Kelly Craft campaign announces choice for running mate

CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. (WYMT) - One gubernatorial campaign has become the first to announce a running mate.

Kelly Knight Craft, who is running in the 2023 Republican primary for Governor, announced Wednesday evening that she has selected State Senator Max Wise (R-Campbellsville) as her running mate, according to the Louisville Courier-Journal.

The newspaper said the announcement was made Wednesday night in Wise’s hometown of Campbellsville.

Craft is the first of the candidates running for governor who have announced a running mate.

Sen. Wise has represented all or part of Adair, Allen, Metcalfe, Monroe, Taylor and Warren Counties in south-central Kentucky since he was sworn in in 2015.

The choice was lambasted by Kentucky Democratic Party chairman Colmon Elridge shortly after the announcement was made.

“By already picking a running mate, Bevin-backing billionaire Kelly Craft confirmed on Wednesday she does not have the experience to run or serve as governor on her own and that she intends to be Bevin 2.0 by picking an extremist who leads assaults on public education. Her new running mate, Max Wise, attacked our educators just this year pushing a bill that would have sent teachers to jail for simply doing their jobs. From gutting retirement pensions for hardworking Kentuckians to taking money out of public education to fund unaccountable, corporate-owned charter schools, Max Wise’s voting record checks every box in Bevin’s extreme agenda. From Matt Bevin to Max Wise, Kelly Craft has a history of trying to elect anti-public education politicians. Kentuckians didn’t want Matt Bevin, and they certainly don’t want Kelly Craft and Max Wise.”

The primary election is expected to be held in May 2023, with the winner of the primary likely facing off against Gov. Andy Beshear in the general election next November.

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