Eric Deters: Can Trump-style campaign help him break through in crowded GOP race?

The Herald-Leader is profiling the major candidates for the GOP nomination for Kentucky governor. Read the other profiles at Kentucky.com in coming days.

Eric Deters is a brash media figure who has courted Kentucky’s far right and ‘Liberty’ GOP factions in his run for governor. The Northern Kentucky native has tried to come across as the most similar to former president Donald Trump of all the candidates in the race and has been vocal about his opposition to U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky.

Deters is running a unique, at times combative, campaign. The candidate regularly posts videos to his daily online show flaming other candidates for being “puppets” of the Republican establishment. He has been running ads exclusively on cable network channels to that effect.

While Deters has framed his campaign as one that goes hard right on guns and vaccines, among other topics, he holds some idiosyncratic beliefs like supporting legal recreational marijuana and generally supporting unions.

He is known for courtroom controversy, and has been suspended from practicing law in the state. Deters went to jail while advocating for his clients in a case, but has also run into legal issues leading up to the campaign: In Fall 2022, he pleaded guilty to menacing his nephew and was sentenced to 270 days in prison, which was conditionally discharged for the next two years.

Deters’ profile has risen in recent months, with a recent poll showing him in clear fourth place behind Attorney General Daniel Cameron, former ambassador Kelly Craft and Commissioner of Agriculture Ryan Quarles.

Deters on the issues

• Anti-establishment: Deters takes every chance he gets to express his discontent with the most powerful Republicans in the state, claiming that he’s not a “teacup” Republican. Deters has run ads calling Cameron, Craft and Quarles “swamp puppets” of McConnell. “I’m the only guy running, of the 12 people for governor who’s bashing Mitch McConnell every single day. He’s the sitting senior Republican senator from the state, he controls the state, and I’m running against him. And you know what? The anti-McConnell people love it,” Deters said.

• Taxes: Though the Kentucky legislature has put the state on a path to get to zero income tax, Deters said that he wants to get there faster — a prospect that excites some in the business community but frightens some state budget observers. He said that he wants to give further tax relief to veterans, seniors and disabled people. He also wants to get rid of the estate tax, otherwise known as the “death tax,” as well as the annual vehicle tax.

• Cutting regulation: Similar to former GOP governor Matt Bevin, Deters prioritizes cutting regulation and “red tape” in Kentucky. “I can say with great confidence that Kentucky is an over-regulated state, they create these bureaucratic swamps, and I want to take an axe to ‘em. I just want to make everything easier. I want to be dealing with government to be easier, not a cardiac event,” Deters said.

• Abortion: Deters supports legislation limiting the practice but would want to add exceptions for rape and incest. The current law bans abortion with the only exception being the life of the mother.

• LGBTQ issues: Deters has given full support to the recently passed Senate Bill 150, an omnibus bill that restricts discussion of gender identity and sexual orientation in schools; bans puberty blockers, hormones and surgeries for the purpose of gender transition; and prevents trans students from using the bathroom that corresponds with their gender identity, among other things. Deters indicated that he would not support a bill limiting drag performances pride parades, which a previously proposed measure banning public drag shows would do.

Who is supporting Deters?

For the most part, Eric Deters is financially backing his own campaign.

Deters has raised almost $778,475 as of 15 days before the election, almost all of it loaned by himself.

He touts the support of national Trump-supporting groups like Born to Ride for 45 and Bikers For Trump in his campaign materials.

Deters has spent a signficant amount of money organizing and putting on Freedom Fests around the state — the main event drew thousands to his Northern Kentucky farm. He has argued that spending money on high-dollar conservative guests at his Freedom Fest rallies, which have included conservative stars like Trump’s sons, Dinesh D’Souza and Candace Owens, do not qualify as campaign expenses.

What Deters’ opponents say:

Few of the top GOP contenders have weighed in on Deters’ candidacy, but after getting into it with Craft at a debate on KET, the two had no love lost. Deters continually attacked Craft for questions on her residency and other issues.

That behavior prompted complaints from Craft, who said he was bringing down the discourse.

“He’s all bark and no bite. I don’t give him credibility, and it’s very obvious even the press agrees with (me on) what I was served today on my residency. There’s a clown in every circus, and we certainly had one sitting with us tonight,” Craft said.

Why Deters say he’s the best choice to take on Beshear:

Deters emphasizes his self-described grit as the reason he’s the best GOP choice to beat Beshear in the Fall.

“I am the best candidate because I’m the toughest and the strongest and the boldest. I’m the only candidate can be Andy Beshear because of how tough I am. It’ll be a bloodbath, and I’m the one that’s tough enough to take it and dish it out the same as Trump took on Hillary,” Deters said. “The Kentucky Republican Party needs me.”

Surprising for a Republican, Deters endorsed Beshear in 2019 over Bevin. In an apology video a few years later, Deters said he did so because he “thought Bevin was a jerk and Beshear might be different.”

Quick facts on Deters:

Name: Eric Deters

Age: 59

City of residence: Independence

Previous political/public experience: Political rally host, campaign and local party figure, former candidate for Kenton County Attorney.

Professional experience: Attorney, media personality, radio host, business owner, author

Learn more: detersforgovernor.com, Twitter: @bulllaw, Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/detersforgovernor, YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/thebulldogsnation

Quote: “I bet you if you go out and look around across the country, nobody, once they didn’t get the endorsement, has spoken as much about Trump as yours truly. I have been the most loyal Trump supporter of anybody.”

Here’s the complete list of candidates running for Kentucky governor in 2023

Kentucky is electing more than just governor in 2023. Meet the down-ballot candidates