The Kentucky governor’s race was called for Democratic candidate and incumbent Gov. Andy Beshear by AP News at 7:57 p.m. with 80 percent of votes recorded.

Beshear ran against Republican opponent Daniel Cameron, the Kentucky attorney general.

Beshear was elected governor in 2019, winning by a slim margin against Republican incumbent nominee Matt Bevin.

Beshear ran on a platform of his previous accomplishments in economic development, increasing funding for public schools and supporting bipartisan values. Cameron’s platform focused on economic development and a pro-life abortion stance. 

In his concession speech, Cameron highlighted his thanks to his supporters, his family, his running mate and other members of the party.

“I ask that you pray for Governor Beshear and his team, and for all of our commonwealth, because at the end of the day, win, lose or draw, what ultimately matters is that we know Christ is on the throne,” Cameron said in his concession speech.

He stated that the whole of Kentucky has the same goals in mind, primarily focused on improving the futures of generations to come.

“We want a better commonwealth, one in which it can ultimately be a shining city on a hill, a model, an example for the rest of the nation to follow,” Cameron said.

Beshear’s Lt. Governor, Jacqueline Coleman, was a former school principal and basketball coach and has been an advocate for increasing teacher pay and public school systems in the Commonwealth. 

In his victory speech, Beshear described his platform of historic accomplishments in economic development, the need for bipartisanship and not division and his hopes for the next four years.

“These next four years, we have an opportunity to come further together,” Beshear said. “This is our chance to build that commonwealth we have always dreamed of, to stop the fighting, to push away the division and to recognize that we have more that unites us.”

Beshear hopes that in the next four years, educator pay will be increased, universal free pre-K will be made available and job numbers will continue to grow in the state.

“I pledge tonight to continue to be a governor who serves all our people, regardless of your party, and regardless of who you voted for,” Beshear said. 

Content editor Molly Dobberstein can be reached at molly.dobberstein519@topper.wku.edu. News reporter Maggie Phelps can be reached at margaret.phelps370@topper.wku.edu.

Update: 7:25 p.m.

Update: 8:00 p.m.

Governor

Andy Beshear (D): 52.5%, 694,167 votes | Daniel Cameron (R): 47.4%, 627,086 votes

Gov. Beshear is running for reelection against current Attorney General Daniel Cameron. Beshear, who previously served as Attorney General, was elected as governor in 2019 against Republican Matt Bevin by a slim margin of votes.

Beshear’s running mate is current Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman, a former assistant principal and basketball coach. Cameron’s running mate is Robby Mills, a Kentucky state senator.

KET and AP News called the race for Beshear at 7:57 p.m. with 80 percent of votes counted.

Attorney General

Pamela Stevenson (D): 42%, 544,544 votes | Russell Coleman (R) 58%, 752,230 votes

Stevenson (D-43) is a state representative and attorney, as well as a retired U.S. Air Force colonel, who is running for attorney general against Coleman, Republican, a former United States attorney for the Western District of Kentucky.

One of these candidates will replace Cameron as Kentucky’s attorney general.

KET called this race for Coleman at 8:00 p.m.

Treasurer

Michael Bowman (D): 42.8%, 549,257 votes | Mark Metcalf (R): 57.2%, 735,066 votes

Bowman (D) attended the University of Louisville and works as a politician, formerly running in 2019 for state treasurer and losing to Republican incumbent Allison Ball. Metcalf (R) currently serves as the Garrard County Attorney and is a veteran of the National Guard.

The race was called for Metcalf at 8:01 p.m.

Secretary of State

Charles Wheatley (D): 39.4%, 509,889 votes | Michael Adams (R): 60.6%, 784,772 votes

Adams, Republican incumbent, has served as the Kentucky secretary of state since 2020. Wheatley (D-65)  served in the Kentucky House of Representatives from 2019 to January 2023.

NBC News projected Adams to win the race despite only 35 percent of the vote being in at 6:41 p.m.

KET called this race for Adams at 6:46 p.m.

Agriculture Commissioner

Sierra Enlow (D): 39.3%, 505,742 votes | Jonathan Shell (R): 59.4%, 762,992 votes

Enlow (D) attended the University of Kentucky and earned a master’s degree in agricultural economics and has a professional career in economic development. Shell (R) represented District 71 in the Kentucky House of Representatives until 2018.

KET called this race for Shell at 7:57 p.m.

Auditor

Kimberley Reeder (D): 40%, 444,219 votes | Allison Ball (R): 60.8%, 782,736 votes

Ball (R) is currently serving her second term as the Kentucky State Treasurer, a position she was elected to in 2016. Reeder (D) is a tax attorney from Morehead running against Ball.

KET called this race for Ball at 6:57 p.m.

School Board Representative – Bowling Green Independent School District

Cierra Waller: 2,249 votes| Janet Burks: 1,541 votes

Waller, incumbent and interim school board member, currently works as the associate director of the WKU Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning. Burks has worked as a teacher for 41 years and is running against Waller for the position.

Waller won the race for this position.

The sun beamed down on the backs of Pete and Denise Zielinski as they sat in their blue lawn chairs outside of State Street Baptist Church. The couple sported matching shirts that read “election protection.” 

