Gov. Andy Beshear says he would not take a run for president off the table in 2028. The comment came on the heels of a week packed with increasingly high-profile media appearances for the Kentucky Democrat.
The schedule ran the gamut, with Beshear taking his criticisms of President Trump's first 100 back in office to Fox News to diagnosing the state of the Democratic Party on Daily Show host Jon Stewart's podcast, The Weekly Show.
But capping off the week was the clearest signal yet that Beshear may have his eye on a run for the White House. Speaking with WDRB, the governor was asked about the possibility.
"If you'd asked me a couple years ago if this is something I'd consider, I probably wouldn't have, but I don't want to leave a broken country to my kids. And so if I'm somebody that can bring this nation together, hopefully find some some common ground, it's something I'll consider," he said, echoing language he used while being vetted to potentially join the Harris ticket in 2024.
Beshear received a major name boost as a result, and he's since made a trip to Davos for the World Economic Forum — the cost of which has been criticized by Republicans. He's also set to chair the Democratic Governors Association during the midterms, and he's entered the podcast circuit with his own.
Prior to the 2024 VP speculation, Beshear rarely jumped fully into the fray on national controversies, commenting when asked but sticking close to home on simmering national and international issues.
That's changed in the wake of President Trump's election and increasing questions about where he sees his political future leading.
Whether chatting with famed Democratic strategist James Carville or posting brief handheld videos sounding off on issues of the day, Beshear can frequently be heard pitching his vision for a Democratic Party more focused on kitchen table issues and making government work for residents in ways they care about.
"What you have to do is get dirt on your boots," he told Stewart in their podcast interview.