FRANKFORT, Ky. (WDRB) -- After a long night of celebrating, Gov. Andy Beshear, his wife, Britainy, and Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman pledged Wednesday to continue to be an administration that serves all Kentuckians.

During the campaign, it was Beshear's opponent, Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron, who said he'd work better with the Republican legislature. Cameron tried to nationalize the campaign in a state where Republican ex-President Donald Trump remains popular. Conversely, Beshear followed his successful campaign formula from 2019, when he narrowly defeated GOP Gov. Matt Bevin, by sidestepping discussion of Biden or Trump, focusing instead on Kentucky matters and emphasizing his leadership during a tumultuous first term.

"I think what you saw last night was a rejection of anger politics attempting to divide us and of gross partisanship," Beshear said in a news conference Wednesday in Frankfort. "People are tired of the constant bickering of seeing the world in red or blue.

"Our citizens don't wake up thinking about Trump or Biden. ... And I think one reason that this administration has been successful is that's what we focused on every day and not run after whatever issues they're arguing about in Washington, DC."

As of 4 p.m. Wednesday Beshear was winning 52.5% of the vote with 98% of precincts reporting statewide, compared with 47.5% from challenger Daniel Cameron, the state's attorney general. The results from the Secretary of State are unofficial until certified by the state's elections board.

Beshear won 27 counties out of Kentucky's 120, which is up six more than 2019. He flipped counties he lost to incumbent Republican Gov. Matt Bevin in his narrow victory in 2019, including Letcher, Perry, Breathitt. Beshear eked out a one-vote win in Powell County, which he previously lost. He expanded previous winning margins in certain parts of the state, such as in Madison County outside Lexington and Kenton County in northern Kentucky.

He had a resounding win in Louisville — 70% of all votes in Jefferson County — and won by an even larger margin in Fayette County, the state's second-largest county.

The Associated Press called the race for Beshear shortly before 9 p.m. EST Tuesday.

"We are back here at the Capitol, getting back to work," he said Wednesday.

Kentucky Governor's Mansion

Kentucky Governor's Mansion in Frankfort. Nov. 8, 2023. (WDRB Photo)

Beshear insulated himself from Cameron's attacks by focusing on state issues, including his push for exceptions to the state's near-total abortion ban that he said would make it less extreme. His reelection gave pro-choice advocates nationwide yet another victory since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

Beshear rode his stewardship over record economic growth and his handling of multiple disasters, from tornadoes and floods to the COVID-19 pandemic, to victory over Cameron, the state's attorney general and a protege of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. In what could be a preview of how Democrats campaign in 2024, Beshear hammered Cameron throughout the campaign for his support of the state's sweeping abortion ban, which makes no exceptions for victims of rape or incest.

In the end, Cameron was unable to overcome the personal popularity of Beshear, who became a living room fixture across Kentucky with his press conferences during the pandemic. From those briefings, Beshear became known to many Kentuckians as much by his first name as his last.

Beshear did not mention his opponent by name in his victory speech. Some two miles away, Cameron opened his concession remarks at the downtown Marriott hotel by quipping: "Well, that didn't turn out exactly how I wanted it to."

Cameron, who was vying to become Kentucky's first Black governor, gave a short speech in which he said his campaign was about creating a better future for Kentucky's future generations. He said he called Beshear to congratulate his former law firm colleague on his victory.

"We all want the same thing for our future generations," Cameron said in his concession speech. "We want a better commonwealth, one in which it can ultimately be a shining city on a hill, a model and example for the rest of the nation to follow."

To watch both their speeches Tuesday, click here.

Now, Beshear pivots to what he can get done by 2028. Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, released a statement Wednesday saying in part nothing substantial will change, but he's hopeful the governor will work with the legislature.

"We are committed to the conservative values and policies we have championed since 2017," Stivers said in a written statement. "Our constituents can remain confident we will bring forth legislation to protect Kentucky families from some of the extreme agendas of the Beshear and Biden administrations."

Beshear's response?

"The phone works both ways," he said. "... My goal is to try and continue to be an adult and to continue to operate in a way that makes people proud."

Beshear's first priority is addressing the teacher shortage and public education shortfalls, which he said can be fixed with a teacher raise and universal Pre-K.

Regardless, he said he hopes his legacy will be one of a leader who cared.

"... to hopefully be able to end two terms that everybody say tried to be the best governor he could be for all of us," he said.

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