Beshear for president? How Kentucky's governor is building national recognition
As Democrats reckon with President Joe Biden’s disappointing June debate performance, some national political operatives have turned their attention to Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear.
The popular Democrat’s ability to pull votes in a deep red state could make him an attractive top-of-ticket candidate should Biden step aside, several political scientists told The Courier Journal.
And while a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll found 70% of Democrats nationwide had not heard of Beshear, the governor has lately taken steps to help build his reputation outside Kentucky.
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In the last six months, Beshear has traveled to out-of-state Democratic fundraisers at least five times and launched a PAC to support Democrats in red and purple states.
Beshear has so far remained tight-lipped about his aspirations. But those steps are ones politicians generally take to position themselves for future national office or other prominent roles, University of Kentucky political scientist Stephen Voss said.
“I'm sure many people around him are saying… ‘you may have just a perfect formula for a Democrat moving forward’,” added Dewey Clayton, a political scientist at the University of Louisville.
What has Beshear said about running for president or vice president?
Beshear appears to be keeping his options open, professing his loyalty to Biden as the party’s nominee while not rejecting the possibility of a run for higher office should Biden step aside.
The president should more directly communicate with the American public about his health, Beshear has said. But during a Team Kentucky update last week, he denied having conversations with the White House regarding his potential candidacy.
He parried questions about the prospect by saying he would only leave Kentucky’s governorship if he felt like he “could help the commonwealth even more through some other opportunity.”
Asked if his wife Britainy would make a good first lady, he quipped, “Wow. If she was ever asked, she’d make an absolutely fantastic one because there’s nothing she can’t do.”
Beshear's “remarkably guarded” comments suggest he is interested in higher office, said Voss.
“Biden disciples don't want Democrats even breathing a word about the possibility of a different nominee emerging,” Voss said. “Even for Beshear to entertain the possibility in his response cuts against the messaging control the hardcore Biden camp has been pursuing.”
“He’s just playing it very smart now, very cool,” agreed Clayton.
Beshear will attend the Democratic National Convention as a Kentucky delegate but has not been asked to be a speaker, his campaign strategist Eric Hyers said.
What has Beshear done to build his national profile?
Since starting his second term, Beshear has taken a number of steps to build his national profile.
He’s hosted and spoken at Democratic fundraisers in other states, from California to Virginia. He will headline an Iowa Democratic Party dinner on July 27. And earlier this year, he announced the creation of a PAC called In This Together. Its purpose, according to its website, is to “support good people and good candidates” running for office in red and purple states.
The PAC has so far endorsed U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (Ohio), Jon Tester (Montana), Jacky Rosen (Nevada), North Carolina gubernatorial candidate Josh Stein, and Kentucky Supreme Court candidate Judge Pamela Goodwine.
Between January and the end of May, In This Together raised over $300,000, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission.
More recently, Beshear joined other Democratic governors in traveling to the White House to meet with Biden after the debate.
Focusing his efforts within the Democratic Party makes sense for Beshear if he wants to be considered for a vice presidential or presidential nomination should Biden drop out, Voss said.
“He's doing it in a way that brings him into contact with well-placed and well-positioned Democrats,” Voss said. “Credibility with insiders really is going to matter.”
What are Beshear’s pros and cons as a national candidate?
Beshear’s ability to win in Republican Kentucky is likely appealing to Democratic Party leaders, several observers told The Courier Journal.
“Here comes a Democrat out of a Republican stronghold and gets elected governor two times. So that makes people take notice of Andy Beshear,” said Danny Briscoe, a longtime Democratic consultant in Kentucky.
The current buzz around Beshear, campaign strategist Hyers added, exists "because this state under his leadership has become a national leader in job growth, has record budget surpluses. He has a very important voice and a really unique perspective on how Democrats can win in challenging states and tough environments."
Much of Beshear’s popularity lies in his success with “kitchen table issues,” Clayton said, giving issues like jobs and public education as examples.
He's also seen the state through several major disasters, including the COVID-19 pandemic, tornadoes in Western Kentucky and floods in Eastern Kentucky — leaving an "indelible" impression on people's memories, Briscoe said.
“I think he's shown the kind of empathetic perspective that is critical in any politician and any officeholder,” said John Yarmuth, who represented Louisville in Congress from 2007 to 2023. “I don't see any reason why he should not be considered strongly for a position on a national ticket.”
