Andy Beshear has filed for re-election as Kentucky’s governor.
In a Friday morning announcement on social media, the state’s leading Democrat urged the public to join in on his campaign — which he noted is beginning nearly 18 months early.
Beshear’s bid for re-election will likely be tied to the state’s battle against COVID-19 and paired with his push for a vibrant economy, but will almost certainly be rebuffed with questions about the unemployment system and a fervent GOP base that blocked Senate Bill No. 1 and No. 2 and moved mask mandates to school district discretion.
At this current juncture, no other Democrats have filed to run against Beshear, while one candidate — State Auditor Mike Harmon — has tossed his name in the hat as a Republican.
Considerable speculation swirls about the possibility of Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles running for governor, but no such announcement has come from his office at this time.
If Beshear wins re-election, he’d be just the fifth-ever incumbent for the Commonwealth — joining James Garrard (1796-1804), J.C.W. Beckham (1900-1907), Paul Patton (1995-2003) and Steve Beshear (2007-2015) to do so.
