Kelly Craft visits Bowling Green for her latest campaign stop

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) - The 2023 Kentucky Primary is right around the corner, and election season is in full swing as candidates for Governor of Kentucky are traveling across the Commonwealth to garner votes.

Kelly Craft, Republican candidate for Governor of Kentucky and former United States Ambassador to the United Nations, returned home to Southcentral Kentucky as a part of her “Kitchen Table Tour” across the state.

Craft spoke to supporters about her goals, if elected as Governor, like dismantling the Kentucky Department of Education and tackling the opioid epidemic.

Craft talked about her campaign ad released in January titled, “A Spot Missing,” which featured an empty chair at a family dinner table. She said the empty chair symbolized those who fell victim to drug addiction, like her oldest daughter.

“We had an empty chair at our table, even when she was there, because she was not really there, she was on drugs,” said Craft.

It was reported that overdose deaths in Warren County doubled from 2020 to 2021. Craft said, if elected as Governor, she would make sure those numbers would drop significantly.

“Fentanyl does not care if you are Republican or Democrat. It does not care what color you are or what your income is. We have to fight this together. It is affecting every Kentucky family,” said Craft.

She also mentioned one of her goals as Governor would be to dismantle the Kentucky Department of Education. She said children should be learning their ABCs as opposed to topics like critical race theory.

“We have to make certain that parents have the right to be involved in their child’s education, and more so, that kids have the right to have their parents involved in their education,” said Craft. “I am crisscrossing this state. I am building one of the strongest campaigns, and we are going to have a grassroots movement like you have never seen before.”

At the end of her message to a crowd of supporters, Craft said she is running for Governor, not to kick Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear out of office, but rather better the lives of Kentuckians.

“I am not running for governor to get to my next elected office. I do not need a title and I do not need a job. I want you all (Kentuckians) to have jobs and opportunities,” said Craft.

She is running against the likes of Daniel Cameron, Attorney General of Kentucky, and Ryan Quarles, Agriculture Commissioner of Kentucky, for a chance to campaign against Governor Beshear in November.

The 2023 Kentucky Primary takes place on Tuesday, May 16.

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