Andy Beshear recently confirmed he’s considering a 2028 presidential run, telling NBC: “I will not leave a broken country to my kids”. He plans to decide after 2026 whether he can “heal the nation”.
Early polls show him trailing bigger names like Kamala Harris and Gavin Newsom, with just 2% support. But his red-state success and bipartisan messaging could appeal to voters tired of division. He’ll visit early-primary state South Carolina soon to test his national appeal.
Who is Andy Beshear?
Andy Beshear is Kentucky’s 63rd governor, serving since 2019. Born in Louisville, he’s the son of former Governor Steve Beshear. He studied at Vanderbilt University and earned a law degree from the University of Virginia. Before politics, he worked as a consumer lawyer and was named “Consumer Lawyer of the Year” in 2013.
His early career faced controversy when he represented companies seeking tax breaks during his father’s governorship, raising ethics questions. Beshear lives in Frankfort with his wife Britainy and their two children, actively participating in their church.
As Kentucky’s Attorney General (2016-2019), Beshear often sued Republican Governor Matt Bevin.
He blocked Bevin’s pension cuts for teachers and budget reductions for universities. In 2019, he narrowly defeated Bevin to become governor by just 0.4%, Kentucky’s closest gubernatorial race ever.
He won reelection in 2023 by a wider 5% margin against Daniel Cameron.
As governor, he restored voting rights to 180,000 former felons, legalized medical marijuana, and attracted record job investments like Ford’s $5.8 billion battery plant.
National ambitions take shape
His popularity in Republican-leaning Kentucky (where Trump won by 30 points in 2024) makes him a rising Democratic star. He chairs the Democratic Governors Association and frequently discusses national unity, stating: “This country has gotten far too partisan”.
Though not widely known nationally, polls show he’s among America’s most popular governors with a +43 approval rating.