LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The stage is set for Kentucky's 2023 gubernatorial election, as Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron prepares to face off against incumbent Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear.
Both candidates wasted no time setting the tone for this November, as both are already embarking on the campaign trail.
Cameron celebrated his nomination with other top GOP leaders in the state, Friday.
That same day, Gov. Beshear began a three day, 15 stop bust tour across the Commonwealth. He had a clear-cut message for every single crowd that showed up in support.
You'd think with a crowd like this, that this election may not be that difficult. It's going to be," Beshear said, during a Louisville campaign stop, Sunday.
Some networks news outlets are calling it the biggest governor's race of 2023.
A January poll found Gov. Beshear's approval rating to be 61%.
No matter how optimistic that number may be, it doesn't discount the fact Beshear faces steep challenges toward winning that second term in office.
WHAS11 asked the Gov. Beshear about those challenges during a one-on-one interview, Sunday, on the way to his second Louisville campaign stop -- chief among them is the uptick in Republican voter registration across the state and the growing polarization in politics.
"My job as governor isn't to move the state right or left but to move it forward for every family," Beshear said. "The other side is just going to call, me, I guess, names, stoke division and that doesn't help any of us."
Kentucky's GOP took Friday's press conference as an opportunity to further nationalize Kentucky's gubernatorial race.
GOP leaders, including Cameron, took shots at Beshear for, in their words, not holding President Biden accountable with regards to U.S. border security and for failing to address "wokeness," in Kentucky schools.
"The right answer is that Jason Glass and Andy Beshear need to find a new job," Cameron said. "We will make sure that happens come November."
Recently, Kentucky Education Commissioner Jason Glass has become the target of Republican political attacks in the state legislator.
Cameron, also called Beshear out whilst suggesting Kentucky State Police open a Louisville post, to help curb the city's ongoing violent crime.
"We need to have Kentucky State Police work with local law enforcement agencies," Cameron said. "Andy Beshear is sitting on his hands to allow violent crime to continue to rise."
WHAS11 asked Gov. Beshear to respond to Cameron's accusation.
"LMPD has over 1,000 officers. [KSP] only has about 800 troopers," Beshear said. "So, when Daniel Cameron talks about bringing a KSP post to Louisville, he's talking about taking a trooper from Eastern, Western Kentucky, where they're probably the only one patrolling in the county.
Thus far, while out campaigning, Beshear has touted his first-term successes to voters: record-economic development, rising wages and rapid job growth.
"Andy Beshear is, during this election season, going to try to take credit for things he didn't do," Cameron said. "I often tell people it's like someone being born on the third base and thinking they hit a triple."
GOP lawmakers, like Cameron, believe credit belongs to them and other officials within the state's Republican super-majority.
"There's enough credit to go around. And, I'm happy to include anyone else in that crowd because this isn't about me, this isn't about my opponent. This is about the people of Kentucky," Beshear said.
►Contact reporter Connor Steffen at csteffen@whas11.com or on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
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