Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) won re-election to a second term Tuesday night, defeating challenger Daniel Cameron (R), the state’s attorney general.
“Tonight, Kentucky made a choice, a choice not to move to the right or to the left but to move forward for every single family,” Beshear said during a victory speech in Louisville. “… It was a victory that sends a loud, clear message — a message that candidates should run for something and not against someone. That a candidate should show vision and not sow division. And a clear statement that anger politics should end right here and right now.”
Because they ran as a ticket, Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman was re-elected to her position alongside Beshear.
Early poll results indicated the night was going in favor of Beshear because he was winning by larger margins than he did in 2019, when he ousted incumbent Gov. Matt Bevin by less than .5%.
According to the Associated Press, there were only two counties — Hancock and Carter — that Beshear won in 2019 but lost in 2023. On the flip side, he won more than a dozen counties in 2023 that he lost in 2019 — including Daviess.
On Tuesday in Daviess County, Beshear received 15, 572 votes compared to Cameron’s 14,895. In 2019 in Daviess County, Beshear lost to Bevin by a vote count of 17,238 to 16,013.
All of Kentucky’s other state-level races were handily won by the Republican candidates. Winners are as follows:
- Kentucky Secretary of State — Incumbent Micahel Adams (R) defeats challenger Charles Wheatley (D).
- Kentucky Auditor — Allison Ball (R) defeats Kimberley Reeder (D).
- Kentucky Attorney General — Russell Coleman (R) defeats Pamela Stevenson (D).
- Kentucky Treasurer — Mark Metcalf (R) defeats Michael Bowman (D).
- Kentucky Ag Commissioner — Jonathan Shell (R) defeats Sierra Enlow (D).
In the only local race, Sharon NeSmith won the Owensboro City Commission seat, beating Jerry Ray Davis and Titus Willis.
