♪ >> A new poll says the race for governor is a dead heat.

>> I think this is going to be a close race.

I think both campaigns know what they want to do.

>> A media expert talks about the candidates messages and the closing days.

And the candidates for governor are getting the most attention.

But that's not the only interesting race.

>> Production of Kentucky Edition is made possible in part by the KET Endowment for Kentucky Productions.

Leonard Press Endowment for Public Affairs and the KET Millennium Fund.

♪ ♪ >> Good evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION on this Friday, November.

The 3rd, I'm Renee Shaw.

Thank you for starting off your weekend with us.

A new poll shows the governor's race tied at 47% apiece.

The poll is from Emerson College.

It was conducted October 30th through November.

2nd Emerson surveyed about 1000 people.

The poll's margin of error is 3 percentage points.

The same organization.

Emerson conducted a poll in early October that showed Governor Andy Beshear leading Attorney General Daniel Cameron by 16% point.

49 to 33%.

We'll break down the polling in a few minutes during our inside Kentucky Politics segment.

Governor Andy Beshear took his reelection campaign to western Kentucky today.

He and running mate Jacqueline Coleman met with students and community members at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green.

It follows his visits with college voters yesterday at U of L and UK.

The campaign is encouraging people to take advantage of early voting.

Beshear continues to highlight his major talking points, including economic investment and acknowledges the race will likely be close.

>> We are pushing every day until Election Day while I'm confident that we are up coming into these last couple days, you've got to earn it.

You've got to earn it, knocking on doors, getting now getting people about what we see are huge crowds, lots of hundreds of people every day knocking doors for us.

This is a team sport.

We've got a big team that's out.

There were more confident going into the last couple days.

>> Other Democrats running for state office this year include Colonel Pam Stevenson, Sierra and Low.

And Michael Bowman.

They all join Bashir at WKU the Go Vote Tour also made its way to Hopkinsville Murray and Paducah today.

Daniel Cameron campaign this afternoon and Madison County, which is considered a swing county in the governor's race.

>> And this morning he was in Shelby County for Day 5 of his own bus tour.

He met with supporters at the Shelby County Fairgrounds and was joined by the Republicans on the ticket.

>> The >> Cameron campaign says the candidate will hold news conferences and Fort Wright, Lexington, Louisville and Bowling Green on Monday before a final rally in his hometown of Elizabethtown.

The Kentucky secretary of state's office says yesterday on the first day of early voting, more than 84,000 people voted.

That's compared to about 81,000 on the first day of early voting in 2022. secretary of state Michael Adams, as if that trend continues, he might revise his prediction of a 40% voter turnout.

>> Time now for in the week review of really the governor's race as we welcome the dynamic duo from Piper Smith.

We've got Abby Piper and Jarrett Smith with us to talk about the governor's race and particular.

Let's start off with the poll that came out today.

Him or some college who had a previous poll a few weeks ago that said something drastically different than this ball does.

Today.

Jared Smith to tell us about the not graph of this showing a dead heat.

What do you make of the numbers?

>> Well, you have to decide.

Did you believe the polls couple weeks ago you want to believe this one?

Should they both tell 2 different flu different stories I think the truth lies somewhere in the middle.

I was not fond of the previous Paul.

I think that, you know, it.

They have some subsections that just didn't make any sense to me at So that could explain why you would think you're at 16% for governor.

I do know the governor's camp feels pretty confident their internal polling shows them doing very well.

So if this poll is a canary in the coal mine, then you know, there's it's really great cause for concern.

However, I mean, I don't know that stock you can put in that poll or any poll really this close.

I do think the race is tightening.

I do think the governor still in the lane.

I still think the governor probably ones.

>> Yeah.

What do you make of it?

And if you do some granular explanation, we look at like women scoring high for Cameron like to talk to us about what you thought might have been surprising about this particular poll.

>> Sure are.

And I think that polls, especially ones voting has already started, is already problematic.

People should be conducted and released before early voting starts in just a young guy.

But I do think that it's ways the way people in the last minute decision makers decide to vote.

You know, I think Cameron is doing well with Republican women, which is a surprise, especially based on the constitutional amendment we had last fall.

