So he gets to make up rules to screw over the Supreme Court nominees and his own replacement. Earlier the governor was supposed to nominate another GOP candidate to replace him. Is this election for both party candidates?

Under the prior law, the governor selected the replacement but was limited to choosing from among three names put forward by a committee made up of people from the same party as the senator that previously held the seat. In other words, McConnell's replacement would be guaranteed to be a Republican under the current law. Now the replacement will be chosen by a special election in which a Democrats would have a candidate. Maybe its unlikely that a Democrat will be elected, but its a better chance than zero.

They are starting to realize that their party exists because of a few extremists and a lot of gerrymandering, not a majority. So, they are removing all equitable actions and trying to be defacto dictators. Not a surprise from the Kentucky GQP.

The prior law essentially guaranteed that Beshear would appoint a Republican as McConnell's replacement. The new law leaves the replacement in the hands of the voters.

So much for the "justice is blind" ideal.

Now the vacancy will be filled by the winner of an election in which a Democrat will compete. Which suggests this is less about McConnell's replacement and more about fearing that some year in the future, a Democrat will get elected and leave office prematurely creating a vacancy that would be guaranteed a Democratic replacement.