Kentucky's Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear will win a second term, ABC News projects, fending off a challenge from Republican state Attorney General Daniel Cameron.
Throughout the race, which was seen as the biggest of the three gubernatorial contests in 2023, Beshear sought to tout his record as an effective steward during the COVID-19 pandemic and devastating flooding and tornadoes while Cameron sought to tie him to President Joe Biden, who is suffering from poor approval ratings.
Along with the governor, voters headed to the polls on Tuesday to cast their ballots for lieutenant governor and other offices.
Republican Russell Coleman won the state attorney general election, ABC News projects, and Republican Michael Adams won a second term as secretary of state.
In his victory speech, Beshear continued to cast himself as a nonpartisan lawmaker.
"Tonight, Kentucky made a choice, a choice not to move to the right or to the left but to move forward for every single family. A choice to reject 'team R' or 'team D' and to state clearly that we are one team Kentucky," he said at his victory party.
"It was a victory that sends a loud clear message. A message that candidates should run for something and not against someone, that a candidate should show vision and not sow division and a clear statement that anger politics should end right here and right now," he said.
Cameron conceded to Beshear on Tuesday night, saying in his own remarks that the race "didn't turn out exactly how I wanted it to."
"Thank you so much for your willingness and commit to this campaign in this effort and effort that was ultimately about our kids and our grandkids you know," he told a crowd of supporters.
He asked the watch party audience to pray for Beshear.
Since the 1950s, the state of Kentucky has been reliably Republican at the federal level. In 2020, former President Donald Trump won there by a 26% margin over now-President Joe Biden.
Beshear faced a serious challenge from Cameron four years after he only narrowly defeated incumbent Gov. Matt Bevin by about 5,000 votes, with Beshear earning 49% of the votes and Bevin earning 48.8% of the votes.
Issues like abortion access have been at the forefront of voters' minds this election. Both Beshear, who favors access, and Cameron, who opposes it, accused each other of taking extreme stands on abortion policy during the gubernatorial debate at Northern Kentucky University on Oct. 16.