Somerset Mayor Alan Keck jumps into Kentucky governor's race

A packed field of Republicans hoping to be Kentucky’s next governor just got even more crowded.

Somerset Mayor Alan Keck filed as a candidate for the 2023 governor's race on Monday afternoon, a few hours before publicly announcing his candidacy in an event in downtown Somerset.

“We’re losing the battle against our neighboring states because of a lack of vision, a lack of leadership and quite frankly, archaic policy,” Keck said. “Kentucky needs a CEO."

He pointed to his success in Somerset, a town of roughly 12,000 in southern Kentucky, saying, "I’m ready to change the narrative for my home state, working to create policies that reflect our values and make Kentucky more safe and competitive."

Keck, 37, is the 12th Republican to throw their hat into the ring to challenge Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat. In June, the mayor told The Courier Journal he was strongly considering a run but was keeping an eye on the growing list of candidates.

Related:Who's in, who's a maybe, who's out: Our way-too-early look at 2023 Kentucky governor candidates

First elected to his current post in 2018, Keck recently won a second term as Somerset’s mayor. In his reelection bid, Keck touted first-term accomplishments including making a “record investment” into the city’s police force and revitalizing the downtown area.

"Now, his passion for community building, personal liberty, local control and the American Dream propel him to lead Kentucky in the same way as governor," his campaign website says.

Key issues for his campaign include public safety, education, growth and a set of family-focused initiatives including incentivizing paid parental leave.

Keck also has ties to the University of Somerset, a yet-to-be-opened private college planned for the city, including time serving as its board chairman.

“In an era where many colleges tragically have replaced true education with indoctrination,” Keck told The Sentinel-Echo last year, “the University of Somerset will be a bright beacon to reimagine higher education.”

Reach Olivia Krauth at okrauth@courierjournal.com and on Twitter at @oliviakrauth.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Somerset Mayor Alan Keck jumps into governor's race