A Hilltopper is gunning for the role of governor.

Alan Keck, the current mayor of Somerset and a 2007 Western Kentucky University alumnus, is among the crowded field of candidates vying for the Republican nomination in Kentucky’s gubernatorial election.

Keck, 37, is a fourth-generation entrepreneur who says he is uniquely qualified for the position of governor, which he compares to a CEO leading a company.

“Since Kentucky is going to be electing a CEO, a CEO should be able to tell you where he’s going to take his company,” he said. “And in this instance where he’s going to take his state.”

Keck said his time on the Hill, where he met his wife, Tiffany, instilled in him an appreciation for interpersonal relationships.

“I met my wife here, but I also forged some incredible friendships here,” he said. “As a people person and somebody that has a genuine love for people, investing in others and adding value to every relationship that you can … in many ways I learned that in the Hill.”

The mayor is relying on his “Keck Game Plan” to guide his growth-based platform, which consists of four pillars: economy, public safety, education and family.

“As a pro-life conservative, I think we can and should do more to create pro-family policy,” Keck said. “Things that help those that want to have kids be more successful, get off to a better start; those that want to adopt or foster, make that easier as well.”

The mayor faces a packed ballot for the nomination. Notable names vying for the Republican opening include Daniel Cameron, attorney general; Kelly Craft, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations; Mike Harmon, state auditor and Ryan Quarles, commissioner of agriculture.

“In spite of my youth, I’m uniquely qualified,” Keck said. “In fact, I think I’m the only one in the field with the requisite experience, executive experience, to do this job … .”

Keck said he has raised about $225,000 in campaign funds, “$200,000 in the first 40 days.”

Keck states he isn’t a “cookie-cutter Republican” who will support a platform purely because the opposition is against it. He sees eye-to-eye with current Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear on issues like medical marijuana and sports betting.

“It’s less about him and more just about the ideas that I support, in some ways a lot of what (Beshear) said in that State of the Commonwealth came from our game plan,” Keck said. “So I don’t know who’s following who.”

The mayor said access to medical marijuana is a “common sense solution” for things like pain management, insomnia in veterans and children who suffer from seizures. When it comes to betting on sports, he said it is hypocritical that a state that celebrates the lottery and the Kentucky Derby has not legalized it.

“Is gambling good for society? Probably not, but since it’s here we need to capture the revenue and allow people to exercise their liberty to choose what they want to do with their own money,” Keck said.

A bill to legalize sports gambling in the commonwealth made it past the House last session, but did not garner enough support in the Senate. In November, Beshear issued an executive order allowing Kentuckians with specific diagnoses to use medical marijuana.

Keck said he also want to make parents’ lives easier by pushing for more maternal and paternal leave incentives and the removal of sales tax on common family items like diapers and formula.

Keck explained these ideas are inspired by his own experience as a father of three girls. He shared that his middle daughter had a major eye problem when she was born, prompting Tiffany to stay home.

“There’s no way in the world Tiffany would have been ready to go back to work in two weeks,” Keck said. “We were fortunate and blessed to be in a position where she didn’t have to, but so many moms – working moms – can’t afford to stay home beyond that.”

Keck said the commonwealth needs to be proud of what it is.

“In Kentucky, for too long, we apologize for what we’re not,” he said. “I think this is a special place, and as governor I would encourage other local leaders to take ownership. Let’s not wait for crumbs from Frankfort or Washington to save us … let’s pick ourselves up and get stuff done.”