When we have this, usually the situation of such a crowded primary is really we're going to have to keep watching if somebody drops out, if it's going to be pretty competitive. The Republican candidate who wins the primary has to be really good. He's had to deal with the Western Kentucky tornado recovery, the Eastern Kentucky floods, so he's definitely gained a lot of goodwill and popularity, way enough, definitely more enough for Democrats to really put those eggs in just one basket. He took office in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic. His term has basically been defined by crisis management. Melissa Harris-Perry: If you've got Democrats putting all their eggs in one basket, why are Republicans putting their eggs in 12?ĭivya Karthikeyen: Oh, I think for at least Democrats, Governor Beshear is their best bet as a candidate because he has a pretty high approval rating. Some candidates are mostly loaning that money to themselves, but we're seeing at least Attorney General Daniel Cameron has gotten a fair amount of small-dollar donations as well as contributions from PACs. We're seeing donations pour in from everywhere. She's really in the game, though she's never run for election before. She has been holding a fundraising lead because she has been a prolific fundraiser.
On the Republican side, there's been a significant lead reported by Kelly Craft, who is the wife of a billionaire coal magnet, and the former UN Ambassador in the Trump administration. He's gotten the backing of huge personalities, some out of state, and also the National Democratic Party, which is really putting its eggs in one basket with Governor Beshear because he is a Democratic governor in a Republican-led legislature right now, where he's constantly tussling with. Governor Andy Beshear, who is the incumbent governor and the Democratic governor, has raised about $5.3 million, and that's huge amount by the time we have the primaries in May. Particularly there's been a lot of small-dollar donations. Where is it coming from?ĭivya Karthikeyen: Yes, there is a significant amount of a lot of the candidates, especially the Republican candidates, are raising a lot of money from fundraisers. Melissa Harris-Perry: As this race for the gubernatorial mansion is heating up, talk to me a bit about the money that's coming in. Divya, thanks for being here.ĭivya Karthikeyen: Hello. Melissa Harris-Perry: Joining me today is Divya Karthikeyen, Capitol Reporter at Kentucky Public Radio. Republicans on the other hand hope to prove that Beshear's victory in 2019 was just a fluke. The race is closely watched around the nation, and Democratic leaders have dubbed the race priority number one, and hope to recreate the tightrope walk of governance in the state. One of those running to unseat the governor is the state's Attorney General, Daniel Cameron.Ĭameron hopes his backing of Kentucky's near-total abortion ban can take him to victory in the Republican primary, and eventually into the Governor's Mansion. However, Republicans are telling the governor, "Not so fast," and they're putting up contenders of their own, 12 of them to be exact. It's an upset he hopes to repeat this year. It was a squeaker of a win for Beshear, who was sent the Governor's Mansion with just over 5,000 votes. Sitting Democratic Governor Andy Beshear, like Rich Strike in 2022, pulled off an upset in the 2019 race for governor. Melissa Harris-Perry: Kentucky is home to more than one long shot. The longest shot has won the Kentucky Derby. Simplification on the outside in stakes, and coming down to the wire. Today, we're off to the races.Ĭommentator: They're off in the Kentucky Derby.
Melissa Harris-Perry: I'm Melissa Harris-Perry.
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