Current:Home > reviewsKentucky Gov. Andy Beshear ready to campaign for Harris-Walz after losing out for spot on the ticket -Momentum Wealth Path
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear ready to campaign for Harris-Walz after losing out for spot on the ticket
View
Date:2025-04-13 19:16:11
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear signaled Wednesday he’s ready to campaign for the Democratic ticket, and said Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz are motivated to improve lives in contrast to “personal grievances” driving the other side in a dig at Republican Donald Trump.
A day after Beshear and a few other prominent Democrats were bypassed in favor of the affable Minnesotan as Harris’ running mate, the Kentucky governor said he’s still part of the team. He indicated that Harris had asked him to make campaign pitches for the ticket.
“Wherever the campaign needs me, I’m willing to go,” Beshear said during a sit-down interview with The Associated Press. “I want to do my part to make sure that the Harris-Walz ticket is elected.”
Beshear said he was catching up on family time when the newly minted ticket made its campaign debut Tuesday in Philadelphia, but said he was impressed when watching highlights later.
“The energy is incredible,” Beshear said. “The vice president made a very good pick in Gov. Walz. He is a good governor, he’s a good friend and he’s a good man. And he’s going to help her win.”
Beshear, whose national profile surged as he vied for the No. 2 spot on the Democratic ticket, sidestepped questions about the inner workings of Harris’ search for a running mate.
“It’s an honor to be considered,” the governor said. “How many people in their lifetime are vetted to potentially be a vice presidential running mate?”
Beshear predicted that the surge of Trump-led attacks against Walz would backfire.
“The rest of the country will see that Tim Walz is a veteran, was a teacher, a football coach, has been a good governor, but most importantly, is a good person,” he said. “They’ll see something different when they look at Donald Trump.”
After a whirlwind few weeks for Beshear — which included an economic development trip to Asia, followed by campaign appearances while auditioning to be Harris’ running mate — the governor was settling back into his Bluegrass State job. He received an update Wednesday on ongoing efforts to rebuild areas devastated by natural disasters. Tornadoes tore through parts of western Kentucky in late 2021, followed by flooding the next summer that swamped portions of the Appalachian region in the east.
Beshear, who won reelection in his red state last year, indicated he’s ready to be back on the campaign trail for Harris and Walz as well as for down-ballot Democrats. Among the candidates he plans to make pitches for are Senate Democratic incumbents running in Ohio, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Montana, as well as for the Democrat running for governor in North Carolina. Beshear said his campaign victory in 2023 can “serve as a roadmap” for other Democrats running in politically tough terrain.
What to know about the 2024 Election
- Democracy: American democracy has overcome big stress tests since 2020. More challenges lie ahead in 2024.
- AP’s Role: The Associated Press is the most trusted source of information on election night, with a history of accuracy dating to 1848. Learn more.
- Stay informed. Keep your pulse on the news with breaking news email alerts. Sign up here.
At the top of the ticket, Harris and Walz can lower the temperature of a polarized country and remind voters that “we can be Democrats or Republicans but we’re Americans first,” Beshear said. And Democrats can broaden their support by focusing on kitchen-table issues affecting everyday lives, something he plans to emphasize on the campaign trail in coming weeks, he said.
“I’ll tell voters that this is the ticket that is going to improve their lives,” Beshear said. “Is going to create more jobs, is going to lessen the costs of prescription drugs, is going to invest in the infrastructure throughout our country, run high-speed internet to every home and every business. That this is a ticket that cares about the people of the United States of America and not just personal grievances.”
Having come up short in his bid for a vice presidential run, speculation about Beshear’s future is still churning in Kentucky — this time over whether he might be in the running for a Cabinet post if Harris defeats Trump in November. Term limits will prevent the 46-year-old Beshear from running for governor in 2027, and he has shown no interest in running for a U.S. Senate seat.
Asked Wednesday if he could help the Bluegrass State even more as the head of a federal agency, Beshear replied: “I’m right where I’m supposed to be.”
Beshear said his focus as governor will be on continuing Kentucky’s record pace for economic development growth, rebuilding storm-stricken areas and seeing massive infrastructure projects through to completion. Even if his vice presidential bid came up short, Kentucky benefited from the attention it received, he said.
“To see the rest of the country looking up to Kentucky instead of looking down at us, that’s a pretty special thing,” Beshear said. “And I knew throughout this process that regardless of how it came out, we had a chance to put Kentucky on the national stage and to talk about the great things that we are doing. And that’s going to benefit us in the years to come.”
veryGood! (96)
Related
- US wholesale inflation accelerated in November in sign that some price pressures remain elevated
- 2 men plead guilty to killing wild burros in Southern California’s Mojave Desert
- Rules that helped set real estate agent commissions are changing. Here’s what you need to know
- 5 simple tips and predictions will set up your NCAA tournament bracket for March Madness
- Former longtime South Carolina congressman John Spratt dies at 82
- High-profile elections in Ohio could give Republicans a chance to expand clout in Washington
- Arsonist sets fire to Florida Jewish center, but police do not believe it was a hate crime
- Effort to revive Mississippi ballot initiative process is squelched in state Senate
- Could Bill Belichick, Robert Kraft reunite? Maybe in Pro Football Hall of Fame's 2026 class
- Psst, the Best Vacuum Cleaners are on Sale at Walmart Right Now: Bissell, Dyson, Shark & More
Ranking
- Paige Bueckers vs. Hannah Hidalgo highlights women's basketball games to watch
- The longest-serving member of the Alabama House resigns after pleading guilty to federal charges
- Haiti's long history of crises, and its present unrest
- Don't dismiss Rick Barnes, Tennessee this March: Dalton Knecht could transcend history
- Why we love Bear Pond Books, a ski town bookstore with a French bulldog 'Staff Pup'
- Official revenue estimates tick up slightly as Delaware lawmakers eye governor’s proposed budget
- 5 simple tips and predictions will set up your NCAA tournament bracket for March Madness
- NHL races are tight with one month to go in regular season. Here's what's at stake.
Recommendation
Newly elected West Virginia lawmaker arrested and accused of making terroristic threats
Wales elects Vaughan Gething, first Black national leader in Europe
Haiti's long history of crises, and its present unrest
Parents of Michigan school shooting victims say more investigation is needed
Jamie Foxx reps say actor was hit in face by a glass at birthday dinner, needed stitches
Patrick and Brittany Mahomes Share Glimpse at Courtside Date Night at NBA Game
$510 Dodgers jerseys and $150 caps. Behold the price of being an Ohtani fan in Japan
Caitlyn Jenner and Lamar Odom Reuniting for New Podcast