How the country’s most impressive stallions line up to compete this year Kentucky Derby on Saturday, another competitive race will reach its final stretch in the Bluegrass State: the heated Republican primary to decide who will face Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear in November.
Beshear, one of the few in the country Democratic governors from a deep red state, is running for re-election after a first four-year term that has surprisingly seen him become one of the most popular governors in the country, given the sharp political divide facing the nation, according to polls.
Three Republican candidates have separated from the full field of 12 candidates hoping to win the GOP nomination. But with thin polls showing no clear front-runner among the trio, each has just 10 more days to make their case to Kentucky Republicans about why they are the best chance to turn the governor’s mansion red.
Fox News Digital spoke with former U.N. Ambassador Kelly Craft, state Attorney General Daniel Cameron and state Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles as they prepare for a final push to win over voters, and no one lacked the confidence that they were the best positioned to be the first. he will reach the finish line on Tuesday, May 16.
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“I have invested my time in going and meeting people at the right time. And when you invest in people, when you sit down and listen to people, Kentuckians are very smart. If you haven’t heard it, they know by the questions you ask them. So I’ve been investing in Kentuckians,” Craft told Fox.
“Like I said, in September I’m going to go in there and do my best, because Kentucky is worth it. I’ve never forgotten where I came from,” he added. “I got the American dream, the promise of Kentucky, just like my husband. . . . We’ve won everything we’ve ever had. And it’s not about this election, it’s about the generations to come. And that’s why I’m there.”
Quarles highlighted his effort to win over undecided Republicans statewide through a strategy that avoided negative attacks, a “smart” approach to the issues. against the Kentuckiansand a strong “old” grassroots organization.
“I think my path to victory is getting clearer every day,” he told Fox, touting his connection to Kentuckians and farmers during his eight-year tenure as agriculture commissioner. . “I think we’re peaking at the right time in this race, which is our grassroots, our media plan and our travel schedule all coming together.”
Cameron told Fox that Kentucky Republicans understood he was the true conservative candidate in the race. “They understand who has been fighting for them for these last three years, and they understand who has been endorsed by Donald J. Trump. And this is me,” he said.
“I think we’re going to continue to extend our lead and come out of this primary very strong, be the nominee and be ready to beat Andy Beshear in November,” he added.
Each of the candidates has been largely out of step on many of the most talked-about issues during the campaign, including addressing Kentucky’s fentanyl crisis and its connection to border issues facing the country as a whole . All have also been highly critical of Beshear’s tenure, specifically her handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and gender-related issues. Beshear recently garnered critical acclaim of the three to veto a bill that would have banned gender reassignment surgeries on children.
Each has also tried to raise other individual issues they feel need to be addressed statewide.
Craft, touting the more than 100 kitchen table meetings he’s held since launching his campaign, has emphasized the need to overhaul Kentucky’s. educative system improve its competitiveness with those of other states, starting with the removal of the state’s education commissioner.
Quarles has published a series of ‘Common Sense Plans’ which have focused on a number of specific issues, including addressing mental health impairments and legalize medical marijuana.
Cameron has gone after a series of “woke” issues, but has specifically promised to keep it Environmental, Social and Corporate Governanceor ESG, the investment standards for Kentucky pension plans, and has asked the other candidates to commit to doing the same.
However, solutions to Kentuckians’ problems have not been the only focus of the race, as the campaigns of Cameron and Craft and the outside organizations that support them, more and more confronted with attack ads aimed at each other.
Attacks by Craft’s campaign and allies have included claims that Cameron, in his role as attorney general, allowed a “woke” Justice Department to “take over” the Louisville Police Department to investigate alleged constitutional violations after the death of Breonna Taylor in 2020, something Cameron called “a complete lie”.
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A group supporting Cameron published an ad calling Craft “desperate” for her attacks on him. He also announced the above That of President Donald Trump Cameron’s endorsement of Craft by noting that she served in the former president’s administration as ambassador to Canada and later to the UN, but did not receive his endorsement. Trump, however, endorsed Cameron before Craft entered the race.
Other endorsements have begun to come amid the attacks, with the latest being the Republican senator from Texas. Ted Cruz’s Craft support earlier this week. It also has the support of House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., as well as several Kentucky state lawmakers and other local officials.
Former All-American swimmer from the University of Kentucky Riley Gainesa well-known critic of biological males competing in women’s sports, has also joined Craft in the campaign.
Aside from the much-coveted support Cameron has from Trump, he also has the support of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America and several local law enforcement officials.
Quarles has been endorsed by a majority of Kentucky farmers and 235 local elected officials, including one-third of all county judge executives.
Early in-person voting for the primaries will take place from Thursday, May 11 to Saturday, May 13. The polls will be open on the day of the primaries, Tuesday, May 16, from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm local time.
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The winner will likely face Beshear, who is expected to win easily Democratic nominationon Tuesday, November 7 in the general election.
