Posted June 4, 2019
On Tuesday, May 21, the Primary Election was held, and Kentuckians went to the polls to select Democrat and Republican nominees for the Commonwealth’s six constitutional offices, including the Office of Governor. The General Election, scheduled for Tuesday, November 5, will see Governor Matt Bevin and his running mate, Senator Ralph Alvarado, M.D., square off against Attorney General Andy Beshear and his choice for Lieutenant Governor, Jacqueline Coleman.
The gubernatorial race will be contentious with more than a fair share of television and radio ads from the candidates and groups supporting them. Many experts also expect one or more visits by President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence to assist Governor Bevin, especially considering that, besides Kentucky, only two other states have a governor’s race in 2019. Meanwhile, political observers predict Beshear will attempt to counter the “Trump Effect” by rallying key constituency groups, such as unions and public-school teachers, and drive a larger than normal turnout from Democrats, particularly within the state’s metropolitan areas.
Regarding the issues, Kentucky’s public pension crisis will dominate the debate between the two candidates. However, KMA anticipates healthcare-related issues to be discussed during the campaign as well, including tort reform, Medicaid, “medical” marijuana, opioid use disorder, and tobacco use, just to name a few.
Besides the Governor’s race, there are five other constitutional offices being contested. Below is a list of candidates who won their party’s nomination to vie for those positions.
- Attorney General (Open)
Daniel Cameron (R) versus Greg Stumbo (D) - Secretary of State (Open)
Michael Adams (R) versus Heather French Henry (D) - Auditor
Mike Harmon (R) (Incumbent) versus Sheri Donahue (D) - Commissioner of Agriculture
Ryan Quarles (R) (incumbent) versus Robert Haley Conway (D) - Treasurer
Allison Ball (R) (incumbent) versus Michael Bowman (D)
KMA and its political action arm, the Kentucky Physicians Political Action Committee (KPPAC), will monitor these races closely and provide any relevant updates as they develop. Additional information regarding KPPAC and how to contribute can be found by visiting www.kppac.org.
