Four candidates seeking the Republican nomination for governor debated Wednesday morning on Kentucky Sports Radio.
New polling shows Governor Andy Beshear as the fifth-most popular governor in the nation and the most-popular Democratic governor.
Kelly Craft, Ryan Quarles, Mike Harmon and Alan Keck all agreed one thing—that Beshear should still be replaced in November despite any popularity.
Auditor Harmon cited Governor Beshear’s pandemic mitigation measures and restrictions as reasons why he shoouldn’t be re-elected.
Former U.N. Ambassador Craft accuses the governor of failing to fight so-called ‘wokeism’ in schools.
Ag. Commissioner Quarles also believes the pandemic restrictions will be the governor’s undoing.
Keck, who is the mayor of Somerset, believes the governor’s popularity is due in large part to policies and bills passed by the Republican Kentucky legislature.
Harmon and Craft say they would currently support Donald Trump as the 2024 Republican presidential nominee, while Quarles and Keck are currently liking Ron DeSantis.
Keck says low workforce participation is the biggest issue facing Kentucky, Harmon says school choice including allowing public money to be spent on private schools is a top issue for him, Craft wants to replace the state education commissioner and Quarles wants better pay and resources for law enforcement.
None of the four would support new gun control measures in response to recent mass shootings, with all citing mental health as the major issue.
Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron was invited, but ultimately chose not to participate in the debate.
Listen to the entire debate by clicking here.