Democrats retain a slight edge in Kentucky, while Republicans favored in neighboring Deep South states.KEY POINTS FROM THIS ARTICLE While it’s easy to begin looking towards the 2024 election cycle, 3 states will have gubernatorial contests this year. In Kentucky, Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear remains personally popular, but he will be running in a red state with a large GOP bench. Louisiana and Mississippi should be easier contests for Republicans. Term-limited Gov. John Bel Edwards (D-LA) will be hard for Democrats to replace, while Mississippi, where Democrats have not won a gubernatorial contest this century, will also be an uphill fight for them. The initial ratings for these 3 races are Leans Democratic for Kentucky, Safe Republican for Mississippi, and Likely Republican for Louisiana.
It’s the first legal test for abortion rights after midterm elections in which voters across the country came down on the side of keeping abortion legal.