I do think it will be a close race.

I've always kind of thought it would be a close race, but I also thing you just can't put too much stock in those polls, especially as they get close to the wire.

It says the poll consisted of >> well, I think likely voters and people that have already so it's very interesting if you've already voted, what do you tell the poll that?

Yeah, because they are you trying to game of so your your candidate wins?

I mean, I don't I things went through my head, right?

But it's a good point.

November 7th is the poll that matters this, right.

And we we've said that countless times throughout this campaign.

So they both men doing their bus tours.

They both had some high powered high-profile people from Jack Harlow, the rapper the governor, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who's been on the trail with Daniel Cameron.

So this is the time you bring out the full guns, Jared Smith.

And if you don't do it now.

>> Yeah, I mean, you just don't do it.

But there's our value to all of these kind of high-profile endorsements that you know that along that that's a that's a question.

Usually look for other community validators.

>> You know, Jack Harlow, you know, runs in a very young crowd, obviously.

Now governor will help turn, will turn out and vote for the more likely to be his supporters and camera supporters.

You know you so you see Cameron do that.

Renounces Trump endorsement carry that recently as well as going around the Rand Paul and Sarah Huckabee Sanders and some others.

You know, I just, you know, Republicans are starting to come home.

And, you know, like I said, I just think, you know, the governor's got a lead can be held on to down the stretch here.

>> Yeah.

And in the governor's perspective, I mean, the governor made eke out a win, but you don't expect that to be a down ticket.

There's no down to Cut Co. Tell effect.

You're right.

I mean, certainly do not expect that to occur.

And >> I think we've also seen ties to Biden with sheer and Cameron is trotted out his endorsement from Trump in the final week.

Something notably that was not mentioned in the earlier parts of this campaign.

I think if those polls have any merit and and like Jarrett said, if there were coming close to the middle of the true to the teachers in the middle, that may be a part of it.

I also think Cameron performed well on the KET gubernatorial debate and that was held here.

>> So it you know, I think it's it could be anybody's game.

But this is still a very red state.

I think it's important to remember that.

>> But if we look at that, look at how this whole abortion conversation and narrative has unfolded during this whole campaign season.

The fact that Governor Beshear would essentially come out actively as a pro-choice candidate.

Maybe it's subtle Jarrett Smith.

But you had the ads that talked about no exceptions for rape and incest.

And you had the ad with Hadley who had been sexually abused.

I mean, you know, those were some very powerful messages.

And it was it was really touting a pro choice message in a way.

>> Yeah.

The fact that if the governor successful and keeping his seat, a lot of it will be due, in fact, to the Dobbs decision to Kentucky's existing trigger a trigger law, which yes, I think it's barbaric and horrific.

And the polling even in that Anderson pole take that for what it is, show that a majority of Kentuckians, both male and female, both parties does believe there should be on the books.

And currently there aren't any right now.

And so I think you may see a little protest vote against Cameron for supporting the turnaround at the ballot box.

>> But you make the point about how it bidenomics.

We heard that a lot and the one refrain we heard and several of the debate appearances with General Cameron and the governor was crazy versus normal.

And then he had a whole kind of narrative that followed that lexicon.

>> People remember stuff like that, right?

And that could be persuasive.

>> Well, totally And Cameron is a very polished communicator has been since he first entered the stage and it's not something I would take for granted.

Certainly, you know, I I also think that as the conversations about abortion have continued to to Republicans are looking at what to see that they can do that.

That will really benefit Kentuckyian and wanting to listen to that voice.

And I think that they're listening.

And and that ideology along the way.

>> Right.

And possibly was and plans another Senator Whitney Westerfield has a bill draft out there.

That gets to making abortion, not the choice, right.

And to supporting women who do carry their pregnancies determine, you know, with that having some Medicaid support, etcetera.

So see if any of this conversation has any legs.

When we get to the 2024 legislative session, so much to break down.

Thank you guys for being a constant presence for these last few months.

And here we go.

November 7th.

>> You can go out.

Yeah, yes.

Haha.

>> Of course, the governor's race is not the only one.

