As an apparent insurance policy for this exact situation, Kentucky Republicans passed a law in 2024 preventing Democratic Kentucky Gov. Instead, it requires a special election if the vacancy comes at least three months before the upcoming election. The new Kentucky law has never been put to the test, so it’s unclear how exactly it will play out with competing legal provisions and in the courts. In an interview with Bloomberg, Beshear discussed the Monday deadline and the chances of a Democrat winning a special election, despite the solid-red rating of the state. “There's an argument out there that that’s a date where I could not later call a special election,” Beshear said.