Would Beshear have to resign if he's picked as the VP candidate?
What would happen to Kentucky's top elected seat should Gov. Andy Beshear pursue higher office?
Since Sunday, Beshear's name has been floated as a potential running mate for Vice President Kamala Harris, who President Joe Biden endorsed as the Democratic nominee after ending his reelection bid.
Should he be selected, here's what to know.
Would Beshear have to resign if he is chosen as the vice presidential candidate?
No, Beshear would only have to resign if he is elected vice president. Secretary of State Michael Adams' office said the Kentucky constitution doesn't say a governor cannot act as governor and campaign for vice president at the same time.
The winner of the 2024 presidential election takes office Jan. 20, 2025, meaning Beshear would have to resign before the inauguration should he be selected and win.
More: Vance 'ain't from here,' Kentucky Gov. Beshear says while endorsing Harris for president
Who would step in as governor if Beshear is elected?
That would be Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman, who would be responsible for finishing out Beshear's term that ends Dec. 7, 2027. But Coleman technically wouldn't inherit Beshear's title as governor.
"She would be acting governor" and would still serve as lieutenant governor, said Michon Lindstrom, director of communications for the Secretary of State's office.
Because she would still be lieutenant governor, Lindstrom said there would be no one to replace Coleman's position if she steps up. Coleman has served as the 58th lieutenant governor of Kentucky since 2019.
When was the last time a lieutenant governor served as acting governor?
Lindstrom said it was in 1974, when Democratic Gov. Wendell Ford became a U.S. Senator. Lt. Gov. Julian Carroll was appointed acting governor on Dec. 28, 1974, and finished what would have been Ford's last year of his term.
Reach reporter Hannah Pinski at @[email protected] or follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @hannahpinski.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Would Gov. Andy Beshear have to resign if he's picked as VP candidate?