Kentucky Republicans, however, don't think Beshear deserves credit for all of the state's economic successes.
"Andy Beshear didn't support building the budget reserve trust fund, comprehensive tax reform, Right to Work or the repeal of prevailing wage and income tax reductions like Republican lawmakers did," Republican Party of Kentucky spokesperson Andrew Westberry said. "Record growth started before he took office. It's misleading for him to oppose these policies yet take credit for the results."
Adding Beshear to the 2024 presidential ticket doesn’t guarantee Democrats will win Kentucky, either. In fact, the Bluegrass State will very likely vote red in this year’s presidential election, Voss said.
But his success in a red state like Kentucky indicates Beshear could have a broad appeal with key voter groups in other battleground states like Ohio and Pennsylvania, Voss said.
Forty-six-year-old Beshear — whom Clayton called a “youngblood” — also provides a new face for the Democratic Party currently represented by 81-year-old Joe Biden.
Still, if Biden were to step aside and be replaced by Vice President Kamala Harris at the top of the ticket, Democrats don’t necessarily need a younger candidate to join her.
“She’s still spry, and, if anything, needs the perception of polish (and) wisdom shored up,” Voss said.
Beshear also has some weak spots as a national candidate, the experts added.
With time running short, it’s not clear that Beshear would be able to bring in enough money to mount a credible 2024 run, Clayton said.
And since Kentucky is a relatively small state, his administrative experience may not match up to that of someone like California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has had to deal with “huge budgets and … huge urban areas,” Clayton said.
“I would like to see him mature his skills in his home state, for sure," Democratic megadonor Christy Brown of Louisville told The Courier Journal. "I am very pleased that he is continuing to serve as governor of Kentucky now, and I would like to see him continue that and mature his skills."
Beshear also lacks serious “foreign policy bona fides,” Clayton said.
Beshear is currently on an economic development trip to Japan and South Korea and earlier this year he traveled to Germany and Switzerland, according to press releases from his office.
"He has a track record of bringing people together to get really big things done and improve people's lives," Hyers said when asked about Beshear's weaknesses as a national candidate.
Beshear's future is 'wide open'
Whether Beshear wants to run for president or not, his activities in other states and his prominence as a potential top-of-ticket Democratic pick is good for his future, Voss said.
He could be gearing up for a 2028 presidential run, Voss said, by making contacts and laying the groundwork for future fundraising.
Beshear might even be considering a 2026 run for Senate, if Sen. Mitch McConnell does not run again, Briscoe suggested — though Hyers said Beshear does not want to run for Senate.
Asked what Beshear will do when his term ends in 2028, Hyers said, "I'm not sure he's got those plans yet."
Attending high-profile events and being mentioned in national conversations could help Beshear attain other prominent roles as well, Voss said, including lobbying or working on important legal cases, running a think tank or even taking a cabinet position.
For example, a run in the Democratic presidential primary in 2020 helped former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg build his national profile. His erstwhile competitor, Biden, later appointed Buttigieg U.S. Secretary of Transportation.
“There's a lot of opportunities open for him,” Briscoe said of Beshear. “It’s just wide open.”
Recent events attended by Gov. Andy Beshear
March: Keynote speaker at Montana Democratic Party’s main fundraiser; hosted fundraisers for U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown in Kentucky
May: Fundraising reception for Josh Stein, North Carolina attorney general who is running for governor
June: Spoke in Nashville about reproductive rights alongside Kentucky incest survivor Hadley Duvall at “Championing Reproductive Freedom” event; featured speaker at Virginia’s Blue Commonwealth Gala in Richmond, Virginia; hosted Los Angeles debate night reception with Democratic governors and donors
July: Beshear's In This Together PAC hosted young professionals happy hour event for the Democratic Governors Association in Washington; attended a Teamsters fundraiser in Washington
Upcoming: Keynote speaker at Iowa Democrats’ Liberty and Justice Celebration in Des Moines; attending Democratic National Convention in Chicago as a delegate from Kentucky
Reach Rebecca Grapevine at [email protected] or follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @RebGrapevine.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Why Kentucky Gov. Beshear could be the future of the Democratic Party
