Kentucky Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman announces run for governor

Coleman is the first to announce their candidacy in the race for Kentucky's next governor.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Kentucky Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman launched her campaign Monday to succeed Gov. Andy Beshear.

Coleman, a Democrat, is the first to announce their candidacy in the race. She has served alongside Beshear for both of his terms as governor.

"I spent the last two years meeting with Kentuckians, asking them what they are looking for in their next governor," Coleman said in a statement. "It's crystal clear: they want someone who will show up, listen and focus on the issues that truly matter to their families."

Coleman's campaign website went live Monday morning. A former high school teacher and basketball coach, she grew up on her family's farm in Burgin, according to her campaign website.

The lieutenant governor hopes to build on the state's economic momentum, citing the Beshear-Coleman administration's creation of nearly 70,000 new jobs and $48 billion worth of investment in the state.

"I happen to believe the next governor of the commonwealth will need to continue our focus on economic and workforce development, and complement that progress with a newfound concentration on people development," Coleman said in a statement.

In a statement, the Republican Party of Kentucky accused Coleman of being "an ineffective, inefficient, and incompetent Lt. Governor" whose "record shows a pattern of poor leadership and misplaced priorities."

The gubernatorial election will be held Nov. 2, 2027.

This story may be updated.