FRANKFORT, Ky. — Could Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear trade in his seat in Frankfort for one in Washington D.C.?
That's a possibility being discussed right now as Democrats figure out what's next after President Biden bowed out of his re-election bid.
Vice President Kamala Harris is considered the favorite to replace Biden on the ticket. Should she become the official nominee, she would then need to choose her running mate.
That's where Beshear comes in.
On Monday, during an interview on MSNBC's Morning Joe, Beshear thanked Biden for his service as President.
"I want to thank President Biden for being a phenomenal President," said Beshear. "He led us out of a pandemic faster than we have ever seen. He showed up in Kentucky after natural disasters and helped us rebuild. He's helped us build the best economy in our history, building the two largest battery plants on planet Earth, the cleanest, greenest recycle paper mill we've ever seen, creating jobs all over Kentucky and providing the funding to run internet access to every home and every business."
"I am excited to fully endorse Vice President Harris for the next president of the United States. The VP is smart and strong which will make her a good president. But she's also kind and has empathy, which can make her a great president."
— @GovAndyBeshear endorses Harris pic.twitter.com/pu8rOF48Gm
— Morning Joe (@Morning_Joe) July 22, 2024
He also endorsed Harris as the next Democrat nominee for President.
"I am excited to fully endorse Vice President Harris for the next president of the United States," said Beshear. "The VP is smart and strong, which will make her a good president. But she's also kind and has empathy, which can make her a great president."
The 46-year-old has led the Bluegrass State since 2019. He beat out former Attorney General Daniel Cameron to win reelection in 2023.
Beshear's ability to maintain executive control in a predominantly red state has likely elevated his position in speculative standings, said Shauna Reilly, a political science professor at NKU.
"His appeal to moderates probably," she said. "A Southern Democrat is not a Democrat that we would see from California, such as Vice President Harris."
Beshear's policy platforms are similar but not as progressive as Harris', which could provide a balance to the Democratic ticket, Reilly said.
"You would see some moderation in those that would secure the voters who are maybe a little concerned with some of the left-leaning part of that ticket," she said.
We asked Reilly how likely it would be for Beshear to join the Democratic ticket. She said he's far from a shoe-in, but she understands why he's in the running.
"Electorally there are two others that make a little more sense. If you think about where Biden is losing numbers — so we're seeing North Carolina down by four points, Michigan down by four points, Pennsylvania down by four points. Arizona — though I don't think that Biden would win Arizona anyways but he's in a negative number — so when we think about the other folks that are being suggested, they all come from those states," Reilly said. "Those folks all bring different pieces. Now, they don't necessarily have the same charisma or the same record as Beshear all those other things that Beshear does but we're just thinking about the trade offs between those."
But if Harris asks Beshear to join her on the ticket, will he accept?
During his interview on the Morning Joe show Monday, he said he'd at least listen to the proposal, but he didn't specifically say he'd accept right away. Instead, he said he'd like for American people to see what someone from Kentucky is like — in contrast to "Hillbilly Elegy" author JD Vance, who was tapped to be former President Donald Trump's running mate.
"I think if somebody calls you on that, what you do is at least listen," said Beshear. "And I want the American people to know what a Kentuckian is and what they look like, because let me just tell you, JD Vance ain't from here."
In a sit-down interview with us Friday, Democratic Ohio Representative Greg Landsman said Beshear would be a promising VP nominee.
"Andy is a really wonderful human being. He's incredibly kind — which is something we need right now, that kind of kind, caring compassionate leader who's also very strong and just does the work," Landsman said. "He's in many ways a perfect example of the kind of leaders many of us are looking for and I try to be."
Landsman also voiced support for some other Democratic leaders, including Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and former Mayor of New Orleans Mitch Landrieu, who served as Biden's infrastructure czar before joining the President's campaign.
Landsman refrained from speculating too much on possible VP candidates but did share he believes Harris would be the right person to take over the presidential bid from Biden.
"She will excite young people and she's also a former prosecutor so being able to make the case about where the country needs to go and why Donald Trump is unfit to be President," Landsman said.
The formal and official announcement of the Democratic presidential nominee will be declared at the Democratic National Convention. It'll be held in Chicago beginning Aug. 19.
During this year's Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Former President Donald Trump formally accepted his nomination as the Republican presidential candidate and selected 39-year-old Middletown native JD Vance as his running mate.
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