In a closely contested election, Andy Beshear won another term as governor of Kentucky and defeated Daniel Cameron , the state's attorney general. The Democrat survived the polls in a red state where the GOP hoped to regain the governorship and gain momentum heading into 2024.
The Democrat resumed his habit of winning extremely close elections, which he did in 2015, 2019 and now in 2023, when he retained his position against the protégé of Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell .
Even though polls showed the race becoming increasingly close, Beshear slightly stretched his margin of victory from the previous election. In this way, he remains one of the two Democrats governing in red states nationwide, now teaming up with Laura Kelly of Kansas after the Republican victory in Louisiana.
Its focus on local problems was stronger than the nationalization of the election promoted by the local GOP, which tried to tie it as much as possible to Joe Biden.
Who is Andy Beshar?
After spending many years in his career as a lawyer, the Democrat entered politics in 2015 and managed to become state attorney general thanks to the 2,000 votes by which he surpassed Republican Whitney Westerfield.
After four years in office, Beshear managed to win the governorship in 2019, narrowing the difference in counties where Trump swept in 2016 and even had the luxury of turning several points on the electoral map blue. He defeated incumbent Matt Bevin by 0.37 percentage points, flipping 11 counties from the 2015 election. His victory was marked by the following formula: good differences in large cities, victories in key suburbs and a not very large difference in rural counties.
His political agenda did not differ much from that of Democrats nationally, as he is pro-abortion, against charter schools and encouraged closures during the pandemic, although he is also not in favor of restricting the Second Amendment.
Kentucky's motto is "united we stand, divided we fall."
I’ve always worked to be a governor for all people—no matter their party or background. Everyone deserves to live happy and healthy here in the Commonwealth.
That's worth fighting for. pic.twitter.com/haxTcpOlHZ
— Andy Beshear (@AndyBeshearKY) November 7, 2023
Did Kentucky elect a future president?
“If Beshear wins, he will instantly become part of the discussion on the 28th . A young, charismatic Democrat who won twice in a deeply red state? There will be a lot of talk ,” David Axelrod told POLITICO, so if he is at least right about the Democrat’s intentions, the state could be securing a next candidate for president.
The Republicans won the other elections
The state GOP won the rest of the races. Russell Coleman and Michael Adams won their respective elections and will serve as attorney general and secretary of state beginning in 2024.
