LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Kentucky Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear and Republican Attorney General Cameron are crisscrossing the Bluegrass State this week, making their closing arguments to voters in one of the country's most closely watched off-year elections. Starting Thursday, polling places open across Kentucky for three days of early voting.

Cameron, the state's attorney general, has increasingly tried to nationalize the campaign, striving to link Beshear to Democratic President Joe Biden on economic and energy issues in coal-producing Kentucky. Biden was trounced by then-President Donald Trump in Kentucky's 2020 presidential ballot. Cameron says the election offers the chance for "turning the page on the failed Biden-Beshear agenda.”

Beshear responded Monday that the campaign comes down to competing messages of "division vs. vision" while touting his work on core issues he said should be immune from partisan politics.

The global health crisis dominated the first half of Beshear's term, and his restrictions on businesses and public gatherings during the worst of the pandemic have drawn repeated attacks from his challenger. Cameron says the restrictions hurt small businesses, many of which haven't recovered, and that pandemic school closures led to widespread learning loss among students.

"Your kids are behind because of this short-sighted decision," Cameron said recently, blaming Beshear.

Beshear says he leaned heavily on guidance from Trump's coronavirus task force in his executive orders. The virus has killed more than 19,000 Kentuckians since early 2020.

As the candidates continued on the campaign trail Monday, Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams called on the candidates to promote early voting, which begins Thursday.

"I think it's in both the governor's and the attorney general's interest to drive their supporters and get those votes banked now versus waiting until Tuesday when who knows what will happen with the weather," Adams said.

Both Beshear and Cameron have urged their supporters to get to the polls.

"I want folks to vote," Cameron said at a campaign stop Monday in Oldham County. "Get there, whether it's early voting or on Election Day. So, I'm excited. I know there's a lot of fired up people here today that are going to take advantage of early voting or are going to be there on Election Day, but this is a turnout election. That's why we're working so hard."

Both candidates have stops remaining this week across the state.

Early voting lasts from Thursday through Saturday. You can find where to vote by visiting govote.ky.gov.

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