FANCY FARM, Ky. (LEX 18) — The Fancy Farm political picnic kicked off a campaign season in Kentucky on Saturday, and the headlining race at the event was Kentucky's race for governor.
In front of a very loud crowd, the Democratic incumbent governor talked about the state's "booming" economy while his Republican challenger hammered away on social issues.
Since Fancy Farm is known as the event for throwing jabs at your opponent, Gov. Andy Beshear and Attorney General Daniel Cameron took shots at one another.
"This governor lies more than a Hunter Biden tax return," said Cameron.
"If you're willing to lie to a grand jury, he's willing to lie to you," Beshear threw back.
"Governor, I know you guys are obsessed with pronouns these days, but come November, yours are going to be had and been," fired Cameron.
"It is great to be back in western Kentucky - where my family is from, where Jaime Comer pretends to live, and where Daniel Cameron will show up for a political rally, but not for tornado survivors," added Beshear.
Both sides stuck primarily to scripts written in the early months of their general election showdown as they campaigned at the Fancy Farm picnic, traditionally seen as the jumping-off point for fall elections in Kentucky. However, This year, Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear and Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron have been going at it for weeks, pounding away at many of the same notes they struck Saturday.
Beshear touted his stewardship of the state's economy, pointing to job creation from record-high economic development and record-low unemployment rates. The incumbent Democrat tried tending down partisanship in his pitch for a second term in the GOP-trending Bluegrass State.
"When you're on a historic winning streak, you don't fire the coach," the governor said. "You don't sub out the quarterback. You keep that team on the field.”
Reprising another of his central campaign themes, Cameron tried linking Beshear to President Joe Biden, who was trounced by Donald Trump in Kentucky in 2020 and remains unpopular in the state. Cameron slammed Beshear for vetoing legislation restricting transgender people's
participation in school sports, part of a strategy focused on social issues to fire up conservative voters.
"His record is one of failure, and it flies in the face of true Kentucky values," Cameron said.
Beshear has vowed not to cede so-called family values to his Republican opponent, accusing Cameron and his allies of running a strategy based on dividing Kentuckians.
"Let's remember we're told not just to talk about our faith but to actually live it out," said the governor. "I'm reminded of the Golden Rule, which is that we love our neighbor as our self.”
Beshear — who has presided over several
disasters, from the COVID-19 pandemic to tornadoes and floods — pointed to his efforts to aid stricken regions in rebuilding homes and infrastructure.
Cameron aimed at Beshear's
pandemic policies that he said favored corporations over small businesses.
"He closed down Main Street and bent over backwards for Wall Street," Cameron said.
Beshear has countered that his pandemic restrictions saved lives.
Meanwhile, the drumbeat of GOP criticism of Beshear on social issues continued. The governor has come under attack from GOP groups for vetoing legislation aimed at transgender. Cameron noted Beshear vetoed a bill that barred transgender girls and women from participating in school sports matching their gender identity. The state's Republican-dominated legislature overrode the veto.
Cameron promised the crowd to stand against "woke" ideas.
"I will protect our children from gender ideology in the classroom and keep boys out of girls' sports. I will support our teachers and make sure they have the resources they need. I will make sure our schools are about reading, writing, and math," said Cameron. "And they aren't incubators for liberal and regressive ideas.”
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
