OPINION | This article contains the author's opinion.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear is facing a tough reelection battle, struggling to prove that the Democratic Party still has support in traditionally Republican areas.
“I love the people of this county. I love the people of this region,” Beshear said to an audience. “And I’m going to keep every single promise that I’ve made to you.”
His opponent, state Attorney General Daniel Cameron, is trying to connect Beshear to the currently unpopular President Joe Biden.
I am proud to be endorsed by President Trump. He knows I'll always fight for Kentucky, defend our law enforcement community, and protect our kids. Andy never will.
Before we run Biden out of the White House next year, we're going to run Andy out of our state house this year. pic.twitter.com/saPRRyF6Yq
— Daniel Cameron (@DanielCameronAG) October 31, 2023
“I know there’s a lot of folks here that want to make sure we get Joe Biden out of the White House. But before we do that, let’s remove Andy Beshear from the statehouse,” Cameron said in a speech.
Republicans are hoping that Biden’s increasing lack of approval will sway voters in their favor.
Beshear is focusing on state-level issues and adopting a bipartisan approach, while Cameron is mobilizing the Republican base with a nationalized campaign.
“You’ve got two totally different strategies,” said Republican secretary of state Michael Adams. “Beshear’s strategy is a more traditional strategy: Hold your base and reach out to the center. And the attorney general’s strategy is really more about base mobilization. And they both have precedents on their side to support their approach.”
“He’s trying to confuse people, to make them think that this is the race for president,” Beshear argued. “It’s not.”
“The other side’s trying to make this a race about Washington, D.C.,” former state representative Rocky Adkins stated. “I don’t think that’s going to work at all because of the job performance from this governor. He’s well-liked. He’s produced. He’s gotten results. He’s done it with common sense.”
The outcome of the election will provide insight into the political landscape heading into 2024 and the influence of national politics on local races.
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