Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron files to run for governor in 2023

Kentucky Attorney Typical Daniel Cameron filed paperwork Wednesday to start a operate for governor in 2023, ending weeks of speculation that he would be a part of the area of future Republican candidates.

Cameron submitted a assertion of shelling out intent kind Wednesday morning with the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance, indicating this kind of shelling out would be as a gubernatorial prospect.

Two several hours soon after The Courier Journal broke the news of his submitting, Cameron built the official announcement of his candidacy in an e mail and online video — contrasting himself with the existing business holder, Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear.

“I’ve made the decision to run for governor since Kentucky desires a chief who reflects the values of the guys, girls and small children of all 120 counties,” Cameron claimed. “That’s not our latest governor.”

In his video, Cameron mentioned Beshear is “not uniting Kentucky” and touted his own anti-abortion views, expressing the point out requires a governor “who have an understanding of that only faith can keep us powerful.”

The legal professional standard is now the third Republican constitutional officer to have joined the race for governor, pursuing state Auditor Mike Harmon and Agriculture Fee Ryan Quarles.

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Harmon joined the race last summer season, though Quarles introduced his run for the business two weeks in the past.

Other Republicans who have said they are also looking at a run for governor include things like previous United Nations Ambassador Kelly Craft, state Rep. Savannah Maddox and condition Sens. Max Smart and Ralph Alvarado. Also rumored to be looking at a run is previous Gov. Matt Bevin.

Beshear has introduced he is running for reelection, currently boosting additional than $2 million for that operate. New polls have proven his approval rating in Kentucky at almost 60%.

Elected in 2019 as the 1st Black legal professional typical in Kentucky history, Cameron is a political protégé of Senate Majority Chief Mitch McConnell, formerly serving as his general counsel for two yrs.

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Cameron grew up in Elizabethtown, where his father owned a area coffee shop and his mom was a professor at the nearby local community school. He acquired his bachelor’s and law degrees from the University of Louisville, wherever he also played on the football group.

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As lawyer typical, Cameron’s business office has faced off in opposition to Beshear in courtroom quite a few occasions with various achievements, most generally over troubles linked to the governor’s use of emergency powers in reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cameron was also the heart of countrywide notice associated to the Louisville police killing of Breonna Taylor in 2020. His business investigated her shooting but did not endorse the grand jury indict any of the officers for her dying.

Cameron and his spokesperson did not reply to a request for comment.

Kentucky Democratic Occasion Chair Colmon Elridge reacted to Cameron’s entry to the race by stating he had a “weak file of defending Kentucky kids, seniors and survivors” and politicizes his business, even though Beshear is “a single of the most well known governors in the region due to the fact he works for Kentuckians.”

With Cameron’s announcement, Republican Secretary of Condition Michael Adams indicated he would contemplate jogging for lawyer standard subsequent 12 months.

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Achieve reporter Joe Sonka at [email protected] and comply with him on Twitter at @joesonka. Support robust nearby journalism by subscribing these days at the major of this webpage.

This article at first appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Daniel Cameron files to run for Kentucky governor in 2023 election