Adam Edelen
Adam Edelen (Democratic Party) was the Kentucky Auditor of Public Accounts. Edelen assumed office on January 2, 2012. Edelen left office on January 4, 2016.
Edelen (Democratic Party) ran for election for Governor of Kentucky. Edelen lost in the Democratic primary on May 21, 2019.
Edelen completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2019. Click here to read the survey answers.
Edelen was the 46th Democratic auditor of public accounts for Kentucky. He first won election on November 8, 2011, and was sworn in on January 2, 2012.[2][3]
Edelen lost his bid to retain the office to Republican Mike Harmon in the 2015 general election; therefore, he stepped down in January 2016.[4][5]
Elections
2019
See also: Kentucky gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2019
General election
General election for Governor of Kentucky
Andy Beshear defeated incumbent Matt Bevin and John Hicks in the general election for Governor of Kentucky on November 5, 2019.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Andy Beshear (D) | 49.2 | 709,890 |
 | Matt Bevin (R) | 48.8 | 704,754 | |
 | John Hicks (L) | 2.0 | 28,433 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.0 | 46 | ||
| Total votes: 1,443,123 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Governor of Kentucky
Andy Beshear defeated Rocky Adkins, Adam Edelen, and Geoff M. Young in the Democratic primary for Governor of Kentucky on May 21, 2019.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Andy Beshear | 37.9 | 149,448 |
 | Rocky Adkins | 31.9 | 125,981 | |
 | Adam Edelen | 27.9 | 110,161 | |
 | Geoff M. Young | 2.3 | 8,923 | |
| Total votes: 394,513 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Governor of Kentucky
Incumbent Matt Bevin defeated Robert Goforth, William Woods, and Ike Lawrence in the Republican primary for Governor of Kentucky on May 21, 2019.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Matt Bevin | 52.3 | 136,069 |
 | Robert Goforth | 38.9 | 101,345 | |
 | William Woods | 5.5 | 14,440 | |
 | Ike Lawrence | 3.2 | 8,412 | |
| Total votes: 260,266 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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2015
- See also: Kentucky Auditor election, 2015
Republican Mike Harmon defeated incumbent Auditor Adam Edelen (D) in the general election.[6]
| Kentucky Auditor, 2015 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Mike Harmon |
51.9% | 486,741 | |
| Democrat | Adam Edelen | 48.1% | 450,316 | |
| Total Votes | 937,057 | |||
| Election results via Kentucky Secretary of State | ||||
No primary was scheduled for either major party as only one candidate filed for the office from each party.
2011
Edelen ran unopposed in the May 17 Democratic primary. He defeated Republican John T. Kemper III in the general election on November 8.[7]
| Kentucky Auditor, 2011 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Adam Edelen |
55.8% | 440,345 | |
| Republican | John T. Kemper III | 44.2% | 349,366 | |
| Independent | Kim C. Hay | 0% | 75 | |
| Total Votes | 789,786 | |||
| Election results via Kentucky Secretary of State | ||||
Campaign themes
2019
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Adam Edelen completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2019. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Edelen's responses.
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
The most pressing issues facing Kentucky are our economy, health care, and education. First, Kentucky needs a governor who knows what a 21st century economy looks like. That means broadband access for every Kentuckian, real investment in a new energy portfolio, and an education system that prepares us for the economy of the future. Right now there are 100,000 Kentuckians in Jefferson County without high speed internet, and in many rural areas McDonalds is the most reliable provider of WiFi. The jobs of the future (and of right now) are online, and Kentucky needs to be as well. Kentucky needs a renewable energy portfolio standard because, as the developer of our Commonwealth’s largest solar project, I know we can create more jobs and attract more businesses fighting climate change than denying it. And we need a 11th and 12th grade system of education that prepares kids with skills training and preparation for community college, a career, or a four year education. Second, we must embrace the belief that healthcare is a fundamental human right and our state must act to expand coverage. It’s time to stop using the healthcare of over 500,000 Kentuckians as a political football. I am committed to not only protecting the coverage of those who receive health insurance from the ACA, but also working to strengthen the financial position of Kentucky’s recently expanded Medicaid population. Finally, every Kentucky child deserves a quality education and every Kentucky educator deserves a professional salary. I’m proud to have earned the endorsement of our state’s largest union, the Jefferson County Teachers Association, because I have a real forward-facing agenda for education and experience improving schools as state auditor. I support universal pre-k, smaller class sizes, bringing teacher pay to at least the national average, and a higher education agenda that doesn’t saddle students with spiraling tuition and debt.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
My lived experience with issues in healthcare, new energy, and higher education tuition and wages have given me real passion for solving our challenges. I believe in the potential of the new energy economy because I’ve lived it. I partnered with a coal company, a French engineering firm, and one of Kentucky’s largest automakers to fund our vision for a 100MW solar farm on a former coal site. I have a brother, Austin, who has down syndrome. He’s everyone’s favorite Edelen and one of my biggest supporters. Without health coverage or protections he would not have the opportunity to live the life he’s been able to. I know that every Kentucky family deserves that challenge. Third, when I was a student at the University of Kentucky I was able to earn a degree in agriculture, I was working at a furniture store and afford my tuition. Today, too many middle and working class Kentuckians are priced out of opportunity by a crumbling minimum wage and spiraling tuition costs. I will change that.
Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?
My Father Larry. He’s a farmer in Meade County Kentucky. He’s never had much, but he broke his back working to give me and my siblings a good life. I admire him more than I can say, and will always be grateful.
What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?
Kentucky deserves a governor who is honest, transparent, and who has a real record of bringing people together to do big things. As State Auditor I shone a light on corruption and self-dealing in government, putting corrupt leaders in jail. I was also proud to pass systematic reforms of cybersecurity and special taxing district through a divided legislature. And in business, I’ve brought together partners as diverse as a coal company and a renewable engineering firm to do great things.
What is your favorite thing in your home or apartment? Why?
My twin boys. They’re bright, fun, and watching them grow up is the greatest joy of my life.
What do you love most about your state?
Our people.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Campaign website
| “ |
African American Equity Adam Edelen is committed to building a more just, equitable and fair Kentucky with real attention paid to communities of color. Kentucky must acknowledge a past in which many African Americans were denied not just the opportunities offered to their neighbors, but also basic human dignity in the form of housing, education, healthcare and an equal voice in government. Our Commonwealth has come a long way since the days of Jim Crow, but there is still important work to be done in the immediate future. Standing With Kentucky Women Kentucky needs to respect women enough to stay out of their doctor’s offices. Women will never been fully equal members of society if we limit and restrict their access to constitutionally protected medical procedures. Both Adam & Gill have consistently stood up for a woman’s right to make her own healthcare choices. Opioids: Healing Families and Communities Treatment for substance abuse disorders should not be a luxury. There is a shameful lack of beds in Kentucky to treat the scourge of addiction, and those we do have are often inaccessible to the communities that need them most. While there are costs with expanding treatment to those who are suffering, the bad actors who pushed opioids on our community should be the ones to foot the bill. As Governor, Adam Edelen will work to ensure that both general revenue funds and funds recovered from the out-of-state pharmaceutical companies who created this problem go toward community-based addiction treatment and are protected from being used on politicians’ pet projects. Kentucky Paychecks The issue isn’t that Kentuckians aren’t working hard enough – it’s that the work they are doing doesn’t pay enough. We can’t move the Commonwealth forward without accepting the fact that working people are working harder than ever while wages in Kentucky, like much of the country, have grown stagnant. It is unacceptable for a Kentucky family to work hard every day only to find themselves unable to meet even their most basic needs. Adam Edelen and Gill Holland support ensuring that Kentucky workers are paid a living wage. New Energy, New Jobs, Bright Future Kentucky has a proud of history leading America’s energy needs. We are going to do it again. Adam Edelen’s leadership in bringing new energy to Kentucky is just the beginning. Our Commonwealth will undergo a new and revolutionary commitment to renewable energies and the high-paying, long lasting 21st Century jobs they bring. Like no other state, Kentucky is ready to transfer 150 years of energy expertise to the new energy revolution. Your Family’s Healthcare In recent years, Kentucky finally took some bold and long-overdue steps forward in offering affordable and reliable healthcare to our people. Since then, however, Kentucky families have watched Washington and Frankfort politicians play cat and mouse with their healthcare, erecting barriers to enrollment and programs designed to discourage Kentuckians from signing up for the affordable healthcare they need. It’s time to stop using the healthcare of over 500,000 Kentuckians as a political football. Adam Edelen is committed to not only protecting the coverage of those who receive health insurance from the ACA, but also working to strengthen the financial position of Kentucky’s recently expanded Medicaid population. The Kentucky Kick Start Kentucky’s history and heritage