Wins in Ohio and Virginia for Democrats. How about Kentucky incumbent Democratic Governor Andy Bashir? He somewhat narrowly defeated GOP State Attorney General Daniel Cameron in that hard fought race that apparently cost tons of money. [00:00:15] Let's look at the results. 52.5% for Andy Bashir as he defeated Cameron at 47.5% there. So, as they fought for that, for control over that state, that also went this direction as well, too. NBC News points out that Bashir's reelection in a state President Biden [00:00:31] lost by 26 percentage points in 2020, was due in part to the unique brand he has built in Kentucky, separate from the National Party. In his bid for a second term, he leveraged the popularity he built over the last four years, tiling the state's economic progress and its response to natural disasters, including devastating floods. [00:00:48] And it's something that Cenk always says, I'm not really sure many politicians do it this way, but when you have things you've done, tell people about it. And then also when you stop things that would have been devastating to whoever you're representing, tell people about it and tell them about it more than once. [00:01:04] Mention it, say it, go into detail, point out how it helps and why it helped, and that you're gonna be doing the same thing rather than just like I'm gonna be doing this later. It's a bunch of promises that never have anything behind it, and that comes from both parties. But if you've done something positive for the people, not for rich folks only, [00:01:20] then maybe you can tout that. He had the opportunity to do that, and I think it worked out for him a little bit there in Kentucky, a little bit closer to home for you there. But one more piece here. Bashir isn't able to be the shield, though, against the abortion ban that they're going after. But his campaign did lean into that topic, [00:01:36] which even got his opponent to change his mind a little bit on it as well too. And this is, again, part of that pressure coming from the way that people actually see reality. One more part from NBC News. Kentucky has a near total ban on abortion, it took effect last year after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. [00:01:52] Wade and eliminated that federal protection for the right to an abortion. So an ad from the Bashir campaign featured a young woman whose stepfather had raped her when she was 12, after having defended the state's abortion ban as attorney general, Cameron did say that he would sign a bill adding exceptions for rape and [00:02:08] incest if the legislature passed such a measure. So in order to try and get into office, Cameron was willing to lean back on some of his hard nosed, never say die principles, that they call principles as far as keeping folks access to abortion services. [00:02:25] So in doing so, he's willing to switch if he thinks he can win. So how much does have to do with his principles versus just trying to get into office? I'm glad that people, I think, saw through that a little bit. You go with the real deal versus someone who's just trying to catch up a little bit. Kentucky is a little bit closer to you, brother. >> Speaker 1: Yeah. >> [INAUDIBLE] where you're from? [00:02:41] >> Yes. >> Speaker 1: What thoughts there? >> Speaker 2: Yeah. No, as a Tennessee, and I'm absolutely fascinated by this situation in Kentucky when it comes to their governor, Andy Bashir. It's like that meme of Squidward looking through the blinds at SpongeBob having a big old time outside. [00:02:56] I feel like that all the time as a Tennessee, as it pertains to this subject, because I don't understand, like you said, 26 points for Trump in the last election. Home of Mitch McCoNnell, Ruby Red, Kentucky, I know I read it is I'm from right next door and I'm just so jealous. [00:03:12] They managed to somehow obtain a governor who isn't insane and makes sense and actually does stuff for the people and whatnot. I want that for Tennessee. It gives me some hopes. It's like, okay, I guess it is possible. He barely won last time. And like you said about what Cenk always says about it, [00:03:28] what a novel concept he did a good job, and it did a good job for the people of the state of Kentucky, and they recognized that, right. And it made a difference, which in some Southern states, I don't know if I would [00:03:43] have believed that to be the case before seeing something like this. So it is heartening. And also, yeah, his opponent, and it was kind of a master class too, that ad with the young girl who had been a victim and just clearly outlining, like, look, this is a real person. [00:04:00] This is what their policies really do mean. This is what it would amount to, okay. And getting that across so successfully and forcing him to backpedal the way they did, ironically, he was a former defensive back for Louisville, by the way, so he's accustomed to backpedaling. [00:04:15] But, yeah, and he was a big Trump backed guy like the whatever. And it's another repudiation of that whole philosophy, I'd like to think. So, yeah, I don't say this often, but go, Kentucky, love it. [MUSIC]