Rising electric bills are playing an outsized role in the race for Kentucky's next governor.
Kentucky is consistently ranked among the lowest states in the country for the cost of electricity. But three of the state's four major investor owned utilities have rate increases pending before the Kentucky Public Service Commission. Kentucky relies on coal for most of its electricity, and officials say new federal rules make it more expensive. Likely Democratic nominee Jack Conway has used his role as attorney general to intervene in those rate requests to ask for lower increases. He has also sued the Environmental Protection Agency over its new rules.
All four Republican candidates for governor say they would ignore the EPA if they are elected governor, following advice from U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.