was built on the main streets of our cities and small towns. Unfortunately, for decades we’ve watched too many Kentucky main streets go from bustling centers of commerce, arts, and civic life to empty spaces and boarded-up storefronts. We are going to rebuild Kentucky, and we need to start by rebuilding our main streets – one block at a time. Rebooting Kentucky's Education System Kentucky’s students are being left behind – and Frankfort is making it worse. Too many of our school districts are underfunded or allowing resources that should be spent in the classroom to be consumed by administration and bureaucracy. There is no “silver bullet” that will solve Kentucky’s education problems, but it’s certainly not the idea that we need to turn our education system into a profit center for out-of-state charter school corporations. We need a new approach to public education by embracing evidence-based strategies, new technologies, and a commitment to leaving failed ideas behind. Fighting Corruption As State Auditor, Adam Edelen took corruption head on and put crooked politicians behind bars. His record of fighting those who pad their wallets at taxpayer expense will expand with a new era of Zero Tolerance for corruption in Frankfort. Kentucky has waited long enough for an honest and ethical government that puts people first. [8] |
” |
| —Adam Edelen[9] | ||
2015
Edelen's 2015 campaign website highlighted the following accomplishments:
| “ |
HISTORIC RAPE KIT INVESTIGATION DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE EXAMINATION ROOTING OUT WASTE AND ABUSE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS HOLDING BIG-INSURANCE ACCOUNTABLE GHOST GOVERNMENT REFORM CYBER SECURITY LEGISLATION REFORMER WITH RESULTS |
” |
| —Adam Edelen's campaign website, [10] | ||
2011
On his 2011 campaign website, Edelen listed three main issues:[11]
- Accountability
- Excerpt: "Adam will use his business experience and bottom-line focus to fight corruption at all levels. In short, Adam will hold government more accountable to the taxpayers who foot the bill."
- Common Sense:
- Excerpt: "From an outdated and inefficient tax code to an unfunded pension obligation that threatens to bankrupt the state, too much of what has come out of Frankfort simply defies common sense."
- Transparency:
- Excerpt: "Adam believes that every government agency and every public-private organization that accepts tax dollars owes the people of Kentucky the highest level of transparency — after all, those who pay the bills have a right to see the checkbook.Adam will be the kind of courageous auditor we need watching our backs, protecting our pocketbooks, and making sure we get the honest, lean and effective government we deserve."
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
See also
2019 Elections
- Open offices draw big names, new faces to Kentucky state executive elections in 2015
- Kentucky Auditor of Public Accounts
- Kentucky Auditor election, 2015
- Auditor
- Kentucky down ballot state executive elections, 2011
External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- Kentucky Auditor of Public Accounts
- Official campaign website
- Facebook campaign page
- Biography from Project Vote Smart
- Adam Edelen on Twitter
- Campaign contributions: 2011
Footnotes
- ↑ Lexington Herald Leader, "Adam Edelen launches gubernatorial campaign ‘for all Kentucky’," January 7, 2019
- ↑ Bluegrass Politics, "Former C-J reporter will be Edelen’s communications director," November 30, 2011
- ↑ WDRB, "Attorney General Jack Conway sworn in for second term," January 2, 2012
- ↑ Kentucky Secretary of State, accessed November 4, 2015
- ↑ Adam Beam, Harlan Daily Enterprise, "Ky.'s new leaders, among youngest in US, take office," January 5, 2016
- ↑ Kentucky State Board of Elections, "2015 General Election - Summary," accessed November 4, 2015
- ↑ Kentucky Secretary of State, "Candidate Filings for State Auditor," accessed July 2, 2011
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Edelen Holland 2019, "Our Plan," accessed May 20, 2019
- ↑ Adam Edelen for Auditor, "Accomplishments," accessed November 3, 2015
- ↑ Adam Edelen for Auditor, "Issues," accessed July 16, 2011
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Crit Luallen (D) |
Kentucky Auditor of Public Accounts 2012–2016 |
Succeeded by Mike Harmon (R) |
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State of Kentucky Frankfort (capital) |
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