Daniel Cameron makes history as the first African American major-party nominee for governor in Kentucky’s history

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - With Attorney General Daniel Cameron becoming the first African American nominee for governor by a major political party in the Commonwealth, how will it affect the black vote come November?

Will he bring more African Americans to the Republican side, or will there be a divide in Kentucky’s African American vote?

Dr. Ricky L. Lones, Chair of Pan-African Studies at the University of Louisville, knows Attorney General Cameron. At one point he was his professor at the university. He believes Governor Beshear’s policies have more in line with the African American community than Cameron’s policies.

“Black people who are politically astute will not vote for Daniel Cameron because his political sensibilities are not inlined with Black progress or well-being at all,” said Dr. Jones.

TJ Litafik, a political strategist who’s worked on dozens of Republican campaigns, believes racial profiling and justice reform are key issues to Kentucky African American voters.

“It’s going to be a very interesting dynamic at play. Even though general cameron is an African American, there is strong resentment in the African American community by the way he handled the Breonna Taylor situation in Louisville,” said Litafik.

State Representative George Brown is chair of the Kentucky Black Legislative Caucus. The group hasn’t met yet about Cameron’s Republican nomination, but Rep. Brown says it could possibly put the group in an unusual predicament. The caucus is overwhelmingly Democrat. Rep. Brown encourages black voters to do their homework.

“I would hope that African American people regardless of their affiliation would really study the candidates and who can be the best interest of the Commonwealth,” said Rep. Brown.

However, Dr. Donald Douglas, the first Black Republican state Senator in Kentucky’s history, says voters should think for themselves.

“We have a lot of really intelligent people here in the Commonwealth, and I think people can figure things out for themselves if we just present the facts,” said Sen. Douglas.

Litafik says the African American vote in Kentucky is 10% to 12% and that can play a big influence in the governor’s race.

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