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2023 Kentucky elections

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Elections in Kentucky
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Government
v t e

A general election was held in the U.S. state of Kentucky on November 7, 2023.

Notably, few Democratic candidates ran for statewide offices. The Lexington Herald-Leader attributed this to Kentucky's strong Republican lean and the fact that Republicans gained seats in the Kentucky General Assembly in 2022. However, Democrats have pointed to recent victories by liberal judges in nonpartisan elections and the defeat of a 2022 ballot measure that would have removed abortion rights from the Kentucky Constitution as signs that they can still win in the state. In addition to the candidates listed below, former state representative Attica Scott was speculated as a potential statewide candidate, but she did not run for any office in 2023.

Governor

Incumbent governor Andy Beshear ran for re-election. He faced Republican nominee, incumbent attorney general Daniel Cameron. Due to his high favorability ratings, Beshear was considered the favorite in the election; however, polling tightened in the week leading up to the election. Despite this apparent late momentum for Cameron, Beshear went on to comfortably win re-election by five percentage points, improving on his 2019 performance by 4.6 percentage points.

Attorney general

Incumbent attorney general Daniel Cameron ran for governor.

Kentucky State Representative for the 43rd District Pamela Stevenson announced a run to succeed Cameron. She was the only high-profile state-level Democrat (barring Andy Beshear and Jacqueline Coleman) to have announced a run for statewide office.

Russell Coleman, former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky was the only Republican candidate to have declared a run, and thus won the Republican primary unopposed.

Coleman would go on to win the election by 16 percentage points. He also narrowly improved on Daniel Cameron’s win in 2019 by 0.6 percentage points.

Secretary of state

Incumbent secretary of state Michael Adams ran for re-election. He faced former state representative Charles "Buddy" Wheatley.

Unlike 2019, the race was not close. Adams won re-election by 21.2 percentage points, improving upon his past performance by 16.7 percentage points.

Treasurer

2023 Kentucky Treasurer General election

← 2019 November 7, 2023 2025 →

Nominee Mark Metcalf Michael Bowman Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 735,066 549,257 Percentage 57.2% 42.8%

County results Metcalf:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Bowman:      50–60%      60–70%

State Treasurer before election Allison Ball Republican Elected State Treasurer Mark Metcalf Republican

Incumbent treasurer Allison Ball was term-limited and could not seek re-election. She ran successfully for state auditor.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Mark Metcalf, Garrard County Attorney

Eliminated in primary

• Andrew Cooperrider, businessman
• OJ Oleka, former deputy state treasurer

Endorsements

Statewide officials

• Allison Ball, incumbent treasurer

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Michael Bowman, special assistant to Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman, former bank manager, and nominee for state treasurer in 2019

Declined

• Neville Blakemore, construction executive and candidate for state treasurer in 2015
• Matthew Lehman, pharmaceutical executive and nominee for Kentucky's 4th congressional district in 2022

Endorsements

Organizations

• Kentucky State AFL-CIO

General election

Auditor of Public Accounts

2023 Kentucky Auditor General election

← 2019 November 7, 2023 2025 →

Nominee Allison Ball Kim Reeder Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 782,736 505,742 Percentage 60.7% 39.3%

County results Ball:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Reeder:      50–60%

State Auditor before election Mike Harmon Republican Elected State Auditor Allison Ball Republican

Incumbent Auditor Mike Harmon was term-limited and could not seek re-election. He ran for governor.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Allison Ball, state treasurer

Eliminated in primary

• Derek Petteys

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Kim Reeder, tax attorney

Endorsements

Organizations

• Kentucky State AFL-CIO

General election

Agriculture Commissioner

2023 Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner General election

← 2019 November 7, 2023 2025 →

Nominee Jonathan Shell Sierra Enlow Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 762,992 522,335 Percentage 59.4% 40.6%

County results Shell:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Enlow:      50–60%      60–70%

State Auditor before election Ryan Quarles Republican Elected State Auditor Jonathan Shell Republican

Incumbent Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles ran for governor.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Jonathan Shell, former majority leader of the Kentucky House of Representatives

Eliminated in primary

• Richard Heath, state representative and candidate for agriculture commissioner in 2015

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Sierra Enlow, economic development consultant and former Louisville Economic Development Manager

Eliminated in primary

• Mikael Malone

Declined

• Rocky Adkins, senior advisor to Governor Andy Beshear, former minority leader of the Kentucky House of Representatives, and candidate for governor in 2019

