FANCY FARM, KY — For months, Secretary of State Michael Adams has said he's considering running for governor at the end of his term in 2027.
At the Fancy Farm political picnic Aug. 1, he said he'd made his decision.
Adams won't be on the ballot next year. Wrapping up his speech in front of a raucous crowd in West Kentucky, Adams said he will not run in the Republican gubernatorial primary and will instead throw his support behind U.S. Rep. James Comer, who's likely to enter the race later this year.
"Let's unite right now and let's win next year," he said.
Adams has often said he's considering running for governor in recent months. In the days leading up to Fancy Farm, he repeatedly said he planned to make a "major announcement about Kentucky's future" at the event.
At a breakfast Aug. 1, before festivities at St. Jerome Catholic Church began, Adams told a Republican audience the state has suffered under current Gov. Andy Beshear, the lone Democrat in statewide office.
"But tomorrow is coming, and I'm confident that in 2027 we're going to change that tide," he told the crowd. "We're going to save our state. We're going to have a Republican governor. Let's get started."
During his speech later in the day, he urged Republicans to unite behind Comer.
Adams has served as Kentucky's secretary of state for two terms, entering office in late 2019. He gained statewide popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic as he spearheaded election reforms that were praised by members of both sides of the aisle — in the 2023 election, no other candidate for statewide office won more votes than Adams, who is term-limited in his current role.
Still, a primary race centered around Republican voters, many of whom are loyal to Comer, could have been an uphill climb.
Comer has not yet declared, telling reporters he's currently focused on his 2026 reelection campaign. Still, he's been clear about his interest, telling attendees of an event in Eastern Kentucky earlier this year that he'd likely launch a campaign toward the end of the year, after the current election cycle concludes.
At a dinner the night before the Fancy Farm picnic, Comer noted he had "a good conversation with President [Donald] Trump two weeks ago in the Oval Office." Trump has been wildly popular in Kentucky throughout his time in politics.
Adams, as secretary of state, opposed a push by federal officials to obtain unredacted Kentucky voter rolls. A lawsuit filed against Adams and the Kentucky Board of Elections by the U.S. Department of Justice earlier this year was dismissed in late July. Trump has repeatedly cast doubt on election security in the U.S. following his loss in the 2020 presidential election, though he has not produced evidence of widespread fraud.
Rick Hardin, Charles Martin and Brett St. Amand have already filed fundraising paperwork with intent to run for governor in the Republican primary. It's yet to be determined whether Comer, should he enter the race, will eventually face a challenge from another high-profile Republican.
Two Democrats — Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman and Rocky Adkins, Beshear's senior advisor and a former longtime leader in the state legislature — have also launched campaigns. The 2027 primaries will take place on May 18.
Reach Lucas Aulbach at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Michael Adams won't run for governor, offers surprise endorsement instead