Daniel Cameron (American politician) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Daniel Cameron
Official portrait, 2021
51st Attorney General of Kentucky
In office December 17, 2019 – January 1, 2024 Acting: December 17, 2019 – January 6, 2020
Governor	Andy Beshear
Preceded by	Andy Beshear
Succeeded by	Russell Coleman
Personal details
Born	Daniel Jay Cameron (1985-11-22) November 22, 1985 (age 39) Plano, Texas, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouses	Elizabeth Cameron ​ ​ (m. 2016; div. 2017)​ Makenze Evans ​ (m. 2020)​
Children	2
Education	University of Louisville (BS, JD)

Daniel Jay Cameron (born November 22, 1985) is an American lawyer and politician. He served as the 51st Attorney General of Kentucky from 2020 to 2024. As a member of the Republican Party, Daniel Cameron was the first African American to be elected to this important role in Kentucky. He was also the first Republican to hold the office since 1943.

In 2023, he was the Republican candidate for governor of Kentucky. He ran against the current governor, Andy Beshear, who is a Democrat. Daniel Cameron is now running for a seat in the U.S. Senate in 2026. This seat is becoming open because Mitch McConnell is leaving.

Daniel Cameron was born in Plano, Texas. He moved to Elizabethtown, Kentucky when he was a child. He studied at the University of Louisville for both his first degree and his law degree. Before becoming Attorney General, he worked as a legal assistant for a judge. He also served as a legal advisor to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell from 2015 to 2017.

As Attorney General, Daniel Cameron was involved in several important legal cases. He also ran for governor in 2023.

Early Life and Education

Daniel Cameron was born in Plano, Texas. He later lived in Alabama before growing up in Elizabethtown, Kentucky. His mother was a professor at a local college. His father owned a coffee shop in their town. Daniel Cameron went to John Hardin High School in nearby Radcliff.

He received a scholarship to attend the University of Louisville. This scholarship was supported by Senator Mitch McConnell. Daniel Cameron played a little bit of football for the Louisville Cardinals football team in 2006. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in 2008. In 2011, he received his law degree from the University of Louisville School of Law. While there, he was the president of the Student Bar Association.

Early Career

After law school, Daniel Cameron worked as a legal assistant. He helped Judge Gregory F. Van Tatenhove in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky. He worked there for two years, from 2011 to 2013. Then, he worked for a law firm called Stites & Harbison for about 18 months.

From 2015 to 2017, Daniel Cameron worked as a legal advisor for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. In this role, he helped make sure the office followed Senate rules. He also helped with the process of approving federal judges.

In 2017, Daniel Cameron returned to Louisville. He joined another law firm, Frost Brown Todd. He worked there as a senior associate, focusing on government affairs.

Attorney General of Kentucky

Campaign for Attorney General

Daniel Cameron decided to run for Attorney General of Kentucky in 2019. He won the Republican primary election. After winning the primary, he received support from President Donald Trump. In the main election in November 2019, Daniel Cameron won against the Democratic candidate, Greg Stumbo. He received 57.8% of the votes.

His election was historic for Kentucky. He was the first Republican to be elected Attorney General since 1943. He also became Kentucky's first African-American Attorney General.

Role as Attorney General

Daniel Cameron's term as Attorney General officially began on January 6, 2020. However, the previous Attorney General, Andy Beshear, became Governor earlier. So, Governor Beshear appointed Daniel Cameron to start his term a bit sooner, on December 17, 2019. Judge Gregory F. Van Tatenhove, for whom Cameron had worked, swore him into office.

Legal Discussions on Healthcare

In March 2020, Daniel Cameron suggested pausing certain medical procedures in Kentucky. This was during the coronavirus pandemic. He argued that these procedures were not urgent and should be included in a statewide pause on non-essential medical services. The Kentucky legislature later voted to give the Attorney General more power to set rules for certain healthcare clinics. However, Governor Beshear did not approve this new law.

