2027 Kentucky gubernatorial election

See also: 2027 United States gubernatorial elections

The 2027 Kentucky gubernatorial election will be held on November 2, 2027. Incumbent Democratic Governor Andy Beshear will be ineligible to run for re-election, as the Constitution of Kentucky prohibits the state's governors from serving more than two consecutive terms.

2027 Kentucky gubernatorial election

← 2023 November 2, 2027 2031 →

Party Democratic Republican

Incumbent Governor of Kentucky Andy Beshear Democratic

This will be the only Democratic-held governorship up for election in 2027. Republican Donald Trump carried the state in the 2024 presidential election by a margin of 30.5%.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Potential

• Jacqueline Coleman, incumbent lieutenant governor (2019–present)^[1]
• Rocky Adkins, senior advisor to the governor (2019–present), minority leader of the Kentucky House of Representatives (2017–2019), majority leader of the Kentucky House of Representatives (2004–2017) and candidate for governor in 2019^[1]
• Adam Edelen, former State Auditor, and candidate for Governor in 2019^[1]

Republican primary

Candidates

Publicly expressed interest

• James Comer, U.S. representative from Kentucky's 1st congressional district (2016–present), former agriculture commissioner of Kentucky (2012–2016) and former state representative from Kentucky's 53rd district (2001–2012)^[2]
• Damon Thayer, former majority leader of the Kentucky Senate (2013–2025) and former state senator from Kentucky's 17th Senate district (2003–2025)^[3]

Potential

• Michael Adams, secretary of state of Kentucky (2020–present)^[3][4][5]

Declined

• Andy Barr, U.S. representative from Kentucky's 6th congressional district (2013–present) (running for U.S. Senate)^[6]
• Daniel Cameron, former attorney general of Kentucky (2019–2024) and nominee for governor in 2023 (running for U.S. Senate)^[7]
• Thomas Massie, U.S. representative from Kentucky's 4th congressional district (2012–present) (running for re-election)^[8]
• Nate Morris, business conglomerate owner (running for U.S. Senate)^[9]