The 2023 Kentucky gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 2023, to elect the governor and lieutenant governor of Kentucky. Incumbent Democratic governor Andy Beshear won re-election to a second term, defeating Republican state Attorney General Daniel Cameron. This was the only statewide victory in 2023 for Democrats in Kentucky.

This race was one of two Democratic-held governorships up for election in 2023 in a state Donald Trump won in 2020. The other was held in Louisiana, where the incumbent Democratic governor was ineligible to seek re-election, and which Jeff Landry flipped for the Republicans.

This was the first gubernatorial election in the state's history in which both major party candidates had held the position of attorney general; Beshear held the position from 2016 to 2019, after which he was succeeded by Cameron.

Beshear's victory has been attributed to his broad popularity among Democrats and independents, as well as approximately half of Republicans in the state. Compared to 2019, Beshear most improved his performance in suburban precincts; he increased his margins by nearly 6 percentage points in suburban areas, compared to 4.5 percentage points in urban and rural precincts.

Background A socially conservative southern state, Kentucky is considered safely Republican in federal elections, with Republicans holding both of its U.S. Senate seats and all but one of its U.S. House seats. In the 2020 presidential election, Republican Donald Trump carried Kentucky by 26 percentage points. However, the state was much more competitive as recently as the 1990s, when it voted for Bill Clinton twice, and Democrats remain competitive in many local and some state-level elections.

Beshear was first elected in 2019, narrowly defeating incumbent Republican Matt Bevin, who had become widely unpopular for signing a pension reform bill for teachers and opposing a subsequent teachers' strike. In that same year, Cameron was elected attorney general, becoming the first African-American to be elected to that position.

Cameron gained national recognition as attorney general, especially due to his involvement in the Breonna Taylor case in 2020. He spoke at the 2020 Republican National Convention on August 25, 2020. In September 2020, Cameron appeared on a shortlist of potential nominees to replace Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the Supreme Court by President Trump.

On May 16, 2023, Cameron won the Republican nomination with 47.7% of the vote, a 26% margin over the second-place candidate, and Beshear won the Democratic nomination with 91.3% of the vote over two perennial candidates.

Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Andy Beshear, incumbent governor Running mate: Jacqueline Coleman, incumbent lieutenant governor

Eliminated in primary Peppy Martin, businesswoman, consultant, perennial candidate, and Republican nominee for governor in 1999 Geoff Young, perennial candidate

Endorsements

Fundraising Beshear was the only candidate who filed a financial disclosure.

Campaign finance reports as of January 3, 2023CandidateRaisedCash on hand Andy Beshear$647,000$7,400,000

Results

Republican primary Candidates Nominee Daniel Cameron, Attorney General of Kentucky

Eliminated in primary Jacob Clark David Cooper, member of the Kentucky Army National Guard Kelly Craft, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Running mate: Max Wise, state senator Eric Deters, suspended attorney Running mate: Wesley Deters, former Park Hills city councilor (no relation to Eric Deters) Bob DeVore, former McCreary County Board of Education member (2001–2007) and perennial candidate Mike Harmon, Kentucky state auditor Alan Keck, mayor of Somerset Dennis Ormerod Ryan Quarles, Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture Johnny Rice, militia activist and former police officer Robbie Smith, high school teacher

Did not file Anthony Moore, wellwater drilling contractor

Withdrew Savannah Maddox, state representative

Declined Ralph Alvarado, state senator and nominee for lieutenant governor in 2019 (appointed commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Health) Allison Ball, Kentucky State Treasurer (ran for state auditor) Matt Bevin, former governor James Comer, U.S. representative for and candidate for governor in 2015 (endorsed Craft) Max Wise, state senator (ran for lieutenant governor with Craft)

Endorsements

Fundraising Financial disclosures for major candidates are below: Campaign finance reports as of April 18, 2023CandidateRaisedSpentCash on hand Daniel Cameron$1,370,904$777,446$593,458 Kelly Craft$8,563,233$8,156,315$406,918 Eric Deters$669,064$659,746$9,319 Mike Harmon$84,547$70,693$13,854 Alan Keck$311,717$257,577$54,139 Ryan Quarles$1,202,650$299,419$903,231

Debates + 2023 Republican primary debates Date Host Moderator Link ParticipantsKey: Participant  Absent  Non-invitee  Invitee Withdrawn Daniel Cameron Kelly Craft Eric Deters Mike Harmon Alan Keck Ryan Quarles 1 March 7, 2023 Jefferson County Republican PartySpectrum News 1 Kentucky Mario Anderson Spectrum News 1AN 2 April 26, 2023 Kenton County Republican PartyWCPOLINK nky Evan MillwardShane NoemMark Payne YouTubeAA 3 May 1, 2023 Kentucky Educational Television Renee Shaw YouTubeN4May 8, 2023WKYTTransylvania UniversityBill BryantWSAZAAN5May 9, 2023WDKYMarvin BartlettGilbert CorseyAshley KirklenWDKYANN

