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KY-GOV: Why is Re-Electing Gov. Andy Beshear Important? It's All About What He Can Do for Kentucky! [1]
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Date: 2023-09-27
Out of all of the gubernatorial contests in 2023, only one is truly a barnburner. The Commonwealth of Kentucky very narrowly elected a Democratic governor in 2019, and nearly four years have now passed since that fateful election. He’s had to deal with GOP supermajorities in the state legislature that override his vetoes constantly. Yet, he still persists in pursuing his priorities — often in a bipartisan manner.
Today’s article is all about re-electing Gov. Andy Beshear on November 7th. It will be a herculean task, but the reward is making sure Kentucky has a Democratic voice and sane policy implemented. His opponent is Attorney General Daniel Cameron this time around, and Cameron is a true piece of work.
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Andy Beshear (Kentucky Governor)
Government Official: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
Re-election Campaign: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
What’s the Big Idea?
THIS RACE IS A TOSSUP.
This is the winning map for Gov. Andy Beshear in 2019.
Kentucky used to have many more Democratic politicians in charge of the state. Sure, there were reflexively GOP areas in the state too, but the coal unions and minority voters combined to form a coalition that outweighed the GOP members. That began to change in the 1990s, and the dam broke when Obama was elected President. The rural parts of the state accelerated to the right, especially in the Appalachia region.
In 2019, former Gov. Matt Bevin, a Republican, was very unpopular. Andy Beshear was bold enough to challenge the incumbent and squeaked out a narrow 49.2% to 48.8% victory with a margin of about only 5,000 votes. I expect the election to be that close again. Parts of the state are still trending to the right — including counties that Beshear won. Luckily for him, the suburbs are trending slowly left.
Here’s where races are won for us in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
Louisville and Lexington Areas : These are what pass for urban areas in Kentucky, and it is important for Gov. Andy Beshear to run up the score as high as possible in both metro areas. We need a high percentage AND gangbusters turnout to eke out a win statewide.
: These are what pass for urban areas in Kentucky, and it is important for Gov. Andy Beshear to run up the score as high as possible in both metro areas. We need a high percentage AND gangbusters turnout to eke out a win statewide. Cincinnati Suburbs : This area of the state is Republican at the federal level, but two of the three counties that consist of this metro area voted for Beshear in 2019. He will need to squeeze out even more votes from this area to counteract other areas of Kentucky that are trending away.
: This area of the state is Republican at the federal level, but two of the three counties that consist of this metro area voted for Beshear in 2019. He will need to squeeze out even more votes from this area to counteract other areas of Kentucky that are trending away. Small Cities : Small cities such as Owensboro, Bowling Green, and Paducah typically vote for the GOP. Beshear won each of the counties that host those cities in 2019. I expect a reversion to the mean in 2023, but it is important for him to keep it respectable here.
Here’s where we need to keep the margins down, or we will lose Kentucky.
Western Kentucky : This area used to have coal fields, and coal unions along with that industry. The coal fields are long gone, and the area is uncompromisingly Republican these days. Beshear needs to hope that the bleeding of rural support is not too damaging here.
: This area used to have coal fields, and coal unions along with that industry. The coal fields are long gone, and the area is uncompromisingly Republican these days. Beshear needs to hope that the bleeding of rural support is not too damaging here. Appalachia Region : Eastern Kentucky suffers the same problem as the region above — the coal jobs are going, going, gone. Beshear actually won some counties in this region, which is a feat I don’t expect him to pull again. This area is trending rightward fast as legacy Democratic voters die or switch parties.
: Eastern Kentucky suffers the same problem as the region above — the coal jobs are going, going, gone. Beshear actually won some counties in this region, which is a feat I don’t expect him to pull again. This area is trending rightward fast as legacy Democratic voters die or switch parties. Southern Kentucky : This region of the state has been entranced by the GOP message ever since the Civil War. These are some of the poorest counties in the whole USA, yet they vote against their self interests. This area of the state is entirely hopeless for our cause.
This potential win will be slightly different than the 2019 coalition. Beshear will have to rely on voters from the suburbs more and the rural areas less. He has a record to run on now, and one that could alienate voters he successfully wooed last time around by being “not Gov. Matt Bevin”. Plus, Joe Biden is president, and there is often a backlash against the party in power.
Who is Gov. Andy Beshear?
Gov. Andy Beshear celebrating his narrow win in 2019 over incumbent Gov. Matt Bevin.
You’d think with a GOP supermajority in the state legislature that this election doesn’t truly matter (outside of Kentucky). That thinking is entirely wrong, because Gov. Beshear could mean quite a bit to the state. He can also protect executive actions that have already passed muster with the courts.
Abortion, Abortion, Abortion! The commonwealth rejected a forced birth amendment in 2022 by a narrow margin. While not perfect on the issue, Beshear is pro-choice and will make the case to the Kentucky Supreme Court that abortion rights are in the state Constitution. Restoring Voting Rights. Beshear signed an executive order early in his tenure to restore voting rights to nonviolent felons. This allows around 180k more denizens of Kentucky, many of them Black, to vote once again. I wish more states were as forthright on this issue! Handling of the COVID Pandemic. Beshear was in charge of the COVID-19 pandemic, and used executive actions to attempt to save lives and slow the spread of the virus. Many of these were controversial in the commonwealth and were challenged in court. Climate Change. Beshear is taking a bold stand in a coal happy state by coming out and stating that climate change is a fact. He is touting clean energy initiatives across Kentucky, including clean coal (which is politically necessary). Education. Though the GOP supermajority is blocking his agenda here, Beshear wants to give every teacher a raise in pay so that Kentucky can be competitive salary wise. He also opposes the expansion of charter schools in the commonwealth, which is another bold stand. Gun Safety. While not in favor of an assault weapons ban, Beshear takes a risk by coming out for red flag laws and other gun safety measures. No doubt that he isn’t in the pocket of the NRA. He looks to strike a balance between gun safety and the 2nd amendment. Medicaid Expansion. Kentucky has expanded Medicaid (KYNect) to cover more of the populace, but the GOP wants to rescind that coverage. Beshear can veto these attempts, as well as use executive orders to try and get more coverage for people who desperately need it. LGBTQ+ rights. Beshear will protect Obergefell and trans rights, even though the supermajority in the legislature keeps chipping away at those with veto overrides. He is being attacked on these issues in ads by the GOP, especially about vetoing the trans bill. Union Membership. Beshear is against the right-to-work provisions that have taken root in the commonwealth. He has the support of many unions in the state, though the unions in general are very weak in Kentucky. Marijuana. Gov. Beshear has come out in favor of medical marijuana for Kentucky. Yes, that is a step most other states have taken, but this is Kentucky we are talking about. He has used executive orders to start a cannabis industry and decriminalize the drug for medical use.