We're tracking all of Kentucky's constitutional offices are on the ballot in the election on November.

7th.

Here's a quick rundown of the candidates for each office and their main message points that they're sending to Kentucky voters.

♪ >> She'll use her 40 years of legal experience to go after anyone who put your safety or freedom at risk.

Colonel Pam Stevenson face country, Kentucky.

>> As the next attorney general, I will stand on the Biden administration.

I will let mostly enforce the law and I want to protect their streets.

>> The auditor is that watched in the back and once money has been paid and Kentucky are make sure that money is used correctly.

Processes are correct.

And if not, then the ardor, make sure there's accountability for that.

So I've been your watchdog and I ask you, please send me back.

Allow media watchdog again helping the people.

That's that's what the auditor's office is for us so that people feel and can see.

>> Independence and impartiality and I would would present those findings to the people.

>> One of the things I'm gonna spend a lot of time focusing on is thinking about how we get our Kentucky Farm products from the farm gate into the corporate supply chain in advocating for farmers in corporate boardrooms because we haven't had the same, you know, space at the table when we're talking about workforce development, economic development, we have hospital school districts in jail systems that have to have food on a daily basis every single day.

>> 12 months out of the year.

But it has to come in and out.

We don't take full advantage of the opportunities that we need in the state to be able to market to those institutions at a value that they forward for farmers to also be able to flourish.

In the real world are actually have to govern their costs and there are tradeoffs and benefits we actually found it was easier to get 24 more hours of voting.

3 3 days of it.

Our vote, including a Saturday, which is a game changer for working people.

Kentucky has 3 early voting days.

That's better than national average for voting days.

Early voting days is 23 days.

>> We need to modernize Kentucky's like election.

So we have those 2 full weeks.

Kentucky spends too much taxes too much and borrows too much and it saves 2 little.

We need to be looking out for the taxpayers of the state and holding Kentucky accountable on the spending side of the ledger.

I think we need to to be honest with people, Kentucky, when we have the largest a knife and we have the largest budget surplus.

We are clearly saving quite a in our own coffers to be able to to do what we need to do.

>> Service debt increase teacher pay things that are on the table that will affect lives today.

♪ >> So we have been providing all month long.

In fact, all campaign long, a lot of conversations with the candidates either on Kentucky tonight or my conversation series connections.

And you can see those conversations online on demand on our website at KET Dot Org.

As we told you yesterday, this year's governor's race is set to campaign spending record with more than 50 million dollars being pumped into the contest between the Sharon Cameron.

And it could go even higher, Dan, by INS or Republican media consultant affiliated with Medium buying.

Talk to us yesterday about the ads.

You're saying a lot of love on television cable and even digital platforms and part 2 of our conversation tonight, he shares how this off-year contests could inform future political races and how candidates are making their final appeals to voters in these final days.

>> Politics 101, says you start with positive biographical messaging.

That's what this year dead right after the primary that not only helps you tell a positive story about yourself, but it helps you put on armor for later in the campaign when outside groups and campaigns come to a tax you the charges against you or does believable if if the audience has something else in their mind about who and that's why positive advertising is so important.

Cameron was unable to get up with positive message messaging until later in the summer and he wasn't able to do a lot of it.

And I think it's one of the reasons that, you know, you've got a really conservative state in Kentucky.

You have a Democratic governor who only won by 5,000 votes last time.

A lot of people saw this as an opportunity for Republicans to win.

I think if Cameron had had more resources and have been able to selfie, you know, earlier he'd be in a stronger position.

>> And he had a contested 11, one primary to where he was being identified by his Republican opponents for several months.

Right?

That's right.

I mean, those attacks mattered and then.

>> You know, he didn't have the money following that primary to get up immediately.

All that being said, I think Cameron is really close in this race.

And it's a really close in Kentucky is a conservative state right?

I mean, we've seen the margins in the Senate races, you know, grow from single digits.

When I work for Rand Paul in 2010 to now double-digit blowout.

Today, there's a question.

Can a Democrat win statewide in Kentucky?

More?

I think we're about to find out right?

>> And all eyes are on Kentucky to see what happens.

Because if if Bashir is able to be victorious, we know that that's a bellwether, right?

