The stage is set for the November General Election in Kentucky. Voters selected party candidates for state offices in Tuesday’s primary and elected a new state senator in a special election.
Attorney General Daniel Cameron won the Republican primary for governor. He will face incumbent Democrat Governor Andy Beshear in the fall. Cameron garnered nearly 50% of the votes, followed by Ryan Quarles and Kelly Craft.
Secretary of State Michael Adams easily held off challengers in his bid for reelection. He will face former Representative Charles “Buddy” Wheatley on the Democrat ticket in November.
Current Treasurer Allison Ball won the Republican primary for auditor and will face Democrat tax attorney Kim Reeder.
In the race for state treasurer, Garrard County Attorney Mark Metcalf defeated two challengers on the Republican ticket and will take on Democrat Michael Bowman, a special assistant to the lieutenant governor and former legislative assistant for Louisville Metro Council.
Commissioner of agriculture was the only other contested Democrat race on Tuesday. Political newcomer Sierra Enlow, an economic development consultant, won that race and will face former state Representative Jonathan Shell who won the Republican primary.
Neither candidate for attorney general faced a challenger in the primary. Democrat Pamela Stevenson, a current state representative, and Republican Russell Coleman will face off in the fall. Coleman is the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky.
Statewide voter turnout for Tuesday’s primary was reported at 14%. The General Election takes place on Tuesday, Nov. 7.
Tuesday also included a special election for an open Senate seat. Republican Greg Elkins, the CEO of a waste management company and a former Clark County magistrate, won the special election for the Kentucky Senate in District 28. He will replace Ralph Alvarado, who resigned earlier this year to take a job as the commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Health.
Voters will cast ballots later this year for a House seat after the unexpected death of freshman Fayette County Representative Lamin Swann on Sunday. Swann, who represented District 93, passed away at the age of 45 after suffering a medical emergency. Governor Andy Beshear will set a date for a special election to fill the seat.
House Speaker David Osborne called Representative Swann a “dedicated public servant.” A statement released by Democratic Caucus Leaders Derrick Graham, Cherlynn Stevenson, and Rachel Roberts stated, “Lamin was a great friend, and our caucus is better for having known and worked alongside him.”
