In a typical election year, primary challenges for the secretary of state might not be a major concern for the incumbent in Kentucky, but with the dawn of rising election denial and accusations of fraud coming from the former president, the position is drawing a lot more attention.
Current secretary, Republican Michael Adams, tells the Lexington Herald Leader he has faced "violent threats" and harassment over his dismissal of critics he says are engaging in demagoguery and spreading conspiracy thinking.
Asked if he believes President Joe Biden was elected fair and square, Adams told KET, "I do believe he is the legitimate president of the United States."
Adams added that he believed some relatively modest incidents of fraud occurred in other states but "we've not seen the sort of millions of votes that would have to have been moved around to sway a national vote for president."
One of Adams' Republican challengers, however, sounds more like further right voices that have called election results into question. Stephen Knipper, an information technology project manager, has claimed the backing of election denier and MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell and raised questions about the legitimacy of Gov. Andy Beshear's election.
Challenger Allen Maricle, a former state representative, has pledged to bring more transparency to the office but has said he does not agree with Knipper that the state's elections are rigged.
In the secretary of state race, it appears likely a small number of voters will be deciding the outcome — with Adams himself predicting turnout at just 10 percent
