KENTUCKY, USA — Kentucky's Primary is just a few days away and the Commonwealth's Republican candidates for governor are out getting in last minute campaigning in to secure crucial votes.
With early voting already underway, Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams warns 2023 could mark record-low voter turnout for the Commonwealth -- just about 10% of registered voters.
The low figure makes it all the more important for gubernatorial candidates to collect as much of that voting share as they can.
GOP candidate and Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron spoke on the record-low turnout projections during a campaign event Friday.
"I want to encourage people tonight to get to the polls and we're hoping that we will get more than 10%," Cameron said. "That's our goal."
Cameron also took a shot at Governor Andy Beshear during the gathering in Elizabethtown.
"We've got to change the direction of our Commonwealth," he said. "We can't have a governor who shuts down Churches in the midst of the pandemic. We can't have a governor who doesn't understand our values."
Less than 24 hours later, on Saturday, it former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Kelly Craft's, turn to make her case to voters.
"We have to swim upstream to the family table. God has got to be back at the family table," Craft said.
In front of a crowd of about 50, on the out skirts of Louisville, Craft addressed Kentucky's Education Commissioner Jason Glass.
It was discovered, Friday, that Glass is a finalist for the school superintendent position in Baltimore, MD.
"Well guess what? Jason Glass heard my voice. How about that? He is on his way out," Craft said.
Those in the crowd also heard from Texas Senator Ted Cruz, who endorsed Craft's campaign.
"Kelly doesn't have to do this," Cruz said. "But the reason she is running for governor is because she cares about the people of Kentucky."
Around the same time, Saturday, candidate and Kentucky Agricultural Commissioner, republican Ryan Quarles hosted a campaign event in Louisville.
Quarles made it clear to the crowd inside Goodwood, his campaign is all about "Kentucky issues."
"When it comes to Louisville, we want to make sure we have a safe and secure Louisville," he said. "We support our men and women in law enforcement, and we want to make Kentucky safe again."
Speaking on Louisville, Quarles also suggested, as governor, he would address the Metro's growing houseless population.
He did not specifically detail policy but said his campaign has a plan.
There are plenty of vacancies in our homeless shelters," Quarles said.
Whichever Republican candidate wins the Kentucky Primary will face off against Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear in the November General Election.
Recent polling shows Beshear is among the top ten most popular governors in the nation, with at least 60% of Kentuckians approving of the job he's done.
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