The issues above show that Beshear is not much different from a mainstream Democratic candidate who is more moderate. He’s been a boon for the commonwealth, and a real boost to the beleaguered Kentucky Democratic Party. It will be all hands on deck to re-elect him. I hope you can join too!
Who is Daniel Cameron?
Don’t be fooled by him being Black. Daniel Cameron would be bad news for all of Kentucky.
Attorney General Daniel Cameron has been a thorn in the side of Gov. Beshear ever since he was elected to that office in 2019. He has been pursuing fascist policies through the courts, looking to stop executive orders and to strip away more rights and freedoms those in Kentucky have.
No doubt that there are other issues where AG Daniel Cameron will be horrible on too. Education comes to mind, and he would likely take the cue from Gov. Ron DeKlantis and pursue a purging ideological educational agenda. Kentucky would likely go backwards if he is elected.
How Can You Help?
If you are out of state, probably the easiest way to help Gov. Beshear would be to donate to his re-election fund. This race has become one of the most expensive in Kentucky history, and we haven’t reached crunch time yet. Both sides are pouring in money, including dark money, in order to influence voters in what is seen as another close election.
Here are the totals of what has been raised by each candidate so far:
x UPDATED look at Beshear vs Cameron #kygov fundraising.
- Total raised since start of general election:
Beshear: $15M ($6M primary rollover included)
Cameron: $2.8M
- Party contributions:
Beshear/KDP: $3M
Cameron/RPK: $450,000
- Cash on hand:
Beshear: $4.2M
Cameron: $1.4M
https://t.co/rFwO4pl5e7 — Bluegrass Politics (@BGPolitics) September 13, 2023
Volunteering is another means in which to help him. When the election gets closer, Postcards to Voters and similar groups could spring into action. They may choose to highlight the Kentucky governor’s race as their big project in the fall. You can also phone bank and text bank for the campaign or knock on doors. If you live in Kentucky or nearby, please assist Beshear!
Finally, you could use social media to help amplify his message. His campaign accounts are spreading his re-election messaging, while his official government accounts tout his accomplishments as the governor of Kentucky. Below are some of the samples of his social media campaign.
His YouTube governmental account is filled with press conferences and official events. This video is a disaster response to the severe flooding in eastern Kentucky one year ago. He definitely gets praise for his handling of natural disasters in the state!
If you still go to Xitter (pronounced shitter), Gov. Andy Beshear has two different accounts. One for his official governor duties and one for his campaign arm.
His official government account has 172.7k followers, which isn’t bad for a statewide official. Here is a follow up to the devastating Mayfield tornado from a couple years back. The 100th house for survivors has been built!
x We handed over the keys today to the 100th home in Western Kentucky made possible by the Team Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund. We prayed to get our fellow Kentuckians back into homes, and through the generosity and kindness of so many, our prayers have been answered again and again. pic.twitter.com/InOBN6CnUU — Governor Andy Beshear (@GovAndyBeshear) August 31, 2023
His campaign account has 113.2k followers, which again is decent for a statewide official. For instance, his latest ads go after AG Daniel Cameron for a full abortion ban. As a reminder, this is Kentucky we are talking about!
x In this new ad, Prosecutor Erin White says that Daniel Cameron’s view that survivors of rape or incest—sometimes girls as young as nine—should be forced to give birth, is “extreme, and it’s dangerous.”
She’s right. pic.twitter.com/tR11m9ii1P — Andy Beshear (@AndyBeshearKY) September 1, 2023
x Hadley’s story is important.
Under Kentucky’s current law—which Daniel Cameron supports and defended to the Supreme Court—women and girls like her would have no options. pic.twitter.com/U89QieNgr2 — Andy Beshear (@AndyBeshearKY) September 20, 2023
His Facebook accounts have 402k followers for his official governor account and 118k followers for his campaign account. Here, he is touting his investment in high speed internet, which could make for a great campaign ad (but it is from his official account).
x
Help spread the word today by following him and boosting his campaign in the critical realm of social media!
Kentucky is a state that has mostly gone MAGA Republican ever since Obama was elected. The exception to that trend seems to be Gov. Andy Beshear. I know I was skeptical of the value of re-electing him before I wrote this article, but I feel that his is a campaign worth fighting for. He is the only one standing between a legislative supermajority and another state converting into a fascist hellhole.
The election will likely be very close, just like the one in 2019. It could be a few thousand votes or even narrower this time around. That is why I am calling for all hands on deck! While Mississippi and Louisiana are likely to elect Republican governors, Kentucky may be spared the indignity of having one. Especially one as dangerous as Daniel Cameron would be to the commonwealth.
Andy Beshear (Kentucky Governor)
Government Official: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
Re-election Campaign: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
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