FRANKFORT – The Republican primary field for Kentucky attorney general was shuffled Friday after state Sen. Whitney Westerfield withdrew suddenly from the 2019 contest.

Westerfield, a Hopkinsville Republican who narrowly lost the 2015 election for attorney general to Democrat Andy Beshear, said he dropped out because of time constraints that running a strong campaign would place on him during the current legislative session.

Hours after that announcement one of Westerfield's colleagues, state Sen. Wil Schroder, R-Wilder, filed to run for the seat.

"I have been overwhelmed by the support I received during this campaign, but this decision will hopefully give another qualified candidate the opportunity to run their campaign as it should be run," Westerfield said in a news release. "Kentucky desperately needs an attorney general that has the necessary experience to carry out the duties of office, and the integrity to do so without a political agenda."

But campaign finance records paint a different picture for the 38-year-old Westerfield, who was struggling to raise money ahead of the race.

The Kentucky Registry of Election Finance reports showed he raised just $800 in the final three months of 2018 and had a paltry $24,700 in cash on-hand.

Westerfield's withdrawal leaves one other Republican outside Schroder who has filed to run for attorney general: Daniel Cameron, a Louisville attorney who is a former University of Louisville football player and lawyer for U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Cameron, who filed for the seat days earlier, reacted to Westerfield's decision on social media. He described his would-be GOP rival as a "strong and effective" legislator.

"More importantly, I know he is a man of God, who exhibits his faith on a daily basis," Cameron said. "I respect his decision to withdraw from the AG race and know that the Lord will continue to use him."

Cameron, who is a lawyer at the prominent firm Frost Brown Todd, would be the first African-American attorney general in the state's history if he were to be elected.

Schroder, who was first elected in 2014, represents a district that covers Bracken, Campbell and Pendleton counties. He took to social media moments after filing his paperwork to tell voters that he is the one candidate in the GOP field with the conservative and legal record to win.

"It is crucial that Kentucky’s next AG has prosecutorial experience," Schroder said in a video posted to Twitter. "This position is way too important for on-the-job training."

Related:McConnell's former lawyer files to run for Kentucky attorney general

No Democrats have yet filed for attorney general. But Greg Stumbo, a former attorney general and speaker of the Kentucky House of Representatives from Prestonsburg, has said he plans to run for attorney general.

The race for Kentucky's chief law enforcement office is important to both parties given its ability to check the governor's power. Republicans have believed since the days of Gov. Ernie Fletcher's administration that Democrats have used the attorney general's office to undermine their agenda.

Prospective candidates have until 4 p.m. Tuesday to file to run in the May primary elections for attorney general or other statewide offices.

Read more:Former Attorney General Greg Stumbo plans to run for the job again

More:Mitch McConnell's former lawyer looks ahead to potential attorney general run

Reporter Tom Loftus can be reached at 502-875-5137 or tloftus@courierjournal.com. Reporter Phillip M. Bailey can be reached at 502-582-4475 or pbailey@courierjournal.com. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: courier-journal.com/philb.