“Basically, we’re just here to make sure nothing funny goes on,” Pete Zielinski, 75, said.

He smiled behind his camo bucket hat and sunglasses as his wife Denise explained their poll-watching involvement.

“A person that we know who is part of an organization and we know him from the past, he just reached out to some of us to see if we could be a part of it,” Denise Zielinski, 73, said. 

The “Election Protection” group is a national organization that “works year round to ensure that all voters have an equal opportunity to vote and have that vote count,” according to their website.

It is supported by many other organizations such as the YMCA, Louisville Urban League, Vocal Kentucky and more, according to Chasity Rodgers, a Bowling Green citizen who is also with Election Protection.

Rodgers worked as a poll-watcher in front of the Sugar Maple Square voting location, alongside her family. Signs for a variety of candidates sat in front of the group.

“You have to vote. Voting is everything,” Rodgers said. “If you go to jail, your judge is an elected official. If your children are in school, the school board makes the decisions and they are elected officials.” 

Rodgers was able to vote today, and according to her, it was a quick process.

Rodgers is cousins with Cierra Waller, a candidate for a position as a member of the Bowling Green Independent School board. This position is the only local election on the ballot in Bowling Green.

Waller works as an associate director for the Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning at WKU and also has a child at Bowling Green Junior High.

Waller said she wanted to see how she could do more for her community with education, and that inspired her to run for this position.

“I have a long family lineage of education in this town,” Waller said. “I wanted to know what more I could do as a citizen to help our school system, help our teachers and help our students.”

Waller was quick to emphasize the importance of voting.

“It’s important because it is your right,” Waller said.

Beshear, a Democrat, is up for reelection as Kentucky’s governor and is running against current attorney general Daniel Cameron, the Republican candidate. Prior to Beshear’s election in 2019, he also served as attorney general.

Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman emphasized the importance of every vote by reminding voters that, in 2019, she and Beshear won by “one and a half votes per precinct.” She asked for attendees’ support to “finish this election strong.”

History professor and former Kentucky State Representative Patti Minter honored Beshear for being a supporter of WKU since he was elected.

“It’s so important to have the governor here on campus,” Minter said, claiming it “tells our campus community that he’s always here for us.”

Minter said, “This campus welcomes everybody, and him being here tells us that.”

Beshear highlighted a similar sentiment, saying, “we serve every single family… this race is about us. It’s about Kentucky.”

Beshear boasted Kentucky’s successes during his term, including two of the best years of economic development, some of the lowest annual and monthly unemployment rates, three of the state’s largest budget surpluses and the highest budget for higher education.

“We are on a record setting economic win streak,” Beshear said, which means “more opportunities for every single WKU student.”

Minter believes young voters are concerned about “being able to make a living wage and have good jobs.” She exalted Beshear for “bringing all of these good paying jobs into our community.”

Stephanie Crouch, WKU senior criminology major, agreed that employment is one of the most important issues to her, along with reproductive rights.

Commissioner of Agriculture candidate Sierra Enlow believes young voters are concerned with “everything from social issues to economic issues.” She said young voters initially become engaged in social issues and become more concerned about jobs post-graduation.

In his current campaign, Beshear is advocating for universal pre-k, raises for teachers and bringing high speed internet access to every home in the state.

Beshear stated he believes in higher education. Minter said “as an educator myself, that’s extremely important to me.”

Coleman told students that they are the future of the economy they are working to improve as they build a better Kentucky.

“Every young voter represents our future for the state of Kentucky,” Enlow said. She described voting as an opportunity for individuals to make a difference in the policies they find important and are most impacted by.

“It’s okay to admit we’ve been through a lot,” Beshear assured voters. Minter praised Beshear for moving the commonwealth forward in a difficult time.

Voters are aware of the unprecedented times and natural disasters that have been felt throughout the community, and some criticize Beshear’s legislative choices. Chalk messages of disapproval and opposition had been left on the sidewalk outside of DSU, where Beshear spoke with students.

Beshear argued that “anger politics should end right here and right now.”

“Young people today don’t want political division, they want to work together,” Minter said. “These culture war issues are just ways to divide us.”

With high stakes and partisan division, Minter describes this election as “the most important election of our lifetime.” 

Megan Bailey, director of Kentuckians for the Commonwealth’s SOKY chapter, believes in the power of young voters. She said they “come with a new fire” and “the energy we’ve got to have to change the systems and make them better.

“Young voters are typically innovative,” Bailey said. “They tend to think past what my generation can imagine or prior generations have been able to imagine.” 

Kentuckians for the Commonwealth created an online accessible voter guide in which surveys were sent out to candidates with questions pertaining to various issues, where Bailey says they were able to express “their own feelings, their own heart, their own experiences.”

Rides to the polls will be made available by Kentuckians for the Commonwealth. More information regarding this service can be found on their website.

To make a difference in local and state governments, Kentuckians can vote early on November 4th or on Election Day on Tuesday, November 7th at one of the various polling locations in Bowling Green.

Kentuckians can also meet Beshear at Fountain Square Park on Nov. 4th at 2 p.m. and join the community in knocking on doors to get out the vote. 

 News Reporter Lindsey Coates can be reached at lindsey.coates052@topper.wku.edu