Polling

Graphical summary

Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error DanielCameron DavidCooper KellyCraft EricDeters BobDeVore MikeHarmon AlanKeck SavannahMaddox RyanQuarles RobbieSmith Other UndecidedEmerson CollegeMay 10–12, 2023500 (LV)± 4.3%33%2%18%10%<1%4%3%–13%<1%<1%13%Emerson CollegeApril 10–11, 2023900 (LV)± 3.2%30%<1%24%6%<1%2%<1%–15%<1%<1%21%Mason-DixonJanuary 18–23, 2023404 (LV)± 5%39%1%13%2%1%5%2%–8%1%–28%Meeting StreetJanuary 9–11, 2023500 (LV)± 4.4%39%–8%2%–2%1%–8%–2%38% December 20, 2022 Maddox withdraws from the raceco/efficient (R)June 13–14, 2022974 (LV)± 3.5%46%–3%4%–5%–7%9%–3%22%

Results

General election A viral ad featuring Hadley Duvall, who had been raped and impregnated by her stepfather at age 12, was widely credited by Republican leadership for contributing to Beshear's victory, as Kentucky was one of 12 states that had anti-abortion laws that allowed no exceptions for rape or incest, which was initially supported by Cameron.

Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political ReportJuly 21, 2023 Inside ElectionsSeptember 1, 2023 Sabato's Crystal Ball October 16, 2023 Elections DailyNovember 7, 2023

Debates 2023 Kentucky gubernatorial debates Date Host Link Democratic Republican Participant   Absent   Invitee Andy Beshear Daniel Cameron 1 October 16, 2023 Northern Kentucky University YouTube 2 October 21, 2023 League of Women Voters YouTube 3 October 23, 2023 Kentucky Educational Television YouTube 4 October 24, 2023 WKYT WKYT

Fundraising Campaign finance reports as of November 7, 2023CandidateRaisedSpentCash on handAndy Beshear (D)$18,968,345$18,963,018$5,327Daniel Cameron (R)$4,349,178$4,316,097$33,081Source: Kentucky Registry of Election Finance

Endorsements

Polling Graphical summary

Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error AndyBeshear (D) DanielCameron (R) Other UndecidedConcord Public Opinion PartnersNovember 1–2, 2023470 (LV)± 4.5%48%40%–12%Data for Progress (D)November 1–2, 2023660 (LV)± 4.0%50%48%–2%Emerson CollegeOctober 30 – November 2, 20231,000 (LV)± 3.0%47%47%2%4%co/efficient (R)October 18–19, 20231,845 (LV)± 3.2%47%45%−8%Garin-Hart-Yang (D)October 14–16, 2023721 (LV)± 3.6%52%44%−4%Emerson CollegeOctober 1–3, 2023450 (RV)± 4.6%49%33%5%13%WPA Intelligence (R)September 25–28, 2023500 (LV)± 4.4%48%42%–10%WPA Intelligence (R)September 5–8, 2023500 (LV)± 4.4%47%40%–12%Garin-Hart-Yang (D)August 30 – September 1, 2023716 (LV)± 3.6%51%42%–7%Public Policy Polling (D)August 9–10, 2023737 (V)–49%41%–10%Public Opinion Strategies (R)July 19–20, 2023500 (LV)± 4.4%49%45%–5%Garin-Hart-Yang (D)Late July 2023716 (LV)± 3.6%48%45%–7%Public Opinion Strategies (R)The Pritchard Committee. "Public Opinion Strategies. Kentucky Statewide: June 22–29, 2023" (Flyer). page 5.June 22–29, 2023800 (RV)± 3.95%52%42%–0%Cygnal (R)May 22–23, 2023600 (LV)± 3.9%47%47%–6%co/efficient (R)May 18–19, 2023987 (LV)± 3.1%45%43%–12%Mason-DixonJanuary 18–23, 2023625 (RV)± 4.0%49%40%–11%

Andy Beshear vs. Kelly Craft Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error AndyBeshear (D) KellyCraft (R) UndecidedMason-DixonJanuary 18–23, 2023625 (RV)± 4.0%57%32%11%

Andy Beshear vs. Mike Harmon Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error AndyBeshear (D) MikeHarmon (R) UndecidedMason-DixonJanuary 18–23, 2023625 (RV)± 4.0%53%33%14%

Andy Beshear vs. Ryan Quarles Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error AndyBeshear (D) RyanQuarles (R) UndecidedMason-DixonJanuary 18–23, 2023625 (RV)± 4.0%52%35%13%

Results Beshear won re-election by a 5% margin. Key to his victory was his performance in the state's two most populous counties, Jefferson and Fayette (home to the cities of Louisville and Lexington, respectively), each of which he carried with more than 70% of the vote. Beshear also over-performed in several Republican-leaning suburban counties in Northern Kentucky and the Bluegrass region, and in several historically Democratic rural counties in the Eastern Coalfield which have swung sharply towards the Republican Party in the 21st century. Beshear's gains in the Eastern Coalfield were attributed to his response to flooding in the region in 2022.

By county