Former UN ambassador Kelly Craft enters the race for Kentucky governor

The rumors were right. Former United Nations ambassador Kelly Craft, an ultra-wealthy Republican donor, finally launched her Kentucky gubernatorial campaign Wednesday after more than a year of speculation that she'd run for Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear's job in 2023.

Craft worked for former President Donald Trump, first as the U.S. ambassador to Canada and then to the U.N., during his four-year administration. Before that, she already was a major contributor to Republicans alongside her husband, coal-industry billionaire Joe Craft.

On her website that was rolled out to promote her campaign, Craft − who has never held elected office − touted her background in the Bluegrass State and pledged to "repair the connection between the people and their leadership, to give back to Kentucky a core of honesty and compassion."

"I am running for the people of the state I love, the people with whom I’ve grown up, and to honor the parents who cared so much for me, showed me what life is, taught me real values, loved me, and loved the state they worked throughout their lives," a statement on the website said.

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Craft joins 2023's already crowded Republican primary

Craft has been considering a bid for governor at least since August 2021, but she's jumping in the race later than several other noteworthy Republicans, including Attorney General Daniel Cameron, Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles, Kentucky Auditor Mike Harmon and state Rep. Savannah Maddox.

Cameron already locked up an endorsement from Trump, Craft's old boss — a fact he touted in his first TV ad, released two hours after Craft's announcement.

With fundraising, Quarles amassed an early lead over the rest of the increasingly crowded Republican primary field this summer with a haul of over $574,000. Beshear was way ahead of all his potential opponents, though, with about $3.5 million raised since last year.

Craft isn't expected to struggle in the money department, especially since she can self-finance her bid for governor if she wants.

Her campaign announcement came after she and her husband spent $2.5 million on an auctioned country ham at the Kentucky Farm Bureau's politics-soaked annual breakfast at the state fair in late August. That money, as well as her winning multimillion-dollar bid at 2021's ham breakfast, goes to charity.

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She's entering a jam-packed primary election, though, and funding won't be the only factor that affects who comes out on top and gets to face off against Beshear in November 2023.

Craft picked up the early support of Republican Congressman James Comer, who said Wednesday he is "all in" on her candidacy and expects her to take the lead in polling on the race within the next month.

The Kentucky Democratic Party was quick to go on the attack against Craft, with a tweet calling her an "out-of-touch billionaire with a private plane and multiple mansions" who has "bought every government job she's ever had. And now she thinks she can buy Kentucky."

Reporter Joe Sonka contributed to this article. Morgan Watkins is The Courier Journal's chief political reporter. Contact her at mwatkins@courierjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter: @morganwatkins26.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kelly Craft, former UN ambassador, enters 2023 Kentucky governor race