And that other candidates next year in 2024.

Going to be looking to see how this Democratic governor and a really, really red state was able to pull it off.

>> You've got a handful of significant races this fall.

I think Kentucky is at the top of the list right?

We had the governor's race in Louisiana which ended before people thought it would end.

A Republican won there after a Democrat had been governor in that southern conservative state.

You've got the governor's race in Mississippi, which some people think is more competitive.

The maybe people thought you've got significant legislative races in Virginia and some ballot issue.

Campaigns in Ohio.

But Kentucky is certainly the store this year.

>> So from your perspective, the bellwether counties and this Kentucky governor's race are what I think you're looking at.

>> Lexington, Louisville, northern Kentucky, for for Andy Beshear bowling Green and Owensboro, too.

And these Andy Beshear's spending a lot of money in the Evansville media market.

I think this final week he's running over a 3,000 points of TV.

It's it's their most heavily invested market.

You know, you know, per dollar.

So I think.

The the bigger cities and even some of the, you know, bigger cities out West are key places for Andy Beshear.

If you Daniel Cameron, you like to hold the margins in those bigger cities and do a little bit better than Matt Bevin did there.

And then you have to just blow it out in rural Kentucky the way Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul have been doing in these recent races.

And I think that's I think it's possible for camera to do that.

I think this is going to be a close race.

I think both campaigns know what they want to do and know what they want to get out of their campaigns.

But I think we'll find out on Tuesday night.

>> And that we will on Election Eve November 6 Monday.

Be sure to join us for Kentucky tonight.

We'll have a panel of veteran Kentucky election observers.

They'll be here to assess the campaigns and tell you what to look for on election night.

And of course, as always, you can send us your questions for them to answer.

That's Monday night at 8 Eastern 7 central on KET Kentucky tonight and then another programming note on election night Tuesday at 7 6 Central in the evening right after Kentucky edition.

Join us for live coverage of the 2023 election.

We'll have the numbers.

The candidates, speeches and analysis from veteran journalist Al Cross and former Kentucky secretaries of state Trey Grayson and Bob Babbage and others.

That's all right here on election night on KET beginning at 07:00PM Eastern Time.

Don't miss it.

♪ ♪ In other news today, this is day 5 of the Brett Hankison trial.

The former Louisville police officer is facing 2 federal civil rights violations for his actions during the raid on Breonna Taylor's apartment in March of 2020 yesterday, Taylor's neighbor took the stand and recalled her horror as bullets flew into her apartment near her sleeping son.

The 10 shots Hankinson filed or fired that night didn't hit anyone.

It was another officer who shot and killed Taylor Hankinson faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.

He was acquitted last year in state court of endangering Taylor's neighbors.

Tory Merton, McClure made history as the first woman to row solo across the Atlantic Ocean.

Back in 1999.

Since then, she has continued giving back to the city of Louisville where she has been the President Spalding University for the last 14 years.

Our Kelsey Starks spoke to her about her commitment to the city.

She calls home.

>> Let's talk about role at Spaulding now for more than a decade, even the president of Spalding University.

Why was it important for you to take that kind of role in education.

>> Yeah, you know, not just a role in education, but it early education, a place like Spalding obviously went to Smith.

I went to divinity school at Harvard.

I've had opportunities to work at far more more resourced places.

But Spalding meet a particular need area mean Louisville, Kentucky has challenges.

If you think about the top, 25% of students across our nation, they're going to get a great education even if they just go to the library.

But they can go to any institution around the country and sort of its that next 50%.

>> Maybe our challenge and don't have the economic wherewithal to to go to school Spalding.

We work super hard to KET our prices really excess mourn for private school mean sooner or later, we're going to able to compete on price with the University of Louisville kiss.

You know, we just work hard every day to deliver a premium product for a price that young people forward.

And our students, I initially as a little embarrassed that because because in higher, Ed, we look down our noses at schools that train you for particular professionals.

We call them for kaisha null schools like if you're going to be a nurse or a teacher, we're a social worker or an occupational therapist.

Somehow that's less than going to a liberal arts college.

>> Now I'm like, wait a minute.

