FRANKFORT, Ky. (KT) – Another Democratic slate could be filing for the 2019 gubernatorial nomination soon.
Lexington television station WKYT said that former State Auditor Adam Edelen will announce his candidacy for governor on Monday and that he will be joined on the slate by Gill Holland, a Louisville businessman and developer, the station announced on Wednesday.
This follows an Insider Louisville story on Dec. 13, in which Holland sent a text when asked if he would be Edelen’s running mate.
“Well, Adam and I have been friends for years, and we both share a commitment to moving Kentucky forward,” Holland wrote to Insider Louisville. “Right now, I don’t think there’s a team in the race that has the vision to win in November. That could change very soon.”
If Edelen declares his candidacy, this would be the third major Democratic slate to announce a challenge to Republican incumbent Matt Bevin.
Attorney General Andy Beshear is being joined by Nelson County High School assistant principal Jacqueline Coleman on one slate, with House Minority Leader Rocky Adkins of Sandy Hook and outgoing Jefferson County School Board member Stephanie Horne make the other.
Geoffrey Young of Lexington and Joshua French of Elizabethtown have also announced and are the only slate to file candidacy papers with the Secretary of State’s office, while the others have filed with the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance, a requirement to begin fundraising.
Bevin, who announced several months ago that he would seek re-election, has not yet filed for the 2019 election at either the Registry or Secretary of State’s office.
Edelen, who served as state auditor from 2012 to 2016 when he lost his re-election bid to Republican Mike Harmon, also served as chief of staff from 2008-2010 to former Gov. Steve Beshear, Andy Beshear’s father.
Rep. James Comer, who won the 1st District Congressional seat after losing to Bevin by 83 votes in the 2015 GOP Primary, has also been mentioned as being interested in a possible rematch of that race.