Incumbent Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear won reelection for a second term Tuesday night, fending off a challenge from Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron in a tightly contested race with national attention.
The Associated Press called the race for Beshear with 80% of the vote in. At that point, Beshear had 53.2% of the vote to 46.8% for Cameron. Cameron drew his support from rural voters across the rest of the state.
Polling showed Beshear consistently ahead of his challenger for much of the race until it tightened in the last days. The Democratic governor has drawn high approval ratings from his state during his tenure, making him one of the most popular governors in the country.
Running as a moderate Democrat in a red state, Beshear campaigned on what he regularly called an “on fire” Kentucky economy, major infrastructure projects like a Brent Spence companion bridge and bipartisan legislation that he signed, including measures on medical marijuana and sports gambling.
He criticized Cameron’s defense of Kentucky’s abortion ban, which does not include exceptions for rape and incest.
Cameron, who succeeded Beshear as Kentucky’s attorney general, focused on public safety, a plan to catch up students from learning loss and a controversial anti-trans bill passed by the General Assembly over Beshear’s veto.
He frequently criticized Beshear’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and worked to tie Beshear to President Joe Biden.
The outcome gives divided government another stamp of voter approval in Kentucky, as Republicans hold supermajorities in both chambers of the legislature and continue to dominate the state’s congressional delegation, including both U.S. Senate seats.
Beshear’s victory sustains a family dynasty that has repeatedly defied the Bluegrass State’s tilt toward the GOP. His father, Steve Beshear, is a popular former two-term governor. By the end of Andy Beshear’s second four-year term, a Beshear will have presided in the Kentucky governor’s office for 16 of the last 20 years.
The win, which took place in increasingly difficult political terrain, could position the younger Beshear to join a growing list of Democratic governors flagged as potential contenders for higher office nationally.
In the end, Cameron was unable to overcome the personal popularity of Beshear, who became a living room fixture across Kentucky with his press conferences during the height of the pandemic. From those briefings, Beshear became known to many Kentuckians as much by his first name as his last. His updates were part reassuring pep talk and part sermon on how to contain the virus.
Reaction poured in after Beshear's victory.
The White House press office said, President Joe Biden spoke with Andy Beshear to congratulate him on his reelection win tonight.
Democratic National Committee chair Jaime Harrison said, “I am thrilled to congratulate Governor Andy Beshear on his reelection win tonight. Governor Beshear made clear his race was about vision versus division, and voters chose to send his steady, thoughtful leadership back to the Governor’s Mansion so he can continue to focus on growing the economy, investing in infrastructure, lowering costs, and keeping families safe. While his Trump-endorsed MAGA Republican opponent supported extreme abortion bans with no exceptions for rape or incest, Kentucky voters delivered a major rejection of that anti-choice agenda."
Continuing a trend from Beshear’s first election as governor, Republicans held onto the other five statewide executive offices. Secretary of State Michael Adams cruised to re-election. Russell Coleman will succeed Cameron in the attorney general’s office, and Mark Metcalf will be the new state treasurer. Allison Ball, who was term-limited as treasurer, won her race for state auditor and Jonathan Shell is the new commissioner of agriculture.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.