FANCY FARM, Ky. — Close to 20 political candidates and officeholders are expected to give speeches at this year’s Fancy Farm Picnic in Graves County, widely considered Kentucky’s political Super Bowl. 

What You Need To Know

  • Close to 20 people are signed up to give speeches at this year’s Fancy Farm Picnic

  • They include candidates and current officeholders

  • Each person will have between two and six minutes to speak

  • The speeches begin Saturday at 2 p.m. Central/3 p.m. Eastern

For the first time since he was elected governor, Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear will address the crowd at St. Jerome Catholic Church. 

On Wednesday, he promised to share his vision for a second term with those gathered in Graves County.

“Fancy Farm is supposed to be good fun, a time where people throw out zingers, but it also ought to be the time where people tell the Commonwealth of Kentucky what they’ll actually do as governor,” Beshear said in his Team Kentucky update.

Supporters cheer for Sen. Rand Paul during his speech at Fancy Farm in 2022. Paul is not attending this year, organizers said. (Spectrum News 1/Joe Ragusa)

UofL Political Science Professor Dewey Clayton said he expects Beshear’s opponent, Republican gubernatorial candidate Attorney General Daniel Cameron, to go on the offensive more and tout his record, including taking on Beshear during the pandemic.  

“One of the things he probably will move into is the culture wars,” said Clayton. “He’s done a lot with trying to restrict abortion in the state, and telling the Kentucky people that… he is the real candidate here with true Kentucky conservative values and not Gov. Beshear. So I think… we should expect to hear a lot of that.”

The speakers include members of Kentucky’s congressional delegation, current officeholders and candidates for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, auditor, secretary of state, agriculture commissioner and treasurer.

“The main focus, honestly, is going to be at the top of the ticket,” Clayton said. “The lieutenant governor candidates, they will be speaking as well, but all eyes statewide and particularly out of state as well, because this race has a lot of national implications.”

Speakers confirmed as of Aug. 3 are:

  • State Rep. Richard Heath (R, Mayfield)
  • State Sen. Jason Howell (R, Murray)
  • Andy Beshear (D, Incumbent candidate for governor)
  • Daniel Cameron (R, Candidate for governor)
  • Rep. James Comer (R, Kentucky)
  • Jacqueline Coleman (D, Incumbent candidate for lt. governor)
  • Robby Mills (R, Candidate for lt. governor)
  • Russell Coleman (R, Candidate for attorney general)
  • Pamela Stevenson (D, Candidate for attorney general)
  • Auditor Mike Harmon (R, Kentucky)
  • Allison Ball (R, Candidate for auditor)
  • Kim Reeder (D, Candidate for auditor)
  • Michael Adams (R, Incumbent candidate for secretary of state)
  • Buddy Wheatley (D, Candidate for secretary of state)
  • Ag. Commissioner Ryan Quarles (R, Kentucky)
  • Jonathan Shell (R, Candidate for ag. commissioner)
  • Sierra Enlow (D, Candidate for ag. commissioner)
  • Mark Metcalf (R, Candidate for treasurer)
  • Michael Bowman (D, Candidate for treasurer)

The speeches get under way Saturday at 2 p.m. Central/3 p.m. Eastern, and speakers will get anywhere from two to six minutes at the microphone. Attendees on both sides of the aisle are encouraged to loudly voice their support—or lack thereof—for each candidate during the speeches.

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R, Kentucky) has not yet confirmed whether he will speak at the picnic, according to organizers. 

Related Stories