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Republican Whitney Westerfield Files For Attorney General

The Republican chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee has filed to run for attorney general.  Sen. Whitney Westerfield of Hopkinsville has been a state senator for just two years. But the 34-year-old former Christian County assistant commonwealth's attorney says he is the best qualified to be the state's top prosecutor.

Westerfield is the first Republican to enter the race. Democrat Andy Beshear, son of popular Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear, has already raised more than $1.5 million since he declared his candidacy last year.

Westerfield said he wants to make the attorney general's office more efficient and said he would defend the state's gay marriage ban. Attorney General Jack Conway opted not to defend the ban last year. A federal appeals court upheld the ban after Gov. Steve Beshear hired private attorneys to defend it.