Well, it looks like Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear has managed to hang on and will be re-elected to his second term. This in spite of a campaign that led to some atrocious ads directed at Daniel Cameron. Such as this one.

NEW: Soros-Funded PAC Labels Black Republican An Uncle Tom In Campaign Ad: ‘Skinfolk Ain’t Kinfolk’

Listen to the ad here: pic.twitter.com/1EtuQwz9IX

— Brent Scher (@BrentScher) October 27, 2023

Multiple organizations including Real Clear Politics had this race at a dead heat. 

As Deanna wrote here, it was looking like Cameron could prevail because of Beshear’s issues with criminals reoffending, his Covid record, and his avoidance of Joe Biden during his campaign. 

“This race isn’t about any race for the White House,” he told reporters, as his GOP opponent relentlessly tied Beshear to President Biden and touted his own support from Donald Trump.

Asked what lessons his race held for Democrats in red and purple states, Beshear deflected with a message for both parties to “care about everyone.”

So, Kentucky which is a deep RED state with a Republican super majority in the state legislature and on the national level couldn’t get Republicans out to vote for Daniel Cameron? It reminds me of all the years we had a Republican majority across the board in Wyoming, yet elected Democrat governors (Ed Herschler for three terms) for over thirty years straight. 

Per Decision Desk notes via Twitter/X

At the time of calling this race….
– Beshear performed strongly across the fifteen completed counties thus far.
– Specifically, he performed better than he did in 2019 in Breathitt and Lee coal counties, even as these had trended towards Trump on a national level.
– He overperformed by wide margins in the coalfields and overperformed what was needed in more Republican areas in central Kentucky.
– AB/EV results were reported in a few counties in Western Kentucky, and these results were exceptionally strong for him.
– Beshear seemed to be in a solid position to maintain his usual strength in Democratic urban areas.

Which, when you look at the above, the question is WHY didn’t the Republicans prevail in getting Cameron elected? This is an interesting premise.

The Republican apparatus knew they had a turnout problem after the midterms. What did they do to increase voter turnout? Sending a few direct mailers and spamming text messages doesn't work. They need real people on the ground, social media strategy, ads on Twitter, ballot… https://t.co/7L84fMkhc4

— Chef Andrew Gruel (@ChefGruel) November 8, 2023

Yes, it isn’t that Trump isn’t on the ballot. It is that the Republican Party has been PHONING IT IN from the national level on down. Re-electing Ronna McDaniel was a HUGE massive mistake. 

The Biden Administration has been waging war on coal and oil from the very beginning. Beshear has given lip service to keeping the coal industry afloat. Kentucky needed a Governor who would protect the industries such as coal that fuel this nation. And the RNC plus Kentucky GOP seems to have been totally AWOL on this. 

That said, this regarding the Republican super majority is something worth noting. 

https://twitter.com/ashleykaycromer/status/1722052104502583507

Keep in mind, the Republican super majority needs to hold the line. The question is, will they? 

That said, how many damned alarm bells does the RNC/GOP elites need to understand that the playbook needs to be thrown out and stomped into oblivion. 

We should’ve won the Kentucky Gubernatorial race. We didn’t and that lies squarely on the heads of the RNC – who don’t know how to lead a damned thing, the Kentucky GOP, and yes, Mitch McConnell.

Feature Photo Credit: Original artwork by Victory Girls Darleen Click