Cameron brings campaign to Boyd Co.

Oct. 31—CANNONSBURG — A fired-up crowd welcomed Republican gubernatorial candidate Daniel Cameron on Monday, just eight days before Kentuckians head to the polls.

With nearly 100 in attendance, local Republican representatives encouraged attendees to cast their votes in favor of Cameron, pushing back against current Gov. Andy Beshear's term and campaign.

Rep. Patrick Flannery, representing Carter, Lewis and a portion of Boyd County, led the charge, believing Beshear has based his campaign on taking credit for what he and his Republican colleagues have done legislatively.

"He likes to take credit for lowering the income tax when he actually vetoed it. ... I don't really get that," Flannery said.

Flannery then targeted Beshear for his previous law firm's representation of the Boy Scouts in a civil suit. "He represented some really sick people. ... I'm not surprised about his stance on the trans nonsense."

"The good news is we have a really good man running for office," Flannery said, leading up to the arrival of Cameron.

Rep. Danny Bentley also spoke highly of Cameron, calling him a "fine individual," and a "man of faith."

Bentley also said Beshear had taken credit for passing a bill on capping insulin costs, a bill Bentley sponsored. "He (Beshear) says he capped insulin, but I know personally he didn't do that one."

Rep. Scott Sharp shifted the focus from Beshear and encouraged straight-ticket voting to attendees.

"We've got a really strong down ticket," Sharp said of the Republican ballot.

Sharp introduced Allison Ball, the current state treasurer and Republican candidate for state auditor, who continued to encourage the Republican ballot.

"I want to fire you up ... I really believe we are on the cusp of winning every single constitutional officer, from the governor on down," Ball said. "It will be the first time in Kentucky history that we will have all Republicans take every constitutional office sweep. ... This is the year to make that happen.

"We are all ready to go to make sure we are advancing conservative principles, things that we believe in," Ball said.

United States Rep. Thomas Massie drew a connection from Kentucky's election to the national stage — stating the election of Cameron would send a loud message to Washington, D.C., foreshadowing the outcome of 2024's presidential election.

"This is one of those years you can safely vote straight ticket all the way down," Massie said. "We need to tell them we are tired of Joe Biden's policies because Andy Beshear's policies aren't much different if you think about it."

Massie didn't mention any specific policy of Beshear's that mimicked Biden's, but did call Gov. Beshear the "Andy variant of the Beshear virus."

"Why did he shut down the churches and leave the liquor stores open?" Massie asked. "Abortion clinics were open and strip clubs were open."

According to previous news publications, which outline state COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020, Beshear ordered all bars, restaurants and schools to close on March 16 and issued a formal letter banning mass gatherings, including church services, to cease three days later.

The same timeline states on March 23, all "non-life-sustaining" businesses (i.e., strip clubs) were to close. The timeline suggests churches were closed for one Sunday service while "non-life-sustaining" businesses remained open.

Churches were permitted to return at 50% capacity on June 10, per the previously published timeline.

Cameron, the state's current Attorney General, filed a motion to block Beshear's COVID-19 policies — in July 2020 — after churches were permitted to reopen and after more than 600 Kentuckians reportedly had died from the virus, according to previous reports.

Despite COVID-19 causing 18,094 deaths in the state as of 2023, Cameron parroted Massie concerning Beshear's COVID-19 mandates, calling them "unconstitutional."

"A governor who would shut down your churches, your small businesses and your schools ... if that doesn't signify a governor who is crazy and out of touch with our values, I don't know what is," Cameron said.

"I've got a very simple message for all of you all today," Cameron said. "I want everybody in this room to know, that come Nov. 7, this race comes down to you all."

Cameron told potential constituents he would protect women's sports, the "innocence of childhood," support public school teachers and of his endorsement by the state's fraternal order of police.

"This race is about our values," Cameron said. "This really isn't a race about Republican versus Democrat. ... This is a race about crazy versus normal."

With Democratic voter registration outnumbering Republicans by a small margin in Boyd County, the race is predicted to be a close one by numerous news agencies.

The latest poll, released by Emerson College Polling on Oct. 6, show Beshear leading Cameron by 16 points.

(606) 326-2652 — mjepling@dailyindependent.com