Ricky Jones: What does Kentucky want to be? Gubernatorial primary will soon tell us
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Every space, organization, institution, and yes, state, becomes the behavior it rewards. To be sure, May 16 and November 7, will tell us a lot about what the state of Kentucky is and wants to become because of the political behavior it rewards.
May 16 is the state’s gubernatorial primaries. The Democratic side isn’t really a contest. Incumbent Andy Beshear faces off against former Republican Peppy Martin of Jefferson County and anti-war activist Geoff Young out of Lexington. Neither has ever held political office and, barring some incomprehensible level or electoral weirdness or divine intervention still won’t after primary votes are tallied. Beshear will beat them without breaking a sweat.
While the Democratic race is boringly uncompetitive, the Republican side has provided excitement and fireworks aplenty. Despite others in the field, the GOP contest really comes down to current Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron and former Trump U.N. ambassador Kelly Craft.
What some might call excitement, other observers have dubbed an atrocity. The Courier Journal’s Joe Sonka played the role of dispassionate reporter and delivered a summary of the nasty fight between Craft and Cameron with a “Just the facts, ma’am” Joe Friday tone. Contrarily, opinion writer Joseph Gerth’s offering was much more urgent, critical, and merciless.
Kentucky primaries 2023: Your guide to who is running for governor and other state offices
Gerth described the final Republican debate before the primary election as “a clown show.” He went after Craft and Cameron for a shameful list of deceptions and depravities. Gerth painted both as willing to mislead and gaslight voters on everything from guns to education to the criminality of January 6. These tactics have worked well on the state-level from Florida to Texas, so why not try them in Kentucky?
The playbook hasn’t been limited to states, of course. Donald Trump successfully used it in 2016. Tries it again but fell short in 2020, but still is a threat for 2024. Despite his unapologetic deceitfulness and mean-spiritedness, Trump still looms large among Republicans. To be sure, neither Craft nor Cameron have escaped his influence and still seek his approval. Gerth wrote, “The [Republican primary] debate turned into a fight over who most loves a twice-impeached, once-indicted (so far) former president and who the twice-impeached, once-indicted (so far) former president loves most.”
The question here isn’t what to make of Daniel Cameron and Kelly Craft. They’re pretty clear on what they are. Gerth is scathing, but he is not wrong about them. They will tell half-truths or outright lies to get what they want. Like their hero Trump, their moral compasses are malfunctioning or broken all together. But one of them will be the Republican’s nominee for governor of Kentucky.
Kentucky primaries 2023: Your guide to who is running for governor and other state offices
Gerth poignantly asked, “Is this the best the Republicans can do?” Maybe it is, but that’s not the real question.
The real questions are how many Kentuckians will come out and reward Cameron or Craft with their votes on May 16? How many will then support whichever one emerges from this GOP melee of mendacity in the general election on November 7? A real question is, what does Kentucky want to be? Does it want to move bravely into the 21st century and remake itself into a destination state where cosmopolitan people want to live? Or does it want to be a place that clings to 19th century sensibilities and remains on modern Americans’ “do not visit or live in” lists?
In a sane world, given the competition, Andy Beshear will be re-elected governor of Kentucky in a walk. But alas, only time will tell if Kentucky is sane.
Dr. Ricky L. Jones is professor and chair of the Pan-African Studies department at the University of Louisville. His column appears bi-weekly in the Courier-Journal. Visit him at rickyljones.com.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: What does Kentucky want to be? The governor's race will soon tell us