COVID-19 Pandemic Rules

Daniel Cameron also challenged some of Governor Beshear's actions during the COVID-19 pandemic. These actions were put in place to help stop the spread of the virus. In July 2020, Daniel Cameron asked a court to cancel all of Governor Beshear's COVID-19 orders. He also wanted to stop the governor from making new rules. Daniel Cameron said he wanted to "protect the rights of Kentuckians." Governor Beshear disagreed, saying Cameron's request was "scary and reckless." He believed it would harm public health and the economy.

The Kentucky Supreme Court temporarily stopped Daniel Cameron's efforts in July 2020. They wanted to review the case themselves. In November 2020, the Kentucky Supreme Court decided that Governor Beshear's emergency orders were constitutional.

Later, a federal judge initially sided with Daniel Cameron in a lawsuit. This lawsuit challenged the governor's order to temporarily close schools during the pandemic. However, the U.S. Supreme Court later overturned this decision. They ruled against Daniel Cameron.

Bankers Association Lawsuit

In November 2022, a group representing 150 banks in Kentucky sued Daniel Cameron. This group was called the Kentucky Bankers Association. The lawsuit was about Daniel Cameron asking for detailed information from banks. He was investigating their lending practices related to environmental issues. A court said that Daniel Cameron had gone too far. The court stated he did not have the authority to demand such information from private businesses. The court called it a "big government intrusion."

Breonna Taylor Case

On March 13, 2020, Breonna Taylor was killed during a police action. This event led to many protests across the United States. Daniel Cameron's office acted as the special prosecutor for the case. After an investigation, his office announced its decision. They decided not to charge two of the police officers who had shot Breonna Taylor. A third officer was charged with a different offense for shooting into a neighbor's apartment.

This announcement caused widespread sadness and anger. Many protests took place in cities across the country. On July 14, 2020, over 100 protestors gathered at Daniel Cameron's house. They were asking for charges against the officers. Police arrested 87 protestors. Daniel Cameron said the protestors were trespassing and trying to cause more tension.

In September 2020, Daniel Cameron announced charges against one officer, Brett Hankison. These charges were for shooting into a nearby apartment, not for Breonna Taylor's death. Daniel Cameron's office stated that the other officers had acted in a justified way.

Questions were raised about what information was presented to the grand jury. A grand juror later said that Daniel Cameron had not fully explained the grand jury's role. The grand juror stated that only charges for Hankison were presented, not for the other officers. A judge ordered the release of the grand jury's recordings. Daniel Cameron maintained that he presented a complete case.

In January 2021, three grand jurors asked the Kentucky House of Representatives to consider removing Daniel Cameron from office. They said he had mishandled the case and provided misleading information.

In August 2022, the United States Department of Justice filed charges against four officers involved in the case. They said the officers had made false statements to get a search warrant and tried to cover things up. The Louisville branch of the NAACP asked Daniel Cameron to resign in September 2022. They believed he had not conducted a fair investigation.

National Politics

After becoming Attorney General, Daniel Cameron was seen as a rising figure in the Republican Party. He spoke at the 2020 Republican National Convention in August 2020. In September 2020, President Donald Trump included Daniel Cameron on a list of people he might consider for the Supreme Court of the United States.

2023 Governor Campaign

Daniel Cameron announced he would run for governor on May 11, 2022. He spoke about his disagreement with Governor Andy Beshear's emergency orders during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also emphasized his views on certain healthcare procedures. Donald Trump supported Daniel Cameron's campaign. Daniel Cameron won the Republican primary election. On July 19, 2023, he announced State Senator Robby Mills as his running mate for Kentucky Lieutenant Governor.

Daniel Cameron was the first African-American person from a major political party to run for governor in Kentucky. He ran against Governor Beshear in the election on November 7, 2023. He lost the election, with Beshear receiving 53% of the votes and Cameron receiving 47%.

2026 U.S. Senate Campaign

On February 20, 2025, Daniel Cameron announced his plan to run for the U.S. Senate. He is seeking the seat that Mitch McConnell will leave in 2026.

Personal Life

Daniel Cameron was married to Elizabeth Cameron in 2016, but they divorced the next year. He married Makenze Evans, a schoolteacher, on July 31, 2020. Senator Mitch McConnell attended their wedding. Daniel and Makenze had their first child on January 5, 2022.

See also

In Spanish: Daniel Jay Cameron para niños

• Donald Trump Supreme Court candidates