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What awaits the governor? Andy Beshear?
Kentucky governor was passed over for vice president on Tuesday Kamala Harris‘running buddy.
But the notoriety he gained from being considered during a dramatic two-week selection process could prove useful for the 46-year-old governor, say political observers and allies of the two-term governor.
Jonathan Miller, a former secretary of state and Beshear ally who is a managing partner in the Lexington and Washington offices of the prominent law firm Frost Brown Todd, said there were no downsides to Beshear running for vice president.
“It hasn’t really given him universal name recognition, but he now has universal name recognition among the chatterboxes — the people who follow politics closely. That includes the big fundraisers and the people on the ground, who are the key activists and organizers,” Miller said.
“That will not lead to national elections tomorrow, but it will lay the foundation for his future.”
Miller said he doesn’t believe Kentucky residents will hold it against Beshear for openly participating in the so-called “veepstakes” to compete for the job.
However, Kentucky Republicans, such as Senate Majority Leader Damon Thayer, disagree.
According to the Georgetown Republican, the selection process has shown Republicans that Beshear is not as moderate as he sometimes portrays himself.
“We collectively didn’t like him that much, and we probably like him even less after watching his flaunting audition over the last few weeks,” Thayer said.
“For us, the best thing that came out of this is that he proved what we’ve been saying since he first ran in 2015: He’s a left-wing liberal posing as a moderate in a state where Republicans have a strong presence.”
The future
But what about outside of Kentucky?
Forty-six is an awfully young age for a politician. Beshear was by far the youngest of all the serious contenders for Harris’ running mate.
His term expires in 2027, at the age of 50. That is, if he is still governor of Frankfurt.
It’s still early and it depends on whether Harris overtakes Trump on Election Day, but there are already rumors across the Commonwealth that Beshear may be moving to Washington.
Louisville Courier-Journal columnist Joe Gerth suggested that Beshear might be a good candidate for attorney general — or at least that he could help Kentucky residents in that role.
First, Gerth pointed out, Beshear would have a key role in the ongoing effort to fix the Louisville Metro Police Department. That’s because the next AG will oversee the consent decree Louisville will sign with the Department of Justice to fix problems with the department.
When asked if Beshear would run for a cabinet post, Miller said it’s clear the governor enjoys his current job. But a role as AG could be tempting for the state’s former attorney general.
“I think it will probably be quite difficult for him to say no to the attorney general… I’m sure he will have a choice because I’m confident that there will be an effort to get him to do something,” Miller said.
Thayer thinks the governor will agree to this.
“The Beshears are very ambitious. We know that from 40 years of history. I don’t think there will be a Harris administration, but if there is one, I think he will seek a cabinet position,” he said.
When asked what role he saw the governor fulfilling, Thayer replied, “Anything that begins with ‘secretary of.’”
Thayer added that Beshear “would like to be in the swamp and be accepted into the elite of Democratic circles.”
However, there is no guarantee that Beshear will move forward.
During his 2023 reelection campaign, Beshear pledged to serve his four-year term. He later amended his term to allow for the possibility of stepping down if he believes he can serve the people of Kentucky in a new role.
But as Miller pointed out, being governor is still a prestigious position in American politics.
“Being governor is much more important to me, and I think to him, than some of the lower cabinet positions,” Miller said. “Being governor is really great.”
Another powerful cabinet position that could potentially lure Beshear away from Kentucky: Transportation Secretary.
Currently, that role is held by Pete Buttigieg, but it’s possible that this wunderkind, once an outsider in the presidential race, will play another key role in a potential Harris administration.
Beshear and his close ally, current Kentucky Transportation Secretary Jim Gray, have emphasized work on the state’s road system, both materially and politically.
Beshear has particularly touted his work on major projects such as the Mountain Parkway extension in the east, the Brent Spence Bridge Companion Project in northern Kentucky and the I-69 Ohio River crossing near Henderson in the west.
Miller added that choosing Walz over the other candidates could bode well for Beshear’s future.
Beshear congratulated his fellow governor and called Walz a “great friend.”
There’s reason to believe the commentary is more than a formality. Walz is chairman of the fundraising and advocacy group the Democratic Governors Association, which poured millions of dollars into helping Beshear win a five-point re-election victory over former GOP Attorney General Daniel Cameron last year.
Walz later attended Beshear’s second inauguration.
In addition to Beshear, the Kentucky Democratic Party also struck a positive tone in response to the news. Party Chairman Colmon Elridge cited his record as governor and wrote in a statement that Walz would be “an exceptional running mate and an invaluable partner” for Harris.
“Through years of service in public school classrooms and as a Congressman and governor, Governor Walz has worked to make our country a better place and understands the kitchen table issues that matter most to Americans.”
Other prominent Kentucky Democrats joined in. Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman pointed to parallels between her and Beshear’s respective backgrounds on the Harris-Walz ticket.
“As we proved in Kentucky, an Attorney General and a high school social studies teacher/coach make a great team! Come on,” Coleman posted on X.
If Beshear leaves the state for a job in Washington, Coleman would serve out his term as governor.
Many Democrats in the state have said they would welcome the development, as it would allow the party to field a sitting governor in 2027 — Beshear is term-limited to run for re-election — when they are expected to face political headwinds in the conservative state without the benefit of a decades-old political legacy.
