Russell Coleman defeats Pamela Stevenson in a heated race for Kentucky attorney general

Republican Russell Coleman, a self-described "pro-life, pro-family conservative who will always back the blue," will be Kentucky’s next attorney general.

CNN and NBC called the race for Coleman just after 8 p.m.

Coleman, 47, won about 58 percent of the vote Tuesday evening, according to the Kentucky Secretary of State's Office, beating out Pamela Stevenson after months of contentious campaigning.

Coleman is a former U.S. attorney for the Western District of Kentucky who was appointed by President Donald Trump in 2017. He's also served as a senior adviser and legal counsel to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. Since then, he's worked as a partner at Louisville law firm Frost Brown Todd.

His campaign focused on his experience as a prosecutor, saying if elected he would prioritize "cracking down on violent crime and dangerous drug traffickers as Attorney General."

Coleman addressed a crowd of supporters at the Louisville Marriott Downtown Tuesday evening.

“Whether you supported me or not, I promise you this: We will protect your family," Coleman said. "We will defend your rights, and we will back the blue.”

Election results: Follow the race for governor, attorney general and others by clicking here

His opponent Stevenson, 64, grew up in western Louisville before joining the Air Force and becoming a colonel while working as a judge advocate. She ran on a platform of curbing "extreme legislation by the GOP legislature" and cracking down on "drug dealers, gun runners, and human traffickers." Stevenson is the state representative for the 43rd District, which is in Louisville. She's also a nonprofit attorney at her own law firm.

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The race was not without its fair share of mudslinging.

Coleman charged that Stevenson doesn't have a license to practice law in Kentucky, but Stevenson's campaign noted her more than two decades working as a Judge Advocate General attorney. A search of the Kentucky Bar Association's membership also showed Stevenson's practice is temporarily authorized pending final admission to the KBA.

Meanwhile, Stevenson said Coleman's track record as U.S. attorney shows a lax approach of letting sex offenders off on easy plea deals, but Coleman's camp said this characterization was a "complete distortion" and "shows a lack of understanding of how to be a prosecutor."

Coleman replaces Daniel Cameron, a Republican who ran for governor.

Courier Journal reporter Josh Wood contributed reporting to this story.

Election results: Follow the vote tallies for Louisville Metro Council by clicking here

This story may be updated.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky election results: Russell Coleman wins attorney general race