In a major upset, Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron emerged victorious in the Republican gubernatorial primary, beating out former Ambassador to the United Nations Kelly Craft and Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles. The primary race, which was closely watched by political analysts, was essentially a battle between two 2024 GOP frontrunners, former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Trump-backed Daniel Cameron wins GOP primary for Kentucky governor, will face incumbent Democrat Andy Beshear https://t.co/Lc8lVua3Y1
— Fox News (@FoxNews) May 17, 2023
Last June, the former president endorsed Cameron’s bid to become governor of the Bluegrass State. Just hours before the polls closed, however, DeSantis threw his support behind Craft, a former Trump administration official. Despite the last-minute endorsement, it was Cameron who came out on top on Tuesday.
“President Trump is the leader of the Republican Party. The results in Kentucky’s Republican gubernatorial primary tonight reaffirm that,” said Alex Pfeiffer, spokesperson for the Make America Great Again PAC after Cameron’s victory. “Republican voters stand with President Trump, not Ron DeSantis. It’s time to unite around Donald Trump. Voters know that President Trump has their interests in mind when he endorses a candidate, not the interests of the consultant class,” he added.
Cameron’s victory is a blow to DeSantis’ political aspirations and may signal a shift in the GOP’s power dynamics if Trump continues to endorse candidates who don’t align with the Florida governor. With Trump’s influence still strong in the party, it remains to be seen how much sway DeSantis will have in future primary races.