Term-limited Republican Treasurer Allison Ball is endorsing her former Chief of Staff OJ Oleka to replace her in the position next year.
Ball, who is running for state Auditor this year, says she encouraged Oleka to run for Treasurer this year.
“He’s a conservative, he’s a strong Christian, those things are important to me and the people who share those values as well,” Ball said in a clip posted to Oleka’s social media.
Oleka faces Lexington coffee shop owner Andrew Cooperrider, who refused to close for in-person dining in 2020 during the pandemic and is running in the contest for the open seat. Mark Metcalf, a Republican from Lancaster, is also running for the seat.
On the Democratic side of the aisle, Michael Bowman has a pass to the General Election. He was the Democratic nominee in 2019, he received more than 770,000 votes in the race garnering 39 percent of the vote.
The Kentucky Treasurer acts as the state’s elected Chief Financial Officer and watchdog, ensuring that all state dollars are spent statutorily and constitutionally.
The primary election is on May 16.
