2023 Kentucky elections
A general election was held in the U.S. state of Kentucky on November 7, 2023.[ 1]
Notably, few Democratic candidates ran for statewide offices. The Lexington Herald-Leader 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.[ 2]
Governor
Incumbent governor Andy Beshear ran for re-election.[ 3] 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.[ 4] 2019 performance by 4.6 percentage points.
Attorney general
Incumbent attorney general Daniel Cameron ran for governor .[ 5]
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.[ 6]
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.[ 7] [ 8]
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.[ 9]
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
County resultsMetcalf: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90%Bowman: 50–60% 60–70%
Incumbent treasurer Allison Ball was term-limited and could not seek re-election. She ran successfully for state auditor .[ 10]
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
Eliminated in primary
Andrew Cooperrider, businessman[ 13] [ 12]
OJ Oleka, former deputy state treasurer[ 14] [ 12]
Endorsements
Results by county: 30–40%
40–50%
50–60%
60–70%
70–80%
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
Declined
Endorsements
General election
Auditor of Public Accounts
2023 Kentucky Auditor General election
County resultsBall: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90%Reeder: 50–60%
Incumbent Auditor Mike Harmon was term-limited and could not seek re-election. He ran for governor .[ 18]
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
Eliminated in primary
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
Endorsements
General election
Agriculture Commissioner
2023 Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner General election
County resultsShell: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90%Enlow: 50–60% 60–70%
Incumbent Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles ran for governor .[ 21]
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
Eliminated in primary
Results by county: 50–60%
60–70%
70–80%
80–90%
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
Sierra Enlow, economic development consultant and former Louisville Economic Development Manager[ 25] [ 23]
Eliminated in primary
Declined
Endorsements
General election
Polling
Poll source
Date(s)
Sample[ a]
Margin
Jonathan
Sierra
Undecided
Public Opinion Strategies (R)[ 27] [ A] July 19–20, 2023
500 (LV)
± 4.4%
45%
27%
27%
See also
Notes
^ Key:
Partisan clients
References
^ "Kentucky elections, 2023" . Ballotpedia.org . Retrieved September 9, 2022 .^ a b c 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. ^ Brammer, Jack (October 1, 2021). "Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear files for re-election in 2023" . Lexington Herald-Leader . Retrieved September 9, 2022 . ^ "Kentucky 2023 Poll: Cameron Catches up to Beshear in Governor's Race" . November 3, 2023.^ Evans, Zachary (May 11, 2022). "Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron Announces Gubernatorial Run" . National Review . Retrieved September 9, 2022 . ^ "Aside from Beshear, which Ky. Dems are running in 2023? Few have announced" . Emerge . December 7, 2022. Retrieved February 6, 2023 .^ "Russell Coleman announces run for Kentucky AG in 2023" . WHAS-TV . May 12, 2022. Retrieved June 24, 2022 .^ "Election Candidate Filings - Attorney General" . web.sos.ky.gov . Retrieved January 6, 2023 .^ Shreve, Bryce (August 5, 2022). "Secy. of State Michael Adams running for reelection in 2023" . Spectrum News . Retrieved September 9, 2022 . ^ a b Storm, Nick (July 25, 2022). "Treasurer Allison Ball Announces Campaign for KY Auditor" . www.kentuckyfried.com . Retrieved September 9, 2022 . ^ "State Treasurer candidate Metcalf makes stop in Pulaski" .^ a b c d "Election Candidate Filings - State Treasurer" . web.sos.ky.gov . Retrieved January 6, 2023 .^ Storm, Nick (July 5, 2022). "Liberty Candidate Declares Run for KY Treasurer" . www.kentuckyfried.com . Retrieved September 10, 2022 . ^ Storm, Nick (June 9, 2022). "AICKU President OJ Oleka Clears His Runway for Statewide Office" . www.kentuckyfried.com . ^ "Allison Ball Endorses OJ Oleka to Replace her as KY Treasurer" . Kentucky Fried Politics. March 13, 2023. Retrieved March 15, 2023 .^ Storm, Nick (January 5, 2023). "Michael Bowman Announces Campaign for State Treasurer" . www.kentuckyfried.com . ^ a b c "Endorsements 2023" . Retrieved February 8, 2023 .^ Sonka, Joe (July 12, 2021). "Kentucky Auditor Mike Harmon is running for governor" . The Courier-Journal . Retrieved September 10, 2022 . ^ a b c "Election Candidate Filings - Auditor of Public Accounts" . web.sos.ky.gov . Retrieved January 6, 2023 .^ 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 . ^ Schreiner, Bruce (April 30, 2022). "GOP's Quarles announces run for Kentucky governor in 2023" . Associated Press . Retrieved September 9, 2022 . ^ Schreiner, Bruce (August 26, 2021). "Ex-Rep. Jonathan Shell running for agriculture commissioner" . Associated Press . Retrieved September 10, 2022 . ^ a b c d "Election Candidate Filings - Commissioner of Agriculture" . web.sos.ky.gov . Retrieved January 6, 2023 .^ "Heath launches another bid for Kentucky ag commissioner" . spectrumnews1.com/ky/louisville . August 15, 2021. Retrieved September 10, 2022 .^ Storm, Nick (January 3, 2023). "Democrat Sierra Enlow Files to Run for Ag Commissioner" . www.kentuckyfried.com . Retrieved January 4, 2023 . ^ 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 . ^ Public Opinion Strategies (R)
External links
Official campaign websites for Secretary of State
Official campaign websites for Treasurer
Official campaign websites for Auditor
Official campaign websites for Agriculture Commissioner
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