve given Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear another four-year term.
The governor won the election against his Republican challenger, Attorney General Daniel Cameron with 53% to Cameron’s 47% of the vote, according to unofficial returns. The Associated Press called the race at about 9 p.m.
Beshear, 45, ran a campaign highlighting his leadership through difficult times — devastating floods in Eastern Kentucky and tornadoes in Western Kentucky, as well as the coronavirus pandemic, during which he held daily press conferences speaking to Kentuckians virtually in their homes. The governor also consistently expressed optimism about Kentucky’s future, pointing to economic growth during his administration, new businesses opening and infrastructure projects in progress, such as the Brent Spence Bridge in Northern Kentucky.
The Democrat’s win sets the stage for his strained relationship with the Republican-controlled General Assembly in Frankfort to continue, ahead of a state budget session to begin in January. On the campaign trail, GOP lawmakers and Cameron often criticized the governor for vetoing their legislation, though Republicans have overridden his vetoes. Beshear often emphasizes bipartisanship as a response, noting he has frequently signed lawmakers’ legislation.
The win also shows that Kentuckians are not entirely red at the state level, as Democrats have continued to hold the state’s highest office, despite twice overwhelmingly voting for Republican Donald Trump for president. Trump endorsed Cameron and held a “tele-rally” conference call with Cameron on Monday night.
The gubernatorial election was an expensive race. Together, the two campaigns and outside groups spent $65 million to sway voters.
This article is republished under a Creative Commons license from Kentucky Lantern, which is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Kentucky Lantern maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jamie Lucke for questions: info@kentuckylantern.com. Follow Kentucky Lantern on Facebook and Twitter.
McKenna Horsley covers state politics for the Kentucky Lantern. She previously worked for newspapers in Huntington, West Virginia, and Frankfort, Kentucky. She is from northeastern Kentucky.
