 The victory set up a general election contest against Democratic nominee Alice Woods Baesler, a state agriculture department aide and wife of former Congressman and Kentucky basketball player Scotty Baesler.Bolstered by his significantly higher name recognition, Farmer led an early July SurveyUSA poll 61% to 33% over Baesler.Baesler charged that Farmer was unqualified for the job of agriculture commissioner and that his high poll numbers and convincing primary victory were driven by his popularity as a basketball player, criticizing him for featuring his status as a member of "The Unforgettables" in his campaign literature.