Attorney General Daniel Cameron made history by becoming the first Black gubernatorial nominee in the history of Kentucky, reports NBC News. In the November election, he will seek to unseat Kentucky's Gov. Andy Beshear, a democrat.
After an endorsement from former President Donald Trump, Cameron came out victorious in a primary field that featured 12 candidates including Kelly Craft, who was appointed by Trump as U.N. ambassador and is a top Republican donor.
According to reports, Cameron had 45.4 percent to Craft’s 17.6 percent of the vote on Tuesday.
After his victory, Cameron has solidified himself as one of the GOP’s rising stars.
“Daniel has a strong case for being the advocate for people who feel like they were disenfranchised or not listened to or just trampled upon during COVID,” said Scott Jennings, a prominent Republican consultant. “I mean small business owners, churches and parents. There’s a lot of people out there that are still pretty sore about that.”
Although defeating an incumbent is a difficult task, Jennings believes that because Beshear's unpopularity, Cameron has a legitimate chance to win the November election.
“The most bipartisan thing Matt Bevin ever did was be disliked by everybody in both parties,” Jennings said. “People just didn’t like the guy and Daniel does not have that problem.”
In preparation for November, Beshear has amassed $7 million for the general election, and the Democratic Governors Association has stated that the Kentucky race is a top priority. Beshear is the only Democratic runner for governor in the state on the 2023 ballot.
Because of his leadership during the pandemic and how he's handled the tragic effects of mass shootings, Democrats argue that Beshear is the leader that Kentucky needs.
“He has been a rock solid governor, he has led the state with integrity and with dignity, he has ushered in a dramatic transformation in terms of our economy,” said Colmon Elridge, the chair of the state's Democratic Party.
Trey Grayson, who formerly served as the Republican Secretary of State in Kentucky, said that the state is essential to the GOP's national message.
“The swing suburbs of Pennsylvania look like the swing suburbs of Kentucky,” he said.
