Kentucky gubernatorial nominee Daniel Cameron’s campaign said Monday that he is pulling out of a September political rally after some fellow Republicans objected to his planned appearance alongside a controversial candidate who wants to challenge a sitting GOP congressman in next year’s primary.
The congressman, Thomas Massie, said last month that it would be a mistake for Cameron, the state’s attorney general, to attend the northern Kentucky rally hosted by Eric Deters, who also made a bid for governor this year, finishing fourth in the GOP primary.
Cameron now has other plans on the day of the event, his campaign said in a statement.
“As it turns out, we’re going to be doing other campaign events that day in another region of the state. We plan to campaign in northern Kentucky often between now and November 7,” the campaign said.
Deters has said that former President Donald Trump will be headlining his event, but the Trump campaign has not confirmed that.
On Monday, Massie tweeted that the attorney general “wisely canceled” his appearance. He referred to a news article in the Lexington Herald-Leader that cited past racist and homophobic comments made by Deters on social media.
Deters has been surrounded by other controversy as well. Earlier this year he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of harassment and menacing stemming from chasing his nephew in a truck at his farm. His law license has been suspended for many years.
Deters has said he wants to help Cameron defeat Democrat Andy Beshear, who is running for a second term, in the fall election. Deters has accused Massie of “putting his own interests” ahead of Cameron and GOP voters.
Massie, serving his sixth term, has endorsed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in next year’s GOP presidential primary.
Cameron is the state’s first Black state attorney general. He won an endorsement from Trump in the May gubernatorial primary, helping him defeat several other candidates.