Endorsements

Organizations

• Kentucky State AFL-CIO

General election

Polling

See also

• Elections in Kentucky
• Politics of Kentucky
• Political party strength in Kentucky

Notes

1. Key:
   A – all adults
   RV – registered voters
   LV – likely voters
   V – unclear

Partisan clients

1. Poll commissioned by the Republican State Leadership Committee

References

1. "Kentucky elections, 2023". Ballotpedia.org. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
2. ^ Horn, Austin (December 5, 2022). "Aside from Beshear, which Ky. Dems are running in 2023? Few have announced". Lexington Herald-Leader. Archived from the original on December 14, 2022.
3. Brammer, Jack (October 1, 2021). "Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear files for re-election in 2023". Lexington Herald-Leader. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
4. "Kentucky 2023 Poll: Cameron Catches up to Beshear in Governor's Race". November 3, 2023.
5. Evans, Zachary (May 11, 2022). "Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron Announces Gubernatorial Run". National Review. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
6. "Aside from Beshear, which Ky. Dems are running in 2023? Few have announced". Emerge. December 7, 2022. Retrieved February 6, 2023.
7. "Russell Coleman announces run for Kentucky AG in 2023". WHAS-TV. May 12, 2022. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
8. "Election Candidate Filings - Attorney General". web.sos.ky.gov. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
9. Shreve, Bryce (August 5, 2022). "Secy. of State Michael Adams running for reelection in 2023". Spectrum News. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
10. ^ Storm, Nick (July 25, 2022). "Treasurer Allison Ball Announces Campaign for KY Auditor". www.kentuckyfried.com. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
11. "State Treasurer candidate Metcalf makes stop in Pulaski".
12. ^ "Election Candidate Filings - State Treasurer". web.sos.ky.gov. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
13. Storm, Nick (July 5, 2022). "Liberty Candidate Declares Run for KY Treasurer". www.kentuckyfried.com. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
14. Storm, Nick (June 9, 2022). "AICKU President OJ Oleka Clears His Runway for Statewide Office". www.kentuckyfried.com.
15. "Allison Ball Endorses OJ Oleka to Replace her as KY Treasurer". Kentucky Fried Politics. March 13, 2023. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
16. Storm, Nick (January 5, 2023). "Michael Bowman Announces Campaign for State Treasurer". www.kentuckyfried.com.
17. ^ "Endorsements 2023". Retrieved February 8, 2023.
18. Sonka, Joe (July 12, 2021). "Kentucky Auditor Mike Harmon is running for governor". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
19. ^ "Election Candidate Filings - Auditor of Public Accounts". web.sos.ky.gov. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
20. Horn, Austin (October 5, 2022). "Quarles still ahead, but Craft surging and Cameron gaining in GOP primary fundraising". Lexington Herald-Leader. Archived from the original on October 5, 2022. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
21. Schreiner, Bruce (April 30, 2022). "GOP's Quarles announces run for Kentucky governor in 2023". Associated Press. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
22. Schreiner, Bruce (August 26, 2021). "Ex-Rep. Jonathan Shell running for agriculture commissioner". Associated Press. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
23. ^ "Election Candidate Filings - Commissioner of Agriculture". web.sos.ky.gov. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
24. "Heath launches another bid for Kentucky ag commissioner". spectrumnews1.com/ky/louisville. August 15, 2021. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
25. Storm, Nick (January 3, 2023). "Democrat Sierra Enlow Files to Run for Ag Commissioner". www.kentuckyfried.com. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
26. Brammer, Jack (June 10, 2022). "Key advisor Rocky Adkins weighs bid for state ag commissioner; a help for Beshear's re-election?". Northern Kentucky Tribune. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
27. Public Opinion Strategies (R)

External links

Official campaign websites for Secretary of State

• Michael Adams (R) for Secretary of State
• Buddy Wheatley (D) for Secretary of State

Official campaign websites for Treasurer

• Michael Bowman (D) for Treasurer
• Mark Metcalf (R) for Treasurer

Official campaign websites for Auditor

• Allison Ball (R) for Auditor
• Kim Reeder (D) for Auditor

Official campaign websites for Agriculture Commissioner

• Sierra Enlow (D) for Ag Commissioner
• Jonathan Shell (R) for Ag Commissioner

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