Secretary of State Michael Adams easily secures a second term statewide, defeating his Democratic challenger Buddy Wheatley, despite not winning Jefferson County. In the race for treasurer, Republican Mark Metf defeats Democrat Michael Bowman, replacing Allison Ball, who will now serve as the Kentucky auditor.
Republican Jonathan Shell of Gared County, Kentucky, defeats Democrat Sierra Eno to become the state’s next Commissioner of Agriculture. Republican consultant Iris Wilbur Glick of McCarthy Strategy and Democrat David Tandy, former Metro Council president of Louisville, analyze the election results.
Tandy attributes Andy Basher’s victory to his role as an incumbent governor, with voters appreciating his leadership during the pandemic and other crises. Glick mentions warning signs for Daniel Cameron in Breathitt County, but states that the overall results differ by region.
She notes that Cameron struggled to gain traction in southeastern and eastern Kentucky, where historically red counties turned blue or had slim margins. The CER counties around Lexington were problematic, as well as heavily registered Republican areas like Kenton County. Trump’s support for Cameron during the campaign did not translate into success.
The analysts discuss the diminished reliability of polls in accurately reflecting election outcomes, particularly in states like Kentucky with increasing early participation. They will reconvene tomorrow to analyze the post-election landscape..