Our students can pay back their student loans and they don't live in debt like I should not be embarrassed by that.

And our students go out and and and do quite well.

But that tradition and higher education that says if you use your hands to make a living.

>> That's bad.

So doctors were disrespected until this century.

And there's just so much about how we.

Grade intellectual capital.

Doesn't make much sense.

I went to divinity school in Boston and had a very good job offer in Boston and Barry Bingham Junior was a mentor and friend.

To me and he said, you know, Tory, you can spend 20 years working your way up in Boston.

Before you'll be able to really make a difference when come to Louisville, make a difference right away.

And so I came to little for showers, shelter for the Volunteers of America.

And I learned so much and have been fighting to make a difference ever sent.

>> And a difference she has made this Sunday on inside Louisville.

Tory Murde McClure talks about her rowing record.

Her failed attempt and her book that has since been made into a musical.

You can see the full interview with Kelsey Starks on inside Louisville Sunday at 12 noon Eastern's 11 central right here on KET.

♪ ♪ >> We've talked a lot about voting, but it's not your only option for the next few days to get out.

>> Joy, the Commonwealth, our Toby Gibbs has another list of activities this weekend and beyond.

And this look at what's up around the Commonwealth.

♪ >> You might think it's too early to listen to Christmas music and put up the tree.

But it's certainly not too early to start shopping.

And Kentucky Mercantile in Somerset has the perfect event.

Tomorrow is the 3rd annual Christmas market and will be chock full of unique gifts, delicious food, and even some festive cocktails.

You don't want to miss it.

The art center of the Bluegrass and Danville is a very exciting event.

Tomorrow, the opening of their new Glass National Art Museum.

This museum will provide a permanent home for the collection of notable glass artist Stephen Ralph Powell, as well as a rotating display of regional and national glass work.

Artists, this beautiful and fragile collection is a great addition to Dan Balz.

Art scene.

Be sure to check it out.

And speaking of great art scenes this weekend is the world's greatest studio tour in Bowling Green, local and area artists invite you into their studios to view their work, observe their processes and check out new cases.

This experience allows you to get up close and personal with the artists of southern Kentuckyian intimate look into the creative process.

This weekend.

See the final performances the musical in Louisville.

This musical comedy tells the story of the ugly duckling, but the show isn't just for kids.

The catchy songs and clever wit will appeal the theater goers of any age.

So get your ducks in a row and join the ugly duckling as he journeys to discover unconditional love and self acceptance.

The Red River Museum in Clay City is hosting its Pioneer Day tomorrow, witnessed demonstrations of the skills needed by early settlers like weaving blacksmithing, using moonshine, stills and more.

There will also be vendors selling artisan goods such as quelled soaps ads and would work at 11:00AM.

There will be a Christmas floral arrangement workshop using local plans.

So this is a great opportunity to connect with the past as well as prepare for the holiday season.

And that's what's happening around the Commonwealth.

I'm to be good.

>> Thank youto begets enjoy more light in the and less of it at night.

While top starting this weekend Saturday night.

Don't forget to fall back as daylight Saving time ends and standard time resumes.

Time changes can interfere with people sleep.

Don.

I know what one sleep researcher at the University of Chicago says falling back is easier than springing ahead.

That will happen on March.

24th 2024, of course there's been talk of making daylight saving time permanent.

The U.S. Senate passed a resolution in 2022.

Supporting the idea.

But it stalled in the House.

Monday is election-eve.

You know all show you the candidates on their last day of campaigning and and our Mondays on Maine segment we had to bay to fall.

It's a town known for its Woolly Worm festival.

But tune in Monday to find out more about this eastern Kentucky community.

And we thank you for joining us all this week on Kentucky EDITION.

And we hope we'll see you Monday night at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central where we inform connect and inspire.

Subscribe to our email newsletters and watch full episodes and clips that KET Dot org and connect with us all the ways you see on your screen.

Facebook X, formerly Twitter.

>> Instagram to stay in the loop.

Thank you so much for watching us this week.

We hope to see you Monday night.

Make sure you tune in for comment tonight at 8 o'clock to get all the week's news is well taken care and have a great weekend.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