Note: This post was written as part of DDHQ’s effort to expand election coverage through the use of AI combined with our proprietary election data. This process is separate from our results and race calls which are still run exclusively by our class leading human team.
The 2023 Kentucky gubernatorial race saw incumbent Democratic nominee Andy Beshear compete against Republican nominee and Attorney General Daniel Cameron. This contest occurred within a predominantly Republican political landscape. Kentucky’s congressional delegation, state senate, and house hold a substantial majority in favor of Republicans. Despite the Republican leanings in the state’s political makeup, Kentucky is not new to Democratic leadership.
Democratic incumbent Andy Beshear previously defeated Republican Governor Matt Bevin in the 2019 gubernatorial election, albeit by a narrow margin of 0.4%. This happened within the larger political backdrop of a state that overwhelmingly supported Donald Trump, a Republican, in the 2020 presidential election by a margin of 25.9%. Notably, this shows that Kentucky voters have displayed both Republican and Democratic support in state-wide elections.
In the 2023 gubernatorial election, Beshear sustained his leadership, earning reelection with a margin of 5%. Jefferson County was a strong contributor for Beshear’s victory, providing him with a net vote count of 102,946. On the other hand, Republican support was most pronounced in Pulaski County, where Cameron led by a net vote tally of 6,818.