A look at some of the lesser known candidates running for Ky governor

FRANKFORT, Ky (WTVQ)- Following Friday’s filing deadline for the office of Kentucky governor, we now have a full look at who’s running in the gubernatorial race.
There are some well-known candidates, but there also some who you might not know.

15 candidates are set to run for the state’s highest office. Among them, incumbent democrat governor Andy Beshear is facing two challengers in the democratic primary.  His opponents are Geoff Young and Peppy Martin.

Martin ran unsuccessfully on the GOP ticket in 1999.

“I am for legalized marijuana and i am for casino gaming run by the state. Not given to a corporation,” says Martin.

Martin says she supports getting rid of the state’s income tax.

In the GOP race, there is a long list.
Kentucky Ag Commissioner Ryan Quarles, former U.S. ambassador Kelly Craft and Attorney General Daniel Cameron are running.
But there are some that aren’t as known.

David Cooper  is a Kentucky Army National Guard service member. He was not available for an interview but says his number one priority is to fix the state’s pension. He says he’s pro-medical and recreational cannibis and wants to push trade industries for middle and high school students.

Robbie Smith is another candidate. Smith is from Madison County and has been a high school math teacher for 15 years. He says the COVID-19 shutdown in 2020 was a huge motivation.

“In the position I was in, I could see the damage it was doing to the students that I knew. And the kids and the parents were having to choose between a career and taking care of the kids when day cares and schools were closed,” says Smith.

Smith says he grew up in a blue collar, farming family and wants to bring that work ethic into the governor’s office.

“I believe that we need a real voice in the governors office to represent the problems that real Kentuckians face that so many politicians have never faced. The longer you’re in politics the likely you are to be corrupted.

Smith says the number one issue facing the state? Addiction.

“I think addiction permeates every single facet of everything else I’d like to work on. I’m passionate about education. I think we need to be more vocation and job centered. I believe that if we can get our addiction problems under control that that will help our economy. It’ll help our education,” says Smith.

Dennis Ormerod of Louisville is also running in the primary. He says he wants to restore Kentucky freedoms that he says have been lost.

“Our society I feel like has been in a decline for decades and I think we are faced with the opportunity to turn around from what we’ve been doing and choose life,” says Ormerod.

The primary is set